September 17, 2026 - Dr. John D'Orazio, Dr. Amanda Harrington, James Collard (Project Inherited Cancer Risk)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 17, 2026) – When a child is diagnosed with cancer, families understandably want to know why. For some patients, part of the answer may be found in their genes. Researchers and clinicians know that about one in every 10 patients diagnosed with cancer may have a genetic finding that helps explain why they developed the disease. But identifying those patients based solely on family history or other clinical clues can leave some inherited cancer risks undetected. At , Project Inherited Cancer Risk is working to change that. The project offers genetic testing to...
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September 10, 2026 - Trudi Matthews (Be Healthy Bash)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 10, 2026) – Taking steps toward better health doesn’t always have to begin in a doctor’s office. Sometimes it can start with a blood pressure check, a conversation about nutrition or a simple screening that identifies a potential health concern before it becomes something more serious. On Saturday, Sept. 19, and will bring those opportunities — along with plenty of family-friendly activities — together for the . The free community health and wellness event will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fayette County Extension Office, located off Red...
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September 3, 2026 - Hannah Tiffin, Ashley Russo, & Matt Springer (Tick Research)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 3, 2026) – University of Kentucky researchers are working to better understand how ticks move through Kentucky landscapes — and how wildlife, livestock, people and land use all connect in the spread of tick-borne disease. On this episode of Behind the Blue, Kody Kiser talks with Hannah Tiffin, Ashley Russo and Matt Springer from the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food & Environment about a UK research project focused on tick ecology and surveillance. The team is collecting ticks from different environments, including wooded areas, cattle pastures,...
info_outline![August 28, 2026 - Golisano Children's at UK and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library partnership [ENCORE] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/205528845?height=50&width=50)
August 28, 2026 - Golisano Children's at UK and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library partnership [ENCORE]
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 28, 2026) – THIS IS AN ENCORE EPISODE. A new partnership at Golisano Children’s at UK will help put books directly into the hands of Kentucky children and families. On this episode of Behind the Blue, host Kody Kiser talks with Kelsey Rahenkamp of Golisano Children’s at UK, Lindsey Westerfield of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky and Dr. Anna Thamann, a neonatal neurologist at UK HealthCare, about the hospital becoming an official enrollment location for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Through the partnership, families coming through...
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August 20, 2026 - Dr. Paramarajan Piranavan & Dr. Izabela Antic (CAR-T Lupus Clinical Trial)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 20, 2026) – A UK HealthCare patient who has lived with severe lupus for more than 20 years recently became the second patient in the United States to receive an experimental CAR-T cell therapy through a Phase 2 clinical trial. On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue,’ Dr. Paramarajan Piranavan, chief of the Division of Rheumatology at UK HealthCare, and Dr. Izabela Antic, the patient’s primary rheumatologist and a sub-investigator on the study, explain how the trial came to UK and why researchers are cautiously hopeful about what this approach could mean for...
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August 14, 2026 - Robin Cooper (2026 Great Teacher Award Winner)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (August 14, 2026) – The University of Kentucky Alumni Association started the Great Teacher Award program in 1961 to honor excellent teaching at the university. There have been more than 300 teachers honored since that first year. Nominations may only be submitted by current students. To receive the award, a candidate must: Hold the rank of full-time lecturer or above and have been a member of the faculty for the past three years at UK. Have superior knowledge of the subject matter. Have original and innovative classroom presentations. Demonstrate concern for...
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July 15, 2026 - ToniMarie Marchioni (2026 Great Teacher Award Winner)
Behind the Blue
The University of Kentucky Alumni Association established the Great Teacher Awards in 1961 to recognize outstanding teaching at UK. More than 300 faculty members have received the honor, and nominations may only be submitted by current students. Honorees must demonstrate exceptional knowledge of their subject, innovative teaching, and a strong commitment to students inside and outside the classroom. On this episode of Behind the Blue, Steve Shaffer speaks with 2026 award recipient ToniMarie Marchioni, professor of oboe in the UK College of Fine Arts, about the highly personal nature of...
info_outline![July 9, 2026 - Schyler Simpson (Nationally Competitive Awards) [ENCORE] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/203956090?height=50&width=50)
July 9, 2026 - Schyler Simpson (Nationally Competitive Awards) [ENCORE]
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 9, 2026) – THIS IS AN ENCORE EPISODE. Schyler Simpson, PhD, is no stranger to the University of Kentucky. A three-degree UK alum, she has spent years serving students in a variety of roles across campus, including teaching, advising, recruiting, and retention and engagement work in the College of Communication and Information. In her new role as director of Nationally Competitive Awards, she now helps students explore prestigious opportunities such as the Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, Marshall and Truman awards. The University of Kentucky’s Office of...
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July 2, 2026 - Amy Murrell Taylor (UK's 'Celebrating 1776' lecture series)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 2, 2026) – As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, the University of Kentucky Department of History is helping the campus and broader community think more deeply about 1776 — not only as a moment of celebration, but as a moment for reflection. Through its 'Celebrating 1776' lecture series, public events, film screenings and courses, the department is bringing together historians, public scholars and UK experts to explore the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence and the ideas that have shaped the nation across two and a half...
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June 26, 2026 - Summer Survival Guide
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 26, 2026) – Summer is often thought of as the easy season — school is out, the days are longer and families are heading to pools, parks, camps, museums, beaches, mountains and airports. But summer also comes with questions, especially for parents, caregivers and travelers: Do we need vaccines before a trip? Are prescriptions refilled? What should we do about ticks, sunburns or injuries? And how can families keep kids learning without making summer feel like school? On this episode of 'Behind the Blue,' experts from across the University of Kentucky offer a practical...
info_outlineLEXINGTON, Ky. (March 18, 2026) – March Madness is built on split-second decisions, emotional swings and the thrill of uncertainty. From game-winning shots and busted brackets to late-night tip-offs and watch parties with friends, the NCAA tournament offers more than drama on the court — it also creates a window into how people think, react, connect and make meaning through sports. Using the science and humanity behind those moments, the tournament can serve as a lens to explore pressure, sleep, brain health and identity.
Across UK’s campus, experts in social work, neurology, aging and sociology study the kinds of moments March Madness brings into focus — from performance under pressure to the effects of lost sleep, from the role of social connection in brain health to the personal and cultural identities reflected in the brackets fans fill out each spring.
On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, we talk with several of those experts: Matt Moore, associate dean of academic and student affairs in the UK College of Social Work; Dr. Subhendu Rath, assistant professor of neurology with UK HealthCare’s Kentucky Neuroscience Institute; Dr. Elizabeth Rhodus and Dr. Gregory Jicha of UK’s Sanders-Brown Center on Aging; and Caroline Brooks, a sociology professor in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.
Moore explains why athletes who appear “clutch” are often relying on preparation, repetition and the ability to focus on what they can control; Rath outlines how even modest sleep loss during tournament season can affect attention, memory, mood and reaction time; and Rhodus, Jicha and Brooks examine how March Madness can foster brain engagement, social connection and a sense of belonging — while also revealing the subtle biases fans bring to the brackets they fill out each spring.
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This interview has been edited for time and clarity.