College: Office of Research


UT Health Science Center Celebrates Nearly 150 Newly Minted Graduates This Winter

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A graduate getting ready to receive her diploma in the auditorium

“You’re not just entering a profession. You’re joining a mission to make Tennesseans and beyond, healthier and stronger.” With those words, Executive Dean for the College of Medicine Michael Hocker, MD, captured the essence of what 146 new health care professionals entered into Dec. 8 as the University of Tennessee Health Science Center celebrated winter… Read More


The University of Tennessee Foundation Names Dr. Melissa Robinson Chief Development Officer for UT Health Science Center

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Melissa Robinson

The University of Tennessee Foundation, Inc. (UTFI) and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center have named Melissa Robinson, DHA, MBA, the chief development officer and associate vice chancellor for Advancement. In this role, Dr. Robinson will guide the long-term strategic direction of fundraising across UT Health Science Center’s four statewide campuses, lead major and… Read More


Brain-on-a-Chip Revolutionizes Fight Against Deadly Encephalitis Viruses

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Photo of a brain-on-a-chip

Inside a lab at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, a transparent chip no bigger than a stick of gum could be changing the way scientists study the human brain and how they fight some of the world’s most dangerous viruses. Colleen Jonsson, PhD, Harriet S. Van Vleet Chair of Excellence in Virology and… Read More


Pioneering Breakthroughs in Epilepsy and Cancer Treatment Research

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Portrait of Dr. Wei Lei in the lab

When Wei Li, PhD moved to Memphis in 1999, drug discovery was not necessarily what he thought he would be doing for a career. Growing up in China, Dr. Li has always been passionate about chemistry, conducting home experiments after being introduced to the topic in middle school. He won the first-place prize in the… Read More


UT Health Science Center Leads Inaugural Tennessee Statewide Cancer Collaborative Scientific Meeting

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Photo of Dr. Jessica Snowden at the Cancer Collaborative

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center convened the first Tennessee Statewide Cancer Collaborative Scientific Meeting in Nashville on October 29-30, bringing together researchers, clinicians, and institutional partners from across the state to chart a unified course in the fight against cancer. With the theme “Advancing Cancer Research Across Tennessee,” the inaugural two-day conference highlighted… Read More


Fall Advisory Board Meeting Focuses on Gratitude for the Past and Present, Excitement for the Future

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Photo of Laurie Powell and Chancellor Peter Buckley

During its fall meeting Friday, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s Advisory Board honored a vital partner in mental health care in Memphis, received exciting news about the fiscal year 2025 preliminary financial results, and heard an update on the new $350 million College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Building proposed for the Memphis campus.   Chancellor Peter Buckley,… Read More


UT Health Science Center’s Liza Makowski, PhD, Helps Lead Global Conversation on GLP-1 Drugs and Cancer Risk

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Portrait of Dr. Liza Makowski

Blockbuster drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound have transformed obesity care for millions of Americans, making them some of the most talked-about medical breakthroughs of the decade. Yet several questions remain, including their long-term effects on cancer risk. A new commentary co-authored by Professor Liza Makowski, PhD, associate director for Education and Development in the… Read More


Rethinking Social Drinking: UT Health Science Center Researcher Explores Science Behind Social Influence on Alcohol Use

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Headshot of Dr. Brendan Tunstall

When Brendan Tunstall, PhD, looks at the science of addiction, he sees something missing. “For all we’ve learned about the pharmacology and neurobiology of alcohol use disorder,” he said, “in preclinical behavioral research, historically, we’ve largely ignored one factor known to powerfully influence human behavior—other people.” Dr. Tunstall, assistant professor of Pharmacology in the College… Read More