Kenneth Palmer Lab

About 

Translational research focusing on prevention and treatment of infectious diseases and cancer.  Dr. Palmer employs human-relevant models and human clinical studies to evaluate new prophylactic and therapeutic methods. He is particularly interested in developing products with broad-spectrum antiviral activity.  Dr. Palmer also directs the Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, which has state-of-the-art facilities that support testing of new diagnostics and vaccines and therapeutics to prevent and treat emerging infectious disease threats.

Key Research Areas

  • Discovery and development of broad-spectrum antivirals.
  • Targeting oligomannose glycans for prevention and treatment of infections.
  • Delivery of antivirals to mucosal surfaces for prevention of viral infection.
  • Infections in the upper respiratory tract.
  • Impact of environmental toxicants on respiratory infections.
  • Sexually transmitted viral infections.
  • Human papillomavirus-associated cancers.

Current Projects

  • Targeting antiviral lectin Griffithsin to the upper respiratory tract to prevent viral infections.
  • Mucosal immune responses to emerging pathogens.
  • Impact of environmental pollution exposure on respiratory infections.

Team 

Recent Publications

  • NMDA receptor antagonists mitigate COVID-19-induced neuroinflammation and improve survival in a mouse model
  • Mucosal and Serum Neutralization Immune Responses Elicited by COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination in Vaccinated and Breakthrough-Infection Individuals: A Longitudinal Study from Louisville Cohort
  • Impact of chronic ethanol consumption and SARS‐COV‐2 on the liver and intestine: A pilot dose–response study in mice
  • CXCL12 ameliorates neutrophilia and disease severity in SARS-CoV-2 infection
  • Commensal papillomavirus immunity preserves the homeostasis of highly mutated normal skin

    Additional publications can be found here.

Kenneth Palmer Lab

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine

Website about

Location

Clinical Translational Research Building, Room 415, 505 South Hancock Street