Spotlight on Our Achievements: Yunmeng Liu, Ph.D.
Yunmeng Liu, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has received a $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Recent Awards
Congratulations to our investigators on their competitive awards!
Pear McElfish, Ph.D.
Dr. McElfish received awards from NIH ($1,529,996, Yr 1; 09/01/2025–08/31/2027) and HRSA ($400,000, Yr 1; 09/01/2025–08/31/2028)
Nirvana Manning, M.D.
Dr. Manning received an award from the Health Resources and Services Administration totaling $999,951 (Year 1), covering the period 09/30/2025 – 09/29/2029.
Stephen Foster, M.D.
Dr. Foster received an award from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention totaling $544,420, covering the period 08/30/2025 – 08/29/2030.
Susan Emmett, M.D.
Dr. Emmett received an award from the National Institutes of Health totaling $211,774 (Year 1), covering the period 08/15/2025 – 07/31/2030.
Güneş Koru, Ph.D., FAMIA
Dr. Koru received an award from the National Institutes of Health totaling $49,964 (Year 1), covering the period 09/15/2025 – 06/30/2027.
Biomed Building I Renovation Update
On March 23, two separate shutdowns are set to occur simultaneously for Biomed I starting at 5:00 pm and ending at 9:00 pm. The systems affected will be domestic hot water for Biomed I & II and the fume hoods that are in Biomed I.
2/2/2026: This week will continue more of the same. We are still working on hanging ceiling grid in the BSL-3 area and the surrounding corridors. There will be some drilling in those areas as the cabling is secured to the ceilings. We are also still working on painting and priming areas and installing tile in the bathrooms. We are starting on PH 6 of the epoxy flooring. This will be the area along the east wall with the labs. For reference, the rooms on the 2nd floor that are above this area are labs 214, 216, 218, 220, and 222. Each of these labs has a mechanical closet in the back of the room, but the rooms are sealed from the outside. We continue to have two wind tunnels set up and running under negative pressure. We don’t anticipate any issues this week, but if they do occur, these would be the areas that might possibly be impacted.
1/26/2026: This week, we will continue to have some drilling as hangers are installed to hang the ceiling grid that we had not completed from the seismic material installation. There will also be some bracing for the exhaust equipment that will be installed requiring additional drilling. We continue to prime and paint walls and epoxy the floors. We have completed phase 5 and we find we had an office or two that had some stronger smells than we have had in the other phases. We will continue to try and mitigate all odors to the best of our ability.
*(The Construction Team)*
If you experience any issues, please contact Paul Browning, Building Manager, at RBrowning2@uams.edu or 501.686.8899
Research News
UAMS Showcase for Medical Discoveries Features Postdoctoral Fellows
The latest University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Showcase of Medical Discoveries spotlighted the work of postdoctoral fellows. “It is vital that we consistently recognize the immense value our postdoctoral researchers bring to UAMS,” said Mohamed Elasri, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for Research & Innovation and the director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs….
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The Team Behind the Trials
Good clinical trial research should be easy to start, run efficiently, and deliver health care impacts for patients. At the Clinical Trials Innovation Unit (CTIU), part of the Translational Research Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), these ideas shape the team’s work. The unit is a comprehensive support system designed to…
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UAMS Sees Record Participation for Student Research Day
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) experienced its biggest Student Research Day yet. More than 390 posters were submitted, with all five colleges and the Graduate School being represented between the main campus in Little Rock and the Northwest Regional campus in Fayetteville. Additionally, 40 students participated in the Three Minute Thesis (3MT)…
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UAMS Researcher Receives $3.6 million NIH Grant to Study Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
LITTLE ROCK — Yunmeng Liu, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has received a $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
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Impact of new federal funding decisions on UAMS research activity
Past Research and Innovation Seminars
Seminar Series on Grantsmanship, Research Administration, Grants Management, and Regulatory Affairs
Click to View Archived Seminars