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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) announced Western Kentucky University has received a $429,768 research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The grant was awarded to WKU to advance biology professor Noah Ashley’s research into how sleep loss from stress and other factors causes inflammation, which can lead to other diseases such cancer and cardiovascular disease.

“I’m thrilled the National Institutes of Health has chosen to fund research at Western Kentucky University that could potentially be used as a foundation for treatments for people who experience inflammation due to sleep loss,” said Guthrie. “We have the best environment in the world to promote scientific research and support scientists like Dr. Ashley in their important work. I currently oversee the NIH in my senior role on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I’m a strong believer in supporting research that can lead to innovative treatments and cures. I wish Dr. Ashley and his team good luck on this multi-year research project.”

“This research evaluates the mechanisms that lead to inflammation from sleep loss. One of those mechanisms involves stress,” Dr. Ashley said. “In the past year, the pandemic has caused stress in all of our lives. It’s also affected our quantity and quality of sleep. So this research is incredibly relevant today.”

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