LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 7, 2021) – The University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science has awarded pilot funding to ten projects that address human health issues across the lifespan.

Justin Karr, assistant professor of psychology in the College of Arts & Sciences, received an Early Career Award for  “The Chronic Sequelae of Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Women.” Mentors are TK Logan, Michelle Martel and Suzanne Segerstrom.

The center provides multiple types of pilot funding to catalyze collaborative, translational research. In partnership with disease-specific centers at UK and with academic medical centers around the country, the center has provided more than 250 awards totaling $4 million, which have garnered $84.6 million in extramural funding — a return on investment of 20 to 1. 

Funding favors multidisciplinary research and projects that focus on health disparities, particularly in Appalachia. 

High impact grants are awarded to investigators at all stage of career development. Early career awards are specifically for new investigators or those transitioning to a new area, and they must identify a mentor on the project. Both categories of funding are intended to stimulate innovative pilot data to support extramural funding.