xt7q5717q055 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7q5717q055/data/mets.xml Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky Alumni Association 2015  journals  English  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky alumnus Kentucky Alumni, vol. 86, no. 3, Fall 2015 text Kentucky Alumni, vol. 86, no. 3, Fall 2015 2015 2015 true xt7q5717q055 section xt7q5717q055 * * Fall 2015 • Volume 86 • Number 3

are packed into
Humphrey:
Features Memoriestimes, includingthese UK remnants 12 Sally S.blue and making a difference
of fall fun
Homecoming.
seeing
ON THE COVER Photo: Shaun Ring; Artifacts courtesy of
Volunteer Sally Humphrey
Rodney Stiles ’81 ’86 ED

16 UK Homecoming turns 100!

Thursday, Nov. 25, 1915, was the first time UK celebrated
Homecoming — beating Tennessee 6-0 — and began an
alumni tradition of fall memories that continues today.

By Linda Perry

heads the UK Markey Cancer Foundation board and
leads the philanthropic drive
for support of cancer treatment and research.
Our Wildcat Society members

22 e UK Alumni Association is thankful to all UK

alumni and friends of the association who have given generously to the Wildcat Society this year.
A whole new ball game

28 Wildcat football players and UK fans will benefit

from the completion of the $120 million transformation
of Commonwealth Stadium this fall.

30

Year three: Stoops is confident and ready
Coach Mark Stoops is
excited and optimistic
as he enters his third year
at Kentucky.
By Kelli Elam

32

Photo: 1982 Kentuckian

Leading by example
Meet the 15 newly-elected members on the UK Alumni
Association Board of Directors.
By Linda Perry

Departments
At the 1981 Homecoming, President Otis Singletary received
a birthday cake for his 60th birthday.

4 Pride In Blue
7 Presidential Conversation
8 UK News
11 Blue Horizons
31 Wildcat Sports
34 Association News
37 Alumni Clubs

38
42
52
54
55
56

College View
Class Notes
In Memoriam
Creative Juices
Retrospect
Quick Take

www.ukalumni.net

1

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* How To Reach Us

University of Kentucky
Alumni Magazine
Vol.86 No. 3
Kentucky Alumni (ISSN 732-6297) is
published quarterly by the University of
Kentucky Alumni Association, Lexington,
Kentucky for its dues-paying members.
© 2015 University of Kentucky Alumni
Association, except where noted. Views and
opinions expressed in Kentucky Alumni do
not necessarily represent the opinions of its
editors, the UK Alumni Association nor the
University of Kentucky.

Association Staff

Kentucky Alumni
UK Alumni Association
King Alumni House
Lexington, KY 40506-0119
Telephone: 859-257-8905
1-800-269-ALUM
Fax: 859-323-1063
E-mail: ukalumni@uky.edu

Publisher/Executive Director: Stan Key ’72
Editor/Associate Director: Kelli Elam ’11
Managing Editor: Linda Perry ’84
Publications Production Assistant: Hal Morris

Kelly R. Allgeier ’08: Alumni Career Counselor
Brenda Bain: Records Data Entry Operator
Linda Brumfield: Account Clerk III
Sara-Elizabeth Bush ’13: Program Coordinator
Nancy Culp: Administrative Services Assistant
Caroline Francis ’88, ’93, ’02: Alumni Career Counselor
Leslie Hayes: Membership and Marketing Specialist
Update Your Record
Kelly V. Hinkel ’11: Staff Support Associate I
UK Alumni Association
John Hoagland ’89: Associate Director
King Alumni House
Diana Horn ’70, ’71: Principal Accountant
Lexington, KY 40506-0119
Emory Jones ’14: Program Coordinator
Telephone: 859-257-8800
Albert Kalim ’03: Webmaster
Fax: 859-323-1063
Randall Morgan: IS Tech Support
E-mail: ukalumni@uky.edu
Katie Murphy: Membership Specialist
Ashley Ritchie: Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Web: www.ukalumni.net
Darlene Simpson: Senior Data Entry Operator
For duplicate mailings, please send both
Jill Smith ’05, ’11: Associate Director
mailing labels to the address above.
Frances White: Data Entry Operator
Member of the Council for Advancement
and Support of Education

Board of Directors
Officers
David B. Ratterman ’68 EN - President
Peggy S. Meszaros ’72 ED - President-elect
Susan V. Mustian ’84 BE - Treasurer
Stan R. Key ’72 ED - Secretary
District
Michelle Leigh Allen ’06 ’10 BE
Jeffrey L. Ashley ’89 CI
Lisa G. Atkinson ’92 CI
William G. Bacon Jr. ’82 ’85 MED
Trudy Webb Banta ’63 ’65 ED
Brian R. Bergman ’85 ’ 86 EN
Heath F. Bowling ’95 BE
Jeffrey J. Brock ’83 SCC, ’84 BE
Michael L. Brown ’72 BE
Erin Burkett ’01 EN
Emmett “Buzz” Burnam ’74 ED
John S. Cain ’86 BE
James E. Cantrell ’76 EN
Shane T. Carlin ’95 AFE
Rebecca F. Caudill ’72 ’76 ED
Dr. Michael A. Christian ’76 AS, ’80 DE
Judith G. Clabes ’67 AS
Shannon R. Corley ’98 BE
Elizabeth Cox ’69 AS
D. Michael Coyle ’62 BE, ’65 LAW
Bruce E. Danhauer ’77 AFE
Ruth C. Day ’85 BE
Eugene L. DuBow ’53 AS
Philip D. Elder ’86 AFE
Abra Endsley ’98 ’01 CI
Linda L. Frye ’60 AS
Robert Michael Gray ’80 ’81 BE
Austin H. Hays ’03 BE
Wallace E. Herndon Jr. ’67 BE
Derrick C. Hord ’83 CI
Ann Nelson Hurst ’80 BE
Lee A. Jackson ’70 SCC, ’73 AS
Dr. Frank Kendrick ’90 ’92 DE
Shelia M. Key ’91 PHA
Turner LaMaster ’73 BE
omas K. Mathews ’93 AS
James D. McCain ’81 BE
Herbert A. Miller Jr. ’72 AS, ’76 LAW
Ashley S. “Tip” Mixson III ’80 BE

Sherry R. Moak ’81 BE
Hannah M. Myers ’93 ED
Kimberly Parks ’01 BE
Abigail M. Payne ’05 CI
Quintissa S. Peake ’04 CI
Nicholas C. Phelps ’08 BE
William C. “Carlos” Phillips ’90 CI
James A. Richardson ’70 AS, ’72 ED
Charlene K. Rouse ’77 DES
Philip Schardein,’02 BE
Sharon Lee Sears ’80 CI
Marian Moore Sims ’72 ’76 ED
J. Fritz Skeen ’72 ’73 BE
George B. Spragens ’93 BE
Reese S. Terry Jr. ’64 ’66 EN
Peggy T. Tudor ’73 ’83 NUR, ’07 ED
Quentin R. Tyler ’02 ’05 AFE, ’11 AS
Craig M. Wallace ’79 EN
Lori E. Wells ’96 BE
Crystal M. Williams ’97 BE
Scott Wittich ’75 BE

Alumni Trustees
Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED
Kelly Sullivan Holland ’93 AS, ’98 ED
Terry B. Mobley ’65 ED
Appointed
Katie Eiserman ’01 ED - Athletics
omas W. Harris ’85 AS - University Relations
D. Michael Richey ’74 ’79 AFE - Development
Bobby C. Whitaker ’58 CI - Honorary
Jenna M. Hollinden - Student Government Association
Vacant - University Senate
Past Presidents
George L. Atkins Jr. ’63 BE
eodore B. Bates ’52 AFE
Richard A. Bean ’69 BE
Michael A. Burleson ’74 PHA
Bruce K. Davis ’71 LAW
Scott E. Davis ’73 BE
Marianne Smith Edge ’77 AFE
Franklin H. Farris Jr. ’72 BE
Dr. Paul E. Fenwick ’52 AFE
William G. Francis ’68 AS, ’73 LAW
At Large
W. P. Friedrich ’71 EN
Jo Hern Curris ’63 AS, ’75 LAW
Dan Gipson ’69 EN
Dr. Michael H. Huang ’89 AS, ’93 MED
Brenda B. Gosney ’70 HS, ’75 ED
Antoine Huffman ’05 CI
Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED
Matt Minner ’93 AS
John R. Guthrie ’63 CI
Will Nash ’06 AS
Ann B. Haney ’71 AS
Jane C. Pickering ’74 ED
Diane M. Massie ’79 CI
Robert E. Miller
College
John C. Nichols II ’53 BE
Michelle McDonald ’84 AFE, ’92 ED - Agriculture
Dr. George A. Ochs IV ’74 DE
Winn F. Williams ’71 AS - Arts & Sciences
Sandra Bugie Patterson ’68 AS
James B. Bryant ’67 BE - Business & Economics
Robert F. Pickard ’57 ’61 EN
Jeremy L. Jarvi ’02 CI - Communication & Information Paula L. Pope ’73 ’75 ED
Dr. Clifford J. Lowdenback ’99 AS, ’03 DE - Dentistry
G. David Ravencra ’59 BE
Lu Ann Holmes ’79 DES - Design
William Schuetze ’72 LAW
Martha Elizabeth Randolph ’83 BE, ’87 ’92 ED - Education David L. Shelton ’66 BE
Taunya Phillips ’87 EN, ’04 BE - Engineering
J. Tim Skinner ’80 DES
Kimberly Baker ’92 FA - Fine Arts
James W. Stuckert ’60 EN, ’61 BE
Barbara R. Sanders ’72 AS, ’76 ED - Health Sciences
Julia K. Tackett ’68 AS, ’71 LAW
Janis E. Clark ’78 GS, ’85 LAW - Law
Hank B. ompson Jr. ’71 CI
Myra L. Tobin ’62 AFE
Dr. Emery R. Wilson ’68 ’72 MED - Medicine
J. omas Tucker ’56 BE
Patricia K. Howard ’83 ’90 ’04 NUR - Nursing
Henry Wilhoit Jr. ’60 LAW
Lynn Harrelson ’73 PHA - Pharmacy
Elaine A. Wilson ’68 SW
Vacant - Public Health
Richard M. Womack ’53 AFE
Willis K. Bright Jr. ’66 SW - Social Work

www.ukalumni.net

3

* Pride In Blue

Homecoming 2015:
Come home — we are waiting for you!

4

Fall 2015

Know what else I love about Homecoming? Welcoming
our Golden Wildcats back to campus. Spending time with
these wonderful folks is always the highlight of the week
for me.
What are your favorite Homecoming memories? I would
love to hear about them.
As always, the UK Alumni Association will have plenty of
fun activities and events planned for our alumni and friends.
Check out a complete listing on pages 18-21. I’m excited just
thinking about it.
Also in this issue, we introduce you to our new board members. ese fine folks give tirelessly of their time to serve on the
board, and we sure appreciate them. Meet the 2015 Distinguished Service Award and Joseph T. Burch Young Alumni
Award recipients. Congrats to all on these well-deserved honors. Get to know Liz Toombs, who has turned her love for interior design into a creative, growing business, and meet Sally
Humphrey, who has been a devoted volunteer and advocate for
the Markey Cancer Center.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Kentucky Alumni magazine as
much as I enjoy sharing it with you. And I truly hope you can
find some time to make it back to campus during Homecoming. Be sure and stop by the King Alumni House and see me.
With Pride in Blue,

Kelli Elam ’11
Editor

Photo: Kelli Elam

It’s with great pride that
we bring you the 2015
fall issue of Kentucky
Alumni magazine.
Whew. What a year it’s
been. And it ain’t over
yet! 2015 continues to be
a year of celebrating milestones. e university
marked its 150th anniversary in February. We celebrated 50 years of greatness with the
induction of the Class of 2015 into the UK Alumni Association Hall of Distinguished Alumni. Now, we are bringing it
home Sept. 26 – Oct. 4 by marking 100 years since the first
Homecoming celebration at the University of Kentucky.
In 1915, the very first “Home-coming” took place on campus. e big event, at least in my opinion, was that our Wildcats beat Tennessee 6-0 in the very first Homecoming football
game. How about that? Homecoming has become a weeklong
celebration of activities for students and alumni alike, cumulating with the big football game on Saturday. is year, our
Wildcats will host Eastern Kentucky University in the Homecoming battle. I am predicting a big win for the Cats! Be sure
and stop by our tailgate tent.
Football is just one of the many traditions. From ladies wearing white mums, good times creating floats, to the crowning of
the Homecoming King and Queen, Homecoming is all about
traditions. Some have withstood the test of time while others
have fallen by the wayside. It’s never too late to start a new
tradition, such as a photo with Bowman in the Wildcat
Alumni Plaza.
I love everything about Homecoming. I love the excitement
that takes over campus, the many great events and of course,
football and tailgating! Most of all, I love connecting with our
alumni returning to campus and making new friends with folks
coming back to campus for the first time. I also love how the
King Alumni House gets all dressed up for the week. I always
try to take a photo of the house, like this one on the right.
While I am throwing the word “love” around, I really love the
cover of this issue. We wanted to do something a little different, while at the same time share some great memorabilia from
Homecomings past. How cool is the letterman’s sweater and
old football? We even borrowed the crown worn by staff member Jill Holloway Smith ’05 BE, ’11 AFE when she was named
Homecoming Queen in 2004.

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* Presidential Conversation
Transforming tomorrow
is past year, in celebration of the University of Kentucky’s
150th anniversary, UK Associate Professor and 2014 Kentucky
Poet Laureate Frank X Walker captured the spirit of this place
we love in his poem titled, “Seedtime in the Commonwealth.”
“ ere is no vaccination against ignorance, but there is us.
ere is this university. And we still have heavy doors to open,
unmet obligations to the land and its people. ere are still leadership opportunities to advance the Commonwealth, this nation,
and our world towards fulfilling its potential, towards meeting its
loy promises … Let men and women come here as seeds, let us invest in them until they form sufficient roots and leaves to obtain
their own food. Let them grow om here not just trees, but a
uit-bearing, deeply-rooted forest.”
“There is us.” There is this university. We were founded
for Kentucky.
rough the education we provide, the creative research we
conduct, and the care and service we render, we are the university for Kentucky — the institution our Commonwealth has
charged with asking and addressing the most penetrating questions confronting our state and our people, the vexations that
challenge us in education, economic development, health care,
and cultural and societal advancement.
For the past several months, a leadership team, comprised of
individuals from across our community, has been working in
earnest to develop the UK Strategic Plan. is plan will guide
our actions, and how we measure our progress, as we continue
to serve the Commonwealth and the world.
Our vision is grounded in and guided by five strategic objectives that mark our priorities: undergraduate student success,
graduate education, diversity and inclusivity, research and
scholarly work, and community engagement.
Undergraduate education has always been at the heart of
UK’s mission, and it remains so today. All outstanding research universities offer stellar undergraduate experiences.
Reaffirming the commitment we have maintained over the
generations, we will continue to produce graduates prepared
to serve the Commonwealth in all aspects of its development.
Accordingly, we will be the university of choice for qualified
undergraduate students, within both the Commonwealth and
the region.
For a community of scholars, graduate education represents
the nurturing of intellectual seed for tomorrow’s pedagogy and
path-setting research. We will improve the quality and distinctiveness of our graduate programs to even better prepare our
students for careers as accomplished scholars and professionals
who contribute to the Commonwealth, the nation and the
world through their research, creative discovery and endeavors,
teaching and service.

Our ability to prepare
students for success in a
global and increasingly interconnected economy is,
in an important sense,
most determined by the
learning environment we
provide them. Similarly,
the ability of our faculty
and staff to harness and
reach their potential is facilitated, in large measure,
by the extent to which our
campus community is diverse, welcoming and inclusive.
Deeply understanding this dynamic — and acting upon it —
means we will work each day to strengthen the diversity and inclusivity of our university community through recruitment and
retention of an increasingly diverse population of faculty, staff
and students and by implementing initiatives that provide rich
diversity-related experiences for all to help ensure their success
in a diverse and interconnected world.
Our research and scholarly endeavors offer the brightest
hope for transformation and change for our Commonwealth
and the broader world we serve. We will, therefore, expand our
scholarly work, creative endeavors, and cutting-edge research
to focus on the most important challenges of the Commonwealth and to improve the lives of our citizens.
Our sense of connection to those we serve and our steadfast
commitment to changing lives is an integral part of what makes
our campus community special. To foster that, we will build
upon our engagement with — and service to — our community partners within the Commonwealth, the nation and the
world by honoring our historic commitments as a land-grant
institution. We will leverage contemporary technology, scholarship and research in innovative ways to advance the public
good and to foster the development of citizen-scholars.
With the harmony of diverse voices and perspectives, but in
the cadence of a common voice, the strategic plan, which our
board will consider in October, creates a blueprint for our future, guided as we have been for 150 years by the values and
dreams of those who built this special place.
I look forward to sharing that future with you.
Sincerely,

Eli Capilouto
President

www.ukalumni.net

7

* UK News
Mitzi Vernon, currently professor of
industrial design at Virginia Tech, will
assume the position of dean of the UK
College of Design in September. Vernon replaces Interim Dean Ann
Whiteside-Dickson, who has served
for more than a year following the departure of Michael Speaks.
Vernon is the recipient of three National Science Foundation Grant
awards. Two grants are focused on design of nontraditional books and exhibits for teaching science and math to
middle school students. The most recent grant, awarded in 2007, is a collaborative project examining the
design studio as a model for teaching
the design of software-intensive systems. Vernon’s current scholarship on
product form led to the development
of a new studio model called “form
studio” and the student design and
fabrication of a traveling exhibition
called “FORM: Line-Plane-Solid.” She
has received multiple grants over the
past several years to support this work.

She is the primary inventor on three
U.S. patents, and she has extensive experience with sponsored collaborative
projects involving industrial design, architecture, physics, computer science,
engineering, and education students.
She received patents as the originator
of the project “Fields Everywhere.”
As a professor of courses in industrial
design including design research and
professional practice, Vernon has received numerous teaching awards including the most prestigious teaching
award at Virginia Tech, the William E.
Wine Award for Excellence in Teaching (2012) and was the inaugural
awardee of the J. Stoeckel Design Studio Teaching Award in the School of
Architecture + Design at Virginia
Tech (2012) for outstanding studio
teaching.
Vernon received a Master of Science
in engineering in product design from
Stanford University in 1995, a Master
of Architecture from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing

New dean named for College of Design

Mitzi Vernon

in 1986, and a Bachelor of Science in
interior design from the University of
North Carolina – Greensboro in 1984.
Prior teaching experience includes the
California College of the Arts, the
University of Southern California and
Arizona State University. n

Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing

Gatton appointed UK Board lifetime honorary Trustee
Gov. Steve Beshear
appointed Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton as a
lifetime honorary
member of the UK
Board of Trustees.
UK President Eli
Capilouto said, “Bill
Gatton’s lifelong commitment to his alma
mater as a leader,
trustee and philanthropist without peer
has transformed the
University of Kentucky — for generations of students and
their families and for
the Commonwealth that we serve as the state’s flagship institution. As an honorary Trustee, we will continue to benefit from his wisdom and insights, as well as his enduring and
steadfast commitment to the university and Common-

8

Fall 2015

wealth, both of which have been the focus of his passion,
energies and efforts for several decades.”
Gatton is the single largest donor to UK in the school’s
history. His recent $20 million contribution for the construction of a new university student center, in addition to
generous support for the renovation and expansion of the
Gatton College of Business and Economics, brings his total
philanthropy to UK to more than $45 million, with a total
gift impact of nearly $57 million.
Gov. Beshear also made three other appointments to the
Board of Trustees.
Terms expiring June 30, 2021:
• Frank Shoop of Lexington, who is an auto dealer, replaces James Stuckert, whose term has expired.
• Claude A. “Skip” Berry of Eminence, who is chairman
of the Wehr Constructors Inc. Kentucky division, replaces Bill Gatton, whose term has expired.
Term expiring June 30, 2021:
• Barbara S. Young of Lexington,
who previously owned and operated Ashwood Travel
Agency, was reappointed. n

* UK News
Dr. Stephanos Kyrkanides is the new
dean of the UK College of Dentistry. He
previously was associate dean for research
and faculty development and chairman of
the Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry at the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine.
Kyrkanides replaced Dean Sharon
Turner, who led the UK College of Dentistry for the last 12 years and announced
her intention to retire once a new dean
was selected. Under her leadership, the
UK College of Dentistry has had sustained growth — realized through significant increases in clinical revenues,
important and needed renovations of facilities, and a notable diversification of faculty members who now represent many
cultures and countries.
As both a dentist and neuroscientist,
Kyrkanides has collaborated extensively
with faculty in the School of Dental Medi-

cine and School of Medicine on neurodegeneration and pain arthritis research. His
current research focuses on regenerative
dentistry, having invented Natural Enamel,
a new biomaterial for use in CAD/CAM
dentistry. Also, in collaboration with principal investigator and inventor, Dr. Sabine
Brouxhon, (Kyrkanides’ wife), he has developed a novel cancer therapy that was
just recently licensed by the Avalon Ventures / GlaxoSmithKline consortium.
Kyrkanides received his D.D.S. degree
from the National University of Athens
School of Dentistry in Greece and his
training in orthodontics, orofacial pain
and advanced education in general dentistry at the Eastman Dental Center in
Rochester New York. He received a master’s degree and doctoral degree in neurobiology and anatomy from the University
of Rochester. In 2000, he completed postdoctoral training in molecular medicine

Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing

Dentistry welcomes new dean

Dr. Stephanos Kyrkanides

and gene therapy at the University of
Rochester Center for Aging and Developmental Biology. n

UK Debate and Forensics teams have impressive 2014-2015 season
e UK Debate team ranked 11th in the final 2015 National
Debate Tournament rankings and the Forensics team had individual competitors winning 127 awards in public speaking and
debate, including 18 first place finishes.
e 2014-2015 University of Kentucky Debate Team was
made up of nine Honors Program students, one Singletary
Scholar, two Presidential Scholars, two Parker Scholars, one Patterson Scholar and two former Chellgren Fellows. e squad
posted an outstanding team GPA of 3.9 for the 2014-2015 academic year and six of the top 14 speakers at the ADA National
Championship represented UK.

UK Debate Team Coach Dave Arnett was named National
Coach of the Year by the ADA. “Kentucky Debate has a tradition
over a hundred years old and has been a major force for much of
that time,” Arnett said. “e team took a major step this year toward becoming one of the elite programs in the country.”
Over the course of the fall and springs semesters, the Forensics
team travelled to 11 regular season tournaments across the southeast region of the United States. e squad earned seven team
awards at these tournaments and has been awarded one of three
nationally competitive grants from the forensics honorary Pi
Kappa Delta. n

UK professor honored with Alabama’s Distinguished Artist Award
president of a production and management company for musical/theatrical
events named Global Creative Connections. McCorvey, a tenor, has traveled the world with performances in a
number of festivals and theaters.
UK Opera eatre is one of a select
group of U.S. opera training programs
recommended by the Richard Tucker
Music Foundation, which is dedicated
to the support and advancement of
the careers of talented American opera
singers by bringing opera into the community and heightening appreciation for opera by supporting
music education enrichment programs. n
www.ukalumni.net

Photo: UK Public Relations & Marketing

Everett McCorvey received the 2015 Alabama Distinguished
Artist Award at the Celebration of the Arts awards ceremony,
which took place in May at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival
in Montgomery.
e Alabama State Council on the Arts annually brings art
enthusiasts together to recognize and appreciate a group of exceptionally talented Alabamians and their work in support of
the arts in Alabama and beyond. McCorvey was one of seven
individuals recognized at this year’s event.
A professor of voice and the director and executive producer
of UK Opera eatre at the UK School of Music in the UK
College of Fine Arts, McCorvey received his bachelor’s and
doctoral degrees from the University of Alabama. He is the
artistic director of the National Chorale, as well as the founder
and music director of the American Spiritual Ensemble, and

9

* Looking For Your Next
Big Investment Opportunity?
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you with home-grown entrepreneurs and small businesses from
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pitches from various entrepreneurs, and if interested, connect o line.

Best of all, it’s free.
Visit KYAngels.net for complete details or visit
your local Kentucky Innovation Network o ice.
859 257 1930 | KyAngels.net
Kentucky Angel Investors Network is operated by the O ice of Entrepreneurship within the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, in conjunction with
the Kentucky Innovation Network. The Cabinet’s services, assistance, and activities are available to all without regard to race, color, gender or national origin.

* Blue Horizons

Flavonoids research shows promise for future
UK researchers may hold the answers
for new plant-based pharmaceuticals and
environmentally safe paint.
Jan Smalle, a scientist in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, received a four-year, $450,000
grant from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, National Institute of Food
and Agriculture to study the mechanics
of nanoharvesting plant flavonoids.
Flavonoids are a complex collection of
plant-made chemicals that have all
kinds of functions within plants and
also have many potential human health
implications.
Flavonoids protect plants from sunlight and sunlight damage, help defend
against pathogens and are responsible
for producing the colors of fruits and
flowers.
“ere has not been definitive research
on plant flavonoids that the Food and
Drug Administration says makes them
proven to help human health, but research has shown there is a direct correlation between people that have a lot of
flavonoids in their diets and lower in-

stances of cancer, heart disease, dementia, improved blood circulation and
slower aging,” said Smalle, an associate
professor in the Department of Plant
and Soil Sciences.
Interest is increasing among food scientists in using flavonoids to color food instead of the current coloring processes,
which oen rely on synthesized fossil
fuel-derived compounds. Flavonoids also
have potential for the paint industry as
they could lead to more environmentally
friendly paint production and reduce the
industry’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Smalle and fellow UK research scientist Jasmina Kurepa developed nanoharvesting, which involves inserting
titanium dioxide nanoparticles into a
plant. Inside the plant, the nanoparticles
bind with flavonoids in cells. Plants then
secrete the nanoparticles coated with
flavonoids.
Until this discovery, conducting research on flavonoids was difficult, as
many flavonoid species are unstable and
degrade or become modified during the
classical isolation procedures. It was also

hard for scientists to deliver them to
human cells for pharmaceutical research.
“We now have an extremely simple way
to isolate these compounds,” Smalle said.
“It has the added advantage that this
type of nanoparticle is known to be
taken up by human cells. We may now be
able to use these particles coated with
flavonoids directly in drug discovery.”
Using the model plant Arabidopsis,
Smalle will look at the plant mechanisms
and pathways involved in taking up
nanoparticles and then secreting them
coated with flavonoids. e research will
also explore whether similar pathways
exist and are as efficient in other plants,
especially agricultural plants that farmers
are already able to successfully produce.
“Flavonoids in green tea are supposed
to help us live longer, but those are different flavonoids than the ones in blueberries that provide us with other health
benefits, and those are different from the
ones in chocolate,” Kurepa said. “So if
there is a simple and unified system to
get flavonoid-coated nanoparticles from
everything, then that’s brilliant.” n

Research team earns award for tractor safety program
A research team from the Southeast
Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention (SCAHIP), which is
housed within the UK College of Public Health, has been awarded top honors in the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) Evaluation Contest.
The Kentucky team was awarded the
honor for its project, “The UKCROPS Project – Cost-effective Rollover Protective Structures,” and was
recognized for this accomplishment at
the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium. The aim of the
project is to implement a cost-effective
solution for farmers in Appalachia who
are using older model tractors that are
not equipped with Rollover Protection
Structures (ROPS). Nationwide, tractor-related fatalities account for as

much as one-third of agriculturalrelated deaths.
The project team was led by Joan
Mazur of the College of Education and
Stacy Vincent of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment. Other
team members include Susan Westneat
of the College of Public Health and
graduate students Jen