Learn more about UPIKE and why it is the right choice for you.
See if UPIKE is a good fit for you and take the next steps in becoming a student.
The vision for the College of Dental Medicine is to be known and respected for service, innovation, clinical excellence and interprofessional education.
We are practitioners of the healing arts defining the standard for excellence in optometric education and vision care.
Our D.O. medical school is nationally ranked and recognized for a reputation of excellence in rural medicine and family healthcare. UPIKE’s osteopathy program gives you a clear path to success in the medical field.
Explore our online undergraduate and graduate programs and learn more about earning your degree at UPIKE.
By: Amy Charles | October 21, 2024
University of Pikeville (UPIKE) hosted representatives from the American Heart Association (AHA) to award Professor of Physiology Guichun Han, Ph.D., a significant research grant totaling $154,000. The press event, held on UPIKE’s campus on October 15, celebrated Han as the first-ever recipient of an AHA research grant in Eastern Kentucky.
Han’s research focuses on the effects of estrogen on heart disease and stroke, specifically examining how these effects vary among women of different ages. This critical project is expected to shed light on important gender-specific health issues and will continue through 2025.
“We are incredibly proud to support the groundbreaking research Dr. Han is conducting through this grant,” said Executive Director of the American Heart Association in Central and Eastern Kentucky Andrea Ooten. “Her work has the potential to shed new light on how estrogen impacts heart disease and stroke – a critical area of study for women’s health that could transform approaches to treatment. This grant represents an investment in research and the health and future of women in Eastern Kentucky and beyond.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Kentucky and across the nation. It is also the top health threat to women, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined and accounting for one in every three deaths. Han’s research focuses on finding solutions to provide treatment options for women who are considered at high risk for heart disease and stroke.
Han expressed her gratitude to her students for their contributions to her research and the UPIKE administration for creating a supportive environment in which to work.
“It is a huge opportunity for our team to be involved in the great mission of the American Heart Association to be part of the relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives,” said Han. “Our team will be contributing to lowering the vascular death rate in Eastern Kentucky, in the nation, and across the world!”
The AHA’s Institutional Research Enhancement Award aims to foster small-scale research projects related to cardiovascular diseases and brain health at educational institutions that have historically received limited NIH funding. The AHA is dedicated to supporting innovative research across a broad spectrum of health-related studies.
For more information about the university, please visit upike.edu.