Through innovative projects, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) advances healthcare discoveries while providing hands-on learning opportunities for students. Faculty and students collaborate together on research projects, from cancer treatment to suicide prevention, aimed at solving some of healthcare’s greatest challenges.
Cancer Treatment
EKU Professor Dr. Margaret Ndinguri and University of Kentucky Associate Professor Dr. Lindsay Cormier received a continuation patent for their innovative cancer research. Their work focuses on combining compounds that target cancer cells to improve cancer detection and the delivery of chemotherapy.
Lung Cancer Screening
Dr. Michelyn Bhandari, associate dean and professor of public health, leads the evaluation of the Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Program, which aims to reduce lung cancer mortality and improve detection rates across the state. With preliminary results, the project’s researchers are already making informed suggestions for the program.
Fitness Testing
Dr. Mike Lane, professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, Exercise and Sport Science, researches supplementation, load carriage and long-term athletic performance. Using fitness tests similar to those required for police officers, Lane looks at how performance changes as task-specific load is added—providing insights that benefit both athletes and first responders.
Cardiovascular Disease
Dr. Smita Joshi, assistant professor of biology, investigates natural compounds that regulate platelets to balance bleeding and excessive clotting (thrombosis). She aims to develop cost-effective and safer preventative therapies while evaluating how supplements interact with conventional therapy. Her research seeks to improve cardiovascular health in Kentucky.
Antibiotic Resistance
Dr. Travis Altheide, associate professor of medical laboratory science, and Dr. Jason Marion, professor of environmental health science, examine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Aiming to prevent drug-resistant infections, Altheide and Marion established methods to recover and study multidrug-resistant bacteria found in waterways and wildlife.
Suicide Prevention
EKU Psychology Faculty Dr. Melinda Moore, Dr. Jerry Palmer, Dr. Michael McClellan and graduate students innovated a telehealth model to deliver rapid, suicide-focused treatment via an electronic format. Published in The Journal of Rural Mental Health, the research found that this virtual shift increased patient accessibility and lowered healthcare costs.
Dyslexia Intervention
Dr. Kellie Ellis, chair of clinical therapeutic programs and professor of speech-language pathology, developed the “CODE” technique (Clear, Organized, self-Discovery, Engaging practice) for the treatment of childhood language disorders, primarily dyslexia. Ellis has implemented this approach in her Word Detective Camps, offering literacy support for children.
Around campus and in the field, EKU healthcare research makes a positive impact on individual lives and communities across the region, state and beyond.
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Eastern Kentucky University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, educational specialist, and doctorate degrees.