University of Kentucky
Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences
Lexington, Kentucky 40506
The University of Kentucky is a land-grant university consisting of eighteen colleges and schools. It provides a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, including eighty-seven master's and fifty-nine doctoral programs.
Approximately 24,000 students attend the University of Kentucky each year, of whom 5,000 are graduate students.
The University of Kentucky Graduate Center for Nutritional Sciences provides an opportunity for advanced study in nutrition leading to M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Among program graduates, 30 percent hold academic positions. Approximately 60 percent hold postdoctoral research fellowships, and approximately 10 percent hold the position of research scientist in industries.
Present emphasis on health maintenance and disease prevention suggest that the demand for nutritionists will continue to increase. Well-trained individuals oriented toward research, teaching and service are needed. In diversity and number of opportunities for rewarding careers, few fields have more to offer than nutrition. Our M.S. and Ph.D. Programs in Nutritional Sciences are multi-disciplinary in nature. By combining the expertise, experiences, and facilities of faculty members from many academic units at the University of Kentucky, greater educational and research opportunities are available to students. The students in the programs also have a unique environment to interact with students and faculty in various academic units along with the University of Kentucky Hospital.
The Community
The University is located in Lexington, which has a population of approximately 250,000. The pleasant living environment features various cultural activities.
Programs of study and degree requirements
The aim of the programs in nutritional sciences is to develop nutritional specialists who are able to function in a variety of sophisticated academic, industrial, and professional settings. Educational opportunities exist in the agricultural, biological, clinical, community, medical, social, and basic nutritional sciences. The faculty's research interests include vitamin and mineral metabolism, protein metabolism, lipid metabolism, nutrient interactions, nutrient-drug interaction, nutrition and aging, nutrition and cancer, nutrition and cardiovascular disease, dietary fiber and diabetes, social and behavioral aspects of foods and nutrition, nutritional immunology, nutritional endocrinology, nutritional toxicology, obesity, sports nutrition, oxidative cell damage and antioxidant defenses, and prostaglandin metabolism. The Ph.D. program has a core requirement of 32 credit hours. The M.S. program has four areas of emphasis: clinical nutrition, community nutrition, molecular and biochemical nutrition, and wellness/sports nutrition.
Cost of Study
Tuition for full-time graduate study is $2,987 per semester for residents and $6,857 per semester for nonresidents.
Financial Aid: The University of Kentucky Office of Student Financial Aid assists students in procuring fellowships, scholarships, and loans. Awards for study are also available on a competitive basis through the Graduate School. Students are advised to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid, 127 Funkhouser Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0054 (telephone: 859-257-3172) regarding fellowships, scholarships, and loans. In addition, research assistantships are available through individual investigators on a contractual basis.
Housing/Living Expenses: Housing is available for single and married graduate students at rates ranging from $325 to $550. Inquiries should be directed to the Cooperstown Office, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40508 (telephone: 859-257-3721).
How to apply
Students must apply for admission through the Graduate School. For further information and an application form, interested students should contact Graduate School Admissions, 351 Patterson Office Tower, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0027 (telephone: 859-257-4613). Applicants to the Ph.D. program should hold a Master of Science degree with a GPA above 3.2 on a 4.0 scale (applicants who do not meet this requirement must have a B.S. degree with a GPA above 3.0). Applicants to the M.S. program must have a B.S. degree with a GPA above 2.9. Students whose native language is not English must have a TOEFL score above 550. A statement of purpose must be submitted, and three letters of recommendation must be sent to the director of the program at the address below. Applications are accepted all year, but applicants requesting financial aid should apply early. Deadlines are April 1 for the fall semester and October 15 for the spring semester.
Who to Contact
Director of Graduate Studies
203A CAHP Building
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0003
Telephone: 859-257-3099
http://www.mc.uky.edu/nutrisci
THE FACULTY AND THEIR RESEARCH
• Kwaku Addo, Ph.D. Use of rheological and analytical methods for evaluation of wheat flour and corn grain quality.
• Kenneth Ain, M.D. Thyroid carcinoma; iodide transport; polyamine metabolism in oncology; thyroid hormone action; thyroid cell biology; nutritional modulation of cancer.
• James Anderson, M.D. Nutrition and metabolic diseases (diabetes, obesity, hyperlipidemia); reduction of risks of major health problems through intensive nutrition intervention.
• Douglas Archbold, Ph.D. Natural roles and use of volatile compounds from plant tissues in control of postharvest pathogens; enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism in fruit.
• Reto Asmis, Ph.D. Role of macrophages in human atherosclerosis.
• Shirish Barve, Ph.D. Effects of ethanol/antioxidants on the molecular mechanisms of cytokine gene expression and programmed cell death.
• Gilbert Boissonneault, Ph.D. Effects of dietary fats and body composition on cancer risk; oxidized cholesterol and atherosclerosis.
• Maria Boosalis, Ph.D. Acute-phase response and cytokines and their relationship to nutritional status indicators.
• Geza Bruckner, Ph.D. Lipid metabolism; microcirculation; eicosanoids, weight management; gnotobiology.
• Austin Cantor, Ph.D. Vitamin and mineral metabolism during growth and reproduction.
• Lisa Cassis, Ph.D. Pharmacology of renin-angiotensin system, with emphasis on cardiovascular control in heart failure, and role of angiotensin II in regulation of peripheral energy expenditure, energy intake, and body weight.
• Linda Chen, Ph.D. Nutrition and aging; antioxidant defense system in diseases; nutritional modulation of oxidative stress-related diseases.
• Ching Chow, Ph.D. Mechanisms of oxidative cell injury and antioxidant defense; role of micronutrients in the genesis of degenerative disease.
• Jody Clasey, Ph.D. Human body composition; relationship between body composition, health, and disease; role of intervention (exercise, nutrition, pharmaceutical, etc.) to bring about positive changes in fat and fat-free body compartments.
• Deborah Crooks, Ph.D. International nutrition; nutritional status, growth, and school achievement among Appalachian children in Kentucky.
• Alan Daugherty, Ph.D. Mode of intravascular lipoprotein metabolism in the development of atherosclerotic lesions.
• Ion Deaciuc, Ph.D. Molecular/biochemical basis of liver disease, cytokines, cytokine receptors, intracellular communication within the liver; liver apoptosis and alcoholic liver disease.
• Frederick deBeer, M.D., Ph.D. Effect of inflammation on lipoprotein metablolism and atherosclerosis; molecular mechanisms in pathogenesis of amyloidosis.
• Willem de Villiers, M.D., Ph.D. Lipoproteins/macrophage foam cell formation in atherosclerosis; macrophages/chronic inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease.
• James Drummond, D.D.S., Ph.D. Nutrition and etiology of oral disease; vitamin E; vitamin C.
• Hazel Forsythe, Ph.D. Maternal/child nutrition; nutritional risk factors in adolescent pregnancy; nutritional status of preschoolers/kindergartners.
• Vincent Gallicchio, Ph.D. Effects of hematopoietic growth factors/cytokines on econosoid metabolism; signal transduction mechanisms via activation of phospholipase activity and their clinical utility.
• David Gater, M.D., Ph.D. Spinal cord dysfunction; coronary artery disease risk profiles; exercise responses; obesity.
• Lawrence Gates, M.D. Role of antioxidants in production of proinflammatory cytokines in acute alcoholic pancreatitis.
• Howard Glauert, Ph.D. Effect of nutrition on chemical carcinogenesis; nutritional toxicology.
• Ramesh Gupta, Ph.D. Chemical carcinogenesis and its prevention by cancer chemopreventive agent; oxidative damage/degenerative diseases and effects of antioxidants.
• David Harmon, Ph.D. Ruminant digestion and metabolism; nutrient use by gastrointestinal tissues; nutritional influences on digestion.
• Bernhard Hennig, Ph.D. Use of a tissue culture model system in the study of nutrition and atherosclerosis, with an emphasis on the role of nutrients in the biochemical processes of vascular endothelial cell function.
• David Hildebrand, Ph.D. Biochemistry and genetics of lipid metabolism in plants; genetic alteration of nutritional quality of foods.
• Daniell Hill, M.D. The role of cytokines as mediators of clinical manifestations, such as malnutrition and liver injury, in alcoholic liver disease.
• Georgette Howard, Ph.D. Regulation of neuropeptide gene expression in diabetes and obesity; influence of nutrients on development of diabetes and obesity; molecular mechanism of action of antidiabetic therapeutics.
• Laurie Humphries, M.D. Eating disorders; anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
• Edward Kasarskis Jr., M.D., Ph.D. Zinc metabolism in the brain; metallothionein in the central nervous system in ALS; nutritional studies of ALS patients.
• Thomas Kelly, Ph.D. Experimental analysis of the interaction between pharmacological and nutritional variables and human behavior; substance abuse.
• Thomas Kemp, Ph.D. Isolation, identification, and study of biological properties of natural volatile compounds derived from plants that exhibit antimicrobial activity against pathogenic fungi and bacteria.
• Mark Kindy, Ph.D. Atherosclerosis; stroke (ischemia/reperfusion); amyloid and Alzheimer's disease; molecular biology and gene expression.
• Eun Lee, M.D. Gastrointestinal, liver, and surgical pathology.
• Guo-Min Li, Ph.D. Molecular mechanisms of DNA repair and dietary factors in human colon tumorigenesis.
• Merlin Lindemann, Ph.D. Interaction of nutrition/reproduction and lean tissue growth; emphasis on the minerals chromium, calcium, and phosphorus; omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids.
• Robert Lodder, Ph.D. Near-infrared imaging spectrometry; acoustic resonance spectrometry; magnetohydrodynamic spectrometry; thermal imaging.
• Gabriel Ludewig, Ph.D. Mechanisms of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of food contaminants; mechanisms of chemical carcinogenesis, susceptibility, and prevention by nutrition.
• James Matthews, Ph.D. Characterization of amino acid/peptide transport proteins; regulation of pancreatic acinar/hepatic cell metabolites.
• Craig McClain, M.D. Nutritional support; zinc metabolism; nutritional complications of alcoholism; role of cytokines in nutrition.
• Jean McCrory, Ph.D. Gait changes associated with aging and gait of population with physical disabilities.
• Bin-Tao Pan, Ph.D. Mechanisms of tumor progression, phospholipid metabolism, and tumorigenesis.
• Claire Pomeroy, M.D. Role of cytokines in leptin and disordered eating; management of eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, obesity).
• Steven Post, Ph.D. Role of intracellular signaling pathways involved in the regulation of macrophage function; lipoprotein metabolism.
• Larry Robertson, Ph.D. Mechanism of toxicity of PCBs and related compounds; effect of vitamin A in PCB-induced carcinogenesis.
• Daret St. Clair, Ph.D. Free radical in biology and medicine.
• Thomas Schwarcz, M.D. Oxidized cholesterol and development of atherosclerosis.
• Eric Smart, Ph.D. Molecular and cellular events that lead to atherosclerosis and hypertension.
• Brett Spear, Ph.D. The control of liver gene expression during liver development and disease.
• Michal Toborek, M.D., Ph.D. Effect of nutrients on molecular/cellular metabolism of vascular endothelial cells.
• Deneys van der Westhuyzen, Ph.D. HDL interactions with cells; identity and functions of cellular receptors involved in HDL metabolism.
• Eric Vanzant, Ph.D. Measurement and prediction of voluntary intake by grazing ruminants; carbohydrate and protein utilization in forge-fed ruminants.
• Changzhen Wang, Ph.D. Effects of dieting/exercise on calcium metabolism and bone structure.
• Nancy Webb, Ph.D. Lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis with specific emphasis on high-density lipoproteins and their receptors.
• James Yates, Ph.D. Muscle physiology; strength training; delayed-onset muscle soreness; ergogenic aids; ergonomics; prevention of low back injuries.
• Youling Xiong, Ph.D. Physical, biochemical, and functional properties of food proteins as essential human nutrients.