Lexington, KY – The University of Kentucky has received a $12.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) “to better understand and minimize negative health and environmental impacts from hazardous waste sites.”
More than 50 scientists and students from 15 departments within the UK College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment as well as Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Medicine and Public Health will benefit from the Nutrition and Superfund Toxicity grant.
Since 1997 UK has received funding for its work in the Superfund Research Center, and in 2014 is one of only 4 programs being funded, according to a press release. This grant is “one of the largest” the National Institute of Health has ever rewarded UK.
Kentucky is home to numerous federal Superfund sites, areas contaminated by hazardous materials. Currently Kentucky includes 14 active Superfund sites according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
"Our biomedical research goal is to help offset the negative health impacts that can occur when humans are exposed to toxic chemicals, thus improving health and disease outcomes, which can be associated with such exposures,” said Bernhard Hennig, center director and professor of nutrition and toxicology in the College of Agriculture.
“We are optimistic that the results from our environmental science research will help accelerate the clean-up of several Superfund sites in Kentucky, such as the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant,” said Lindell Ormsbee, associate director of the UK Superfund Research Center.
The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant is one of the Superfund sites on EPA’s the National Priorities List, and is the largest Superfund site in Kentucky and “of major concern” due to the health consequences of increased exposure according to the NIH.
“This project brings the best scientists from many different disciplines and colleges together for a high-impact collaboration,” said Nancy Cox, dean of the College of Agriculture. “These scientists also collaborate with colleagues from other state and national agencies and work within affected communities to educate individuals about strategies that may help combat the effects of contaminants and improve overall health.”