UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences UK-CARES
The University of Kentucky Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) is a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Core Center to enhance research capacity focused on major environmental health impacts to air and water quality that have been implicated in environmentally induced disease.
The Center will provide advanced infrastructure and leading expertise, dedicated career development and mentorship, and community-engaged interactions to facilitate innovative discovery and new understandings of environmental factors in disease initiation, progression, and outcomes and their community impacts.
CEC AUGUST WORKSHOP A Free, Interactive, Virtual Professional Development Workshop for K-12 Teachers
IN THE NEWS UK researcher investigates hidden liver risks facing East Palestine community UK-CARES Funded Pilot Research
Lindsay C. Czuba, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UK College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, has been awarded a pilot grant through the University of Kentucky Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) to investigate how chronic, low-level vinyl chloride exposure affects liver health and, importantly, how it alters the way the body processes medications.
Carter Sloss | UK Photo
UK-CARES selects FRESH Cohort 2026
Future Researchers in Environmental Health Sciences (FRESH)
Congratulations to Dr. Yisi Liu, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University of Kentucky's 2026 FRESH Cohort! The FRESH program promotes the research and career development of promising early career scientists within NIEHS P30 Centers and fosters novel collaborations between researchers.
Dr. Liu will present, "Precision Environmental Health: Advancing Exposure Assessment using Wearable Sensors in Environmental Epidemiology" at Rutgers University on Thursday, May 21 at 12:00 PM.
Click here to request Zoom Meeting ID
UK-CARES Hosted FRESH Cohort from Johns Hopkins University for April EHS Seminar Applying a cumulative impacts and risk lens to assessing health burdens among fence-line communities
The 2026 April EHS Seminar hosted FRESH Cohort Dr. Sara Lupolt from Johns Hopkins University who shared her vital work on cumulative risk assessments for fence-line communities, highlighting the power of combining mobile air monitoring with community-based research to protect public health.
The FRESH program promotes the research and career development of talented early career scientists within NIEHS P30 Centers and fosters fresh collaborations between researchers.
UK-CARES Co-hosted the Be Heard! Series
The Be Heard Series aims to inspire students and practitioners of environmental health science to share their research in an effort to promote meaningful change. The February webinar featured UK-CARES members Dr. Erin Haynes & Misti Allison as guest speakers on the best practices for academic-community collaboration in East Palestine.
State of the Science Annual Meeting
2026 by looking back on a successful 2025 UK-CARES at the annual State of the Science held in January.
Presentations by 2024 & 2025 Pilot, Career Development, and Community-Engaged Research Awardees. Paper of the Year Winners.
Congratulations to our Paper of the Year Awardees
2023
SCIENCE: Cochran JP, Unrine JM, Coyne M, Tsyusko OV. Read more: PubMed
COMMUNITY: Martin KV, Hilbert TJ, Reilly M, Christian WJ, Hoover A, Pennell KG, Ding Q, Haynes EN. Read more: PubMed
2024
SCIENCE: Kohler K, Macheda T, Hobbs MM, Maisel MT, Rodriguez A, Farris L, Wessel CR, Infantino C, Niedowicz DM, Helman AM, Beckett TL, Unrine JM, Murphy MP. Read more: PubMed
COMMUNITY: Unrine JM, McCoy N, Christian WJ, Gautam Y, Ormsbee L, Sanderson W, Draper R, Mooney M, Cromer M, Pennell K, Hoover AG. Read more: PubMed