2026 CCTS Spring Conference Draws 1,300 Participants
Photo by Tim Webb
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 2, 2026) – The University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science hosted its 21st annual Spring Conference on March 31. Nearly 1,300 researchers, clinicians, students, and community members gathered to share findings and catalyze collaborations, making it the nation’s largest translational science conference hosted by a single institution.
The conference is a keystone of the CCTS’s mission to transform research into reality by accelerating discoveries, fostering multidisciplinary team science, and training upcoming generations of researchers. While the 2026 conference theme was “Artificial Intelligence: Bridging Clinical Care, Research, Innovation and Technology,” the agenda also offered sessions and presentations across the spectrum of clinical and translational science, including research days for the Colleges of Dentistry, Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, and Education; the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Internal Medicine; and the Institute for Biomedical Informatics.
In total, the program featured multiple keynote speakers, 70 podium presentations, and more than 400 poster presentations (including 20 by students from Lexington’s Frederick Douglass High School Biomedical Pathways Program), and several award presentations.
Speaking at the conference were two nationally recognized experts: Kevin W. Sexton, MD, professor of surgery and biomedical informatics at Vanderbilt University, who delivered the morning keynote on leveraging "The Experimenter’s Mindset" to integrate AI into research and clinical care; and Jesus Caban, PhD, chief data and analytics officer for the Defense Health Agency, who presented the afternoon keynote on real-world lessons regarding why most healthcare AI initiatives fail.
Serving as chairs for the 2026 conference were V.K. Cody Bumgardner, PhD, and Romil Chadha, MD. Bumgardner is the assistant dean for artificial intelligence and data science in the UK College of Medicine, division chief of pathology informatics, director of the Center for Applied AI, and associate director of the CCTS. Chadha is the Chief Medical Information Officer at UK Healthcare and a professor in UK College of Medicine.
“AI only delivers real value when research rigor is tightly coupled with care delivery, turning algorithms into trusted, real‑world improvements rather than lab artifacts,” Chadha said. “UK HealthCare sits at that intersection—with CATS AI structure, Microsoft partnership, UKHC Epic adoption scale, Cosmos‑enabled multi‑site data, a modern analytics stack, and strong clinical‑informatics governance—allowing rapid, safe translation of AI from research to bedside at scale.”
Katherine Hartmann, MD, PhD, director of the CCTS, says the breadth and depth of the annual conference reflects the unique capacities of a research center housed on a single campus comprising 16 colleges and a hospital system with statewide reach.
“The complex health challenges of our state and nation require interdisciplinary teams supported by robust infrastructure. The CCTS is focused on building a creative research community that produces new evidence and research methods that spur action to measurably improve health. Our conference brings together researchers and trainees from across the UK campus and health care system as a source of connection, synergy, and innovation to drive new approaches and accelerate breakthroughs,” Hartmann said.
Mentor Recognition and Special Awards
An important aspect of the annual conference is the presentation of Mentor Recognition Awards. Mentorship can be a defining factor for up-and-coming researchers, but it’s a skill and effort that often goes unrecognized. The CCTS Mentor Recognition Awards are presented annually to faculty members who are nominated by the mentees whose careers they’ve impacted.
The 2026 recipients are:
- Luciana M. Shaddox, DDS, MS, PhD
Professor and Associate Dean for Research
UK College of Medicine
- Kirby P. Mayer, DPT, PhD, FCCM
Associate Professor
UK College of Health Sciences
- Shyanika W. Rose, PhD, MA
Associate Professor, UK College of Medicine
Acting Director, UK Center for Health, Engagement, and Transformation - Scott Berry, PhD
Associate Professor
UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering
The Gerald Supinski Award for Excellence in Mentoring was presented to Sharon Walsh, PhD, professor in the UK College of Medicine and director of the UK Center for Drug and Alcohol Research.
Special Recognition Awards were presented to Thomas H. Kelly, PhD, and Philip A. Kern, MD, both of whom were instrumental in building the CCTS and have transformed the practice of, infrastructure for, and education and training in translational science at UK.
Kelly is the Robert Straus Professor and chair of the department of behavioral science in the College of Medicine; a professor of Psychiatry, psychology and nursing; and a faculty affiliate of the Center for Drug Abuse Research. He also serves as associate dean for research in the College of Nursing and director of research education, training and career development for the Center for Clinical and Translational Science.
Kern is currently the co-director of the CCTS. He served as the center’s director from 2009 to 2023, leading the CCTS in earning its first Clinical and Translational Science Award in 2011, the largest grant ever awarded to the University at the time. He subsequently led successful efforts to obtain competitive renewals of the CTSA grant in 2016 and 2021. Kern is also a professor in the division of endocrinology in the UK College of Medicine, and previously served as Associate Provost for Clinical and Translational Science and Associate Vice President for Research, Clinical and Translational research.
One-Minute Poster Pitch Competition
An exciting hallmark of each CCTS conference is the annual Poster Pitch Competition. This 60-second format highlights the core potential of each project, allowing researchers to make a compelling case for commercialization of their research by demonstrating the practical relevance of their solutions.
Participants receive coaching on their pitch and how to develop their work. After the the live, in-person pitches, four competitors receive cash prizes.
The 2026 winners and their research projects are:
- First Place: Jennifer Xu, PhD, ATC, CSCS
"Qualitative Experiences of Adults with Plantar Fasciopathy Who Undergo a Rehabilitation Program" - Second Place: Jamal Thruston, MS, CSCS, TSAC-F
"Validity and Reliability of a Modified Plyometric Pushup" - Third Place: Salma Habib
"Occlusal Changes with Mandibular Advancement Devices: Longitudinal Clinical, Patient-Reported, and Intervention Outcomes"
Research Presentations from Frederick Douglass High School Students
Another annual highlight of the CCTS conference is the participation of students from Lexington’s Frederick Douglass High School Biomedical Pathways Program. Students in the program work in small groups to conduct research on cancer in Kentucky, then develop and present academic research posters on their work. This creates a unique opportunity for high school students to experience presenting at a major conference and receiving feedback from experienced researchers. More than 60 FDHS students presented 20 original research posters this year.
About the CCTS
The UK CCTS is an essential engine for transforming research into reality. We bridge the gap between discovery and delivery, providing evidence to advance care for all, to enhance screening and prevention initiatives, and to support communities addressing pressing health concerns.
Supported by a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health, the UK CCTS fosters translational science approaches that transform the way research is done making it more responsive, rigorous, efficient, and faster to achieve tangible improvements in health for all.
Media Contact: Mallory Profeta, mallory.profeta@uky.edu
