Department: Office of Research


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


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


College of Pharmacy Alumnus and Affiliate Professor Elected to National Academy of Medicine

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Headshot of Dr. David Rogers

P. David Rogers, PharmD, PhD, an alumnus of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy and an affiliate professor in the college’s Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, has been elected to the esteemed National Academy of Medicine (NAM) for his pioneering work in medical mycology and antifungal pharmacology. Election to… 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


New Statewide Effort Aims to Tackle Cancer Crisis

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Photo of a researcher in a cancer lab.

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center will host the inaugural Tennessee Statewide Cancer Collaborative on October 29–30, 2025, at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville. The two-day conference aims to unite researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to chart a path toward a stronger, more coordinated statewide cancer strategy. With the theme “Advancing Cancer Research Across Tennessee,”… Read More


Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, PhD, Named Executive Director of UT Health Science Center Research Core Labs

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Headshot of Dr. Elizabeth Fitzpatrick

The Office of Research has named Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, PhD, as executive director of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s research core laboratories, effective September 19, 2025. A long-time leader in research infrastructure, Dr. Fitzpatrick is a professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, associate director of the Regional Biocontainment… Read More