Major grant will support UK scientist’s ongoing work in improving women’s health

Since he was a graduate student, Patrick Hannon, PhD, has had his eyes set on a prestigious National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant that he knew, if he received it, would enable him to make a tremendous impact in his career goal of advancing reproductive care for women.

Hannon, now an assistant professor in the UK College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was elated to find out that this winter, he achieved his longtime goal.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a group within the NIH, presented Hannon its annual Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award, recognizing his commitment to investigating how environmental exposures relate to disease. This award will allow Hannon to pursue his passion and study how environmental toxicants called phthalates disrupt ovulation, fertility, and reproductive health in women.

“To say that I am excited and honored is a huge understatement,” Hannon said regarding the award. “I am tremendously thankful and proud that NIEHS supports my research program during this early stage of my career as this award will propel my laboratory’s vision and mission forward.”

Hannon said the award is structured like an R01 in that it supports innovative research in a specific interest; however, it also includes an additional $250,000 for his career advancement.

Since joining UK, the Hannon Lab has been dedicated to understanding the role of environmental exposures in women’s reproductive health. Hannon’s team primarily focuses on how endocrine-disrupting chemicals cause defects in fertility by disrupting the function of the ovary. Through his research, Hannon aims to discover therapeutic interventions for infertility caused by such occurrences.

According to the NIEHS website, ONES award recipients are typically early-stage investigators who conduct cutting-edge research on the health effects of exposure to environmental contaminants such as arsenic, air pollution, industrial chemicals, and pesticides. Nominations for the award occur annually.

Hannon’s award further strengthens the College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and its innovative work to advance education, clinical care, and research related to women’s health.

Hannon said he is extremely grateful to receive so much support from his lab members, the UK College of Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, the UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES), and the career development award from UK-CARES.

“Of course, scientific research is conducted by a team,” Hannon said. “This support helped me achieve this goal and will continue to contribute to the future successes of my research program.”