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INNOVATION INSIDER
January 2026
| | University of Kentucky to Receive Laboratory Equipment from US WorldMeds Valued at $1.34 Million | |
The University of Kentucky will receive a donation of laboratory equipment from US WorldMeds valued at $1.34 million, supporting research capacity and workforce development across the Commonwealth. Coordinated by UK Innovate in collaboration with US WorldMeds, this multi-institutional effort includes the University of Louisville and LifeSciKY, which will gain access to advanced laboratory resources through this donation.
This investment from US WorldMeds reflects a shared commitment with UK Innovate to strengthen Kentucky’s life sciences infrastructure through strategic industry–academic collaboration.
| KET Highlights UK's Role In Responsible Innovation and Workforce Readiness | | |
CATS AI was recently featured on KET, highlighting how the University of Kentucky is preparing students and communities for a future shaped by artificial intelligence. The segment includes insight from Ian McClure, vice president for innovation, UK HealthCare and associate vice president for research, innovation and economic impact, UK Research, on the importance of responsible innovation and workforce readiness.
Watch the segment on KET starting at 8:22.
| | Blood-Based Machine Learning Diagnostic for Hepatocellular Carcinoma (3053) | | Researchers at the University of Kentucky have developed a noninvasive diagnostic technology that could significantly advance early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. Using a simple blood sample, the approach analyzes gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and applies an interpretable predictive formula to identify HCC at very early stages, when treatment outcomes are strongest. By bridging bulk RNA data with single-cell transcriptomics, the technology demonstrates exceptional performance, achieving more than 95 percent accuracy in bulk datasets and 100 percent accuracy in single-cell analyses, while remaining low cost, scalable and well suited for clinical and commercial adoption. | | |
Date: Feb 3, 2026
Time: 9:00AM - 10:30AM
Location: The Food Connection, The 90
Hosted by: Sustainable Futures Design Lab (SFDL)
TRUST Hub Founding Focus Area
Join the Sustainable Futures Design Lab for a free, interactive cooking experience that brings together food, conversation and community. This hands-on event connects campus colleagues across disciplines, fostering meaningful conversation and collaboration around innovative, community-engaged research solutions.
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PATENTS
December 2025
12,484.915 Antegrade retrograde recon femoral intramedullary nail system
Innovator: Arun Aneja, Shea Comadoll, Lorenzo Deveza, Boshen Liu
12,486,300 Mithramycin oxime derivatives having increased selectivity and anti-cancer activity
Innovators: Joseph M. Eckenrode, Markos Leggas, Yang Liu, Khaled Attia Shaaban Mahmoud, Jurgen Rohr, Jon S. Thorson, Jianjun Zhang, Yinan Zhang
12,497,627 BZIP transcription factors regulate conversion of nicotine to nornicotine
Innovators: Darlene Madeline Lawson, Sitakanta Pattanaik, Sanjay K. Singh, Ling Yuan
12,503,393 Composite mineralizers/fluxes for the production of alite/calcium sulfoaluminate clinkers
Innovators: Tristana Duvallet, Robert Jewell, Thomas Robl
12,508,540 Electrochemical cell, method and apparatus for capturing carbon dioxide from flue gas and decomposing nitrosamine compounds
Innovators: Keemia Abad, Saloni Bhatnagar, Xin Gao, James Landon, Kunlei Liu, Jesse G. Thompson
12,509,439 Anti-malarial agents
Innovators: Stephen Brand, Jeremy Burrows, David Floyd, Rodney Kiplin guy, Jared T. Hammill
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LICENSES AND OPTIONS
December 2025
National 4-H Council
Innovators: Melinda Ickes, Joel Thompson
National 4-H Council
Innovators: Charles Carlson, Audrey Darville, Angela Grubbs,
Craig Miller, Juli Plasencia
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