Scott Berry, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering of the Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, has been honored as a 2026-27 University Research Professor.
Berry’s research focuses on applying engineering principles to molecular diagnostics. Over the past 15 years, he has investigated how novel fluid mechanics phenomena can be applied to improve molecular assays, lab tests that use a sample of tissue, blood or other body fluid to check for genes, proteins or other molecules that are disease markers. In addition to reducing complexity and minimizing costs, these improvements unlocked fundamentally new functionalities, enabling clinicians and basic scientists to measure molecular and cellular analytical processes that were previously unobservable. This work led to the development of new technologies and platforms for diseases, including HIV, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, influenza, cancer and most recently, SARS-CoV-2.
Berry completed his Ph.D. from the University of Louisville before pursuing a postdoctoral position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before coming to UK, he served as the chief scientific officer at Salus Discovery.
He has led international collaborative studies involving engineers, basic scientists, biologists, clinicians and public health experts that bridged academia, industry and government. Berry is the director of the U.S. National Science Foundation-funded Environmental Surveillance Center for Assessing Pathogen Emergence (ESCAPE). He currently leads multiple projects involving development and deployment of new technologies to measure biomarkers in air, surface water and wastewater samples.
Berry spoke with UKNow about his latest honor as a University Research Professor in this Q&A.
UKNow: What does it mean to you to be recognized as a University Research Professor?
Berry: As a Kentucky native, I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive this award. Past award winners represent the best of innovative research here at the University of Kentucky, and it’s exciting to join the cohort. I look forward to continuing to grow my research community in this great state.
UKNow: How will the professorships program advance your research?
Berry: Our research focuses on rapidly identifying pathogens within the environment and utilizing this data to improve public health. While we’ve been fortunate enough to secure funding to apply this research to infectious disease, we recognize that the potential impact could be far greater. The professorships program grants us the freedom to pursue many of these exciting avenues, including screening for noninfectious public health threats, including opioid use, cardiovascular disease and cancer.
UKNow: What inspired your focus on this area of research?
Berry: Real-world healthcare challenges have inspired our research path. I love sitting down with physicians and learning about the barriers they face while working to improve patient outcomes. This knowledge enables my group to frame our research projects to directly impact real-world bottlenecks and gaps in system capacity.
UKNow: What continues to motivate your work?
Berry: Over the last few years, we’ve all experienced the collective trauma of a global pandemic and seen first-hand the damage that infectious diseases can cause within our communities. My team is driven by the desire to see a future free of COVID-like pandemics. While a lofty goal, I’m constantly inspired by the young scientists who continue to set the bar high for all of us working towards building a better, safer world.
UKNow: How does your research impact Kentucky?
Berry: Currently we measure the levels of three respiratory pathogens in Kentucky (SARS-CoV-2, influenza and RSV) within 10 communities, twice per week. However, our impact is potentially much greater, as pandemics know no boundaries. Any mitigation strategies that aim to benefit Kentucky must be truly global in reach. This enables us to potentially forecast the “where,when, how” of disease outbreaks before they arrive in the Commonwealth, giving our public health authorities the maximum window in which to mitigate global and local impact.
Each year, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approves a cohort of faculty as University Research Professors. The distinction recognizes excellence in work that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in Kentucky and the world.
College leadership developed criteria for excellence within their area of expertise and then nominated faculty who excelled at these criteria. Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000.
