University of Kansas Medical Center News
The University of Kansas Medical Center is improving lives and communities in Kansas and beyond through innovation in education, research and health care. Explore some of our recent accomplishments.
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January 31, 2023Rural health care teen outreach programs booming across KansasThe University of Kansas Area Health Education Center reports record-setting requests for events such as Night at the Lab and Women in Health Care.
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January 26, 2023Q&A with Sharla Smith, maternal and fetal health researcherSharla Smith, Ph.D., MPH, answered a few questions about her work and the problem of health disparities for Black infants and mothers.
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January 12, 2023Task force looks for ways to address the nursing crisis in Kansas and beyondThe pandemic worsened the nursing shortage in Kansas and nationwide. KU’s Sally Maliski is part of a task force seeking to increase the number of nurses in Kansas.
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January 10, 2023New dean of the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Salina takes the helmTyler Hughes, M.D., hopes to share his passion for rural health care with KU medical students in Salina as the new dean.
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January 3, 2023Graduate student at KU School of Nursing works to improve health on multiple continentsMay Maloba, a doctoral student at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, brings her expertise in women’s health to Kenya, Cambodia and the United States.
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December 21, 2022Seeking the ‘new normal’: a look back at 2022See what shaped the University of Kansas Medical Center this year.
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December 20, 2022Ukrainian medical professionals visit campus for international exchange of ideasKU Medical Center’s Office of International Programs welcomed six visitors from Ukraine as international visits resume.
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December 15, 2022Rural Kansas Photo Contest winners illustrate the unique beauty of KansasThe annual rural photo contest, supported by KU Medical Center Rural Health Education and Services, celebrates its 17th year.
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December 13, 2022Project Eagle parent gives thanks for her ‘found’ familyVeronica Fernandez aims to support and promote the family-centered program that she says is ‘the best place in Wyandotte County’
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November 29, 2022Inaugural Family Day offers rare glimpse into lives of KU School of Medicine-Wichita studentsFamilies and friends of medical students attended the event, which helped them understand the medical school experience.
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November 17, 2022KU School of Nursing launches “Metaversity” offering virtual, immersive learningThe school’s new digital twin campus promises to change the way KU nursing students learn and eventually how many can be taught.
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November 10, 2022KU Medical Center researchers receive R01 grant from National Cancer Institute to increase targeted cancer treatments to rural cancer patientsTEAMSPORT will create a standardized approach to ordering genomic tests and adapt it for use in community cancer centers, where most cancer patients receive testing and treatment.
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November 1, 2022KU Cancer Center partners with nation’s top cancer organizations to call for increasing lung cancer screening nationwideNational call to action encourages use of low-dose CT to combat the leading cause of cancer in the United States
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October 26, 2022A $12 million grant from NIH launches KC-MORE, a research center to study obesity and obesity-related diseaseThe Kansas Center for Metabolism and Obesity Research seeks to become a national hub for obesity-related research and the training of junior research faculty.
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October 20, 2022Federal grant supports LEND, a program based at KU Medical Center and focused on educating people about autism and developmental disabilitiesThanks to a $3 million grant, the Kansas Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities program continues its five-decade mission of training, research and leadership development.
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October 13, 2022High school students discover career possibilities at health care event‘Discover KU’s Health Programs’ invited students from Kansas City, Kansas, who would be the first generation in their families to go to college.
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September 27, 2022School of Nursing professor has Kansas roots and international experiencesKaren L. Weis, professor, KU School of Nursing-Salina, brings Air Force experiences and a wealth of research to nursing education in Kansas.
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September 20, 2022Rural Kansas Photo Contest adds two new categories, including an invitation to teen photographersThe contest, sponsored by KU Medical Center’s Rural Health Education and Services, aims to showcase the beauty of Kansas through photographs.
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September 13, 2022University of Kansas Medical Center announces $9 million federal grant to improve children’s behavioral health in Southeast Kansas and the regionThe grant administered through the Department of Pediatrics at KU School of Medicine will fund KanAWARE, a multi-agency project formed to address escalating student behavioral health needs in the Southeast Kansas corridor.
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August 29, 2022Health Outcomes Assembly brings together health care, education and nonprofits to reflect and strategize on health disparitiesThe 2nd Annual Health Outcomes Assembly was titled "Disparities Between Counties and ZIP Codes”
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August 22, 2022Community Service Day gives students a chance to pay it forwardUniversity of Kansas Medical Center students marked the start of the 2022 fall semester by volunteering for six area organizations
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August 3, 2022Medical students open food pantry for patients in JayDoc clinicThe clinic run by students now offers free food from Harvesters Community Food Network with special emphasis on fresh produce and providing care for the whole person.
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August 2, 2022KU School of Health Professions faculty member recruits ‘celebrity’ swimmers for swim-a-thon benefitting Sensory Enhanced Aquatics programIf the program can raise $2,500 by Aug. 6, Robert D. Simari, M.D., executive vice chancellor, and Abiodun Akinwuntan, Ph.D., dean of the KU School of Health Professions, have agreed to participate in a swim-a-thon for Sensory Enhanced Aquatics.
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July 12, 2022Cyclist raising funds for kidney disease visits KU Medical Center Kidney InstituteGlenn Frommer, who has polycystic kidney disease (PKD), is bicycling cross-country and met researchers, support staff and students at the Jared Grantham Kidney Institute at the University of Kansas Medical Center July 7.
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June 23, 2022Professor Kim Templeton receives national awards for her work in advocacy, research and educationTempleton, M.D., professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, garnered recognition from the American Medical Association Foundation, the Women’s Health Congress and the National Board of Medical Examiners.
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May 18, 2022Kindergarteners benefit from bike program initiated by KU Medical Center facultyProfessors from schools of Health Professions and Medicine connect a local elementary school with a bicycling nonprofit in a push for lifelong activity.
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May 9, 2022KU Medical Center biochemist brings interactive science to area middle schoolsWith help from local teachers and other members in his department, scientist Aron Fenton is breaking down stereotypes about scientists and sharing stories of science as a career.
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May 2, 2022Study seeks to pinpoint perfect mix of physical activity for better aging and brain healthThe five-year, NIH-funded COMET clinical trial is the largest of its kind to compare aerobic, resistance training or a combination of both while looking at cognition in older adults.
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April 19, 2022Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center upgrades scanning abilities with $1.5 million NIH grantEquipment upgrade provides cutting-edge resources to researchers across the region
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February 22, 2022Thousands of COVID home tests sent to 20 Kansas counties as part of COPE, a $13 million grant to improve community healthThe grant was offered in response to COVID-19 but its design allows for a community response to all kinds of health issues.
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January 26, 2022KU Clinical Research Center celebrates decade of investigational scienceThe University of Kansas Clinical Research Center (KU CRC), a dedicated clinical trials facility with support from a Johnson County sales tax, celebrates it's 10 year anniversary.
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November 22, 2021Senators Moran and Blunt welcome NIH’s Dr. Rutter to KU Medical Center to visit the clinical and translational science institute, FrontiersAlong with leaders from Frontiers, Children’s Mercy Kansas City and the University of Kansas Medical Center, the group discussed how to adapt or “translate” medical research into useful treatments for patients.
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September 28, 2021Research at KU Medical Center explores effects of obesity on health and COVID-19For people who are overweight, obese or excessively obese, the threat of COVID-19 looms large. So, University of Kansas Medical Center researchers are testing obesity as a variable in a clinical trial and continuing research on obesity in general.
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September 8, 2021TSCORE LIFT program to create health science learning opportunities for underserved Kansas high school studentsThe program connects high school teachers at Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence and Hays school districts with local health systems and university faculty.
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July 8, 2021Professor pivots from Kenya to Kansas (and back again) to serve global health needs in pandemicThe work of Sarah Finocchario Kessler, Ph.D., MPH, supports the progressive efforts of Wyandotte County Health Department to address social needs of Covid-positive residents.
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June 22, 2021KU Medical Center assists community partners in launching campaign against COVID-19 in multiple languages across KansasThe campaign spotlights stories in seven languages to address health disparities highlighted by the pandemic and opportunities to close the gap.
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June 7, 2021Facebook Live series ‘Bench to Bedside’ provides timely, useful information from KU Cancer CenterTalk show-like format allows researchers and clinicians to explain their work while engaging with the community.
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May 13, 2021KU Cancer Center director participates in expert panel discussion on status of Cancer MoonshotThe program offered participants a retrospective look at the initiative and discussed the current state of cancer research, treatment and prevention.
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December 15, 2020Dr. Lee Norman appointed to board of Masonic Cancer Alliance by Governor KellyColonel Lee A. Norman, M.D., MHS, MBA, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), has been appointed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to the Masonic Cancer Alliance Partners Advisory Board.
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October 30, 2020To improve COVID-19 infection control, safety and preparedness, KU Medical Center will lead nursing home interactive network in KansasThe University of Kansas Medical Center has been chosen as a training center in Kansas for a nationwide interactive virtual initiative that will share best practices to improve COVID-19 infection control, safety and preparedness in skilled-nursing facilities.
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October 7, 2020NIH-funded effort seeks to improve COVID-19 testing in underserved communities across 10 Kansas countiesThe University of Kansas Medical Center has been chosen to receive a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the RADx-UP program to support projects designed to rapidly implement COVID-19 testing strategies in populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
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September 28, 2020Alumni Reunion Weekend goes virtualAlumni Reunion Weekend at the University of Kansas Medical Center looks a bit different in 2020, with events occurring virtually.
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September 2, 2020Calling all photographers: Enter Rural Kansas Photo ContestA special photo contest sponsored by Rural Health Education and Services at the University of Kansas Medical Center, celebrates its 15th anniversary. Enter your photo.
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August 11, 2020JaySTART clinic for physical, occupational and speech therapy leaps to virtual rehabilitationWhen the COVID-19 pandemic closed the face-to-face Jaystart Clinic, students of physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology turned to telehealth.
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June 25, 2020Nursing student shares her experiences caring for COVID-19 patients in a New York hotspotNayeli Bustillos, a registered nurse and KU School of Nursing student, spent four weeks in New Rochelle, New York, caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
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June 24, 2020KU Medical Center helps expand use of telehealth during pandemic and beyondKU Medical Center helps expand use of telehealth during pandemic and beyond
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June 19, 2020Professor selected for national commission on pandemic-era nursing-home safetyJessica Kalender-Rich, M.D., FACP, associate professor of Geriatric Medicine at KU Medical Center and practicing physician, has been named to the Coronavirus Commission for Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes. U.S. President Donald Trump called for the formation of the commission in an announcement April 30, 2020, and asked the commission to assess the immediate and future implications of the pandemic on nursing homes.
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June 11, 2020Lab in KU Medical Center incubator switches to coronavirus test to meet community needA private laboratory operating on the campus of the University of Kansas Medical Center conducts COVID-19 tests. Its founder says it's a service to his community.
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June 4, 2020How med students who graduated early helped Kansas hospitals cope with COVID-19KU School of Medicine graduates received their medical degrees early so they could provide care in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the weeks between early graduation and their residencies, some helped tired doctors and nurses in Liberal, Kansas, any way they could.
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May 29, 2020KU researchers hit the streets to increase cervical cancer screening rates for women in jailFor many medical researchers, studying disease means going to work in exam rooms, offices and laboratories. For Megha Ramaswamy, Ph.D., MPH, it means going to jails and hitting the streets.
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May 15, 2020Research associate creates face shields on KU Medical Center printerChristopher Neal, Ph.D., research associate at the University of Kansas Medical Center, donated around 100 headbands for face shields to PPE for KC. Neal used the 3D printer at work.
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May 7, 2020KU Cancer Center pivots to protect patients and trial participants in COVID-19 eraCancer patients undergoing treatment at The University of Kansas Cancer Center don’t have to worry about getting a test for the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The research arm of the KU Cancer Center stepped up to allow patients to opt-in to a study that provided the test in recent weeks and also covered its cost. It is just one of the many ways the KU Cancer Center is working to fight the pandemic.
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April 30, 2020KU respiratory therapy students graduate early to help during coronavirus pandemicStudents in the respiratory therapy program in the University of Kansas School of Health Professions have chosen to graduate early to help fend off a shortage of RTs during the coronavirus pandemic.
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April 22, 2020JUNTOS delivers COVID-19 information to Kansas City’s Spanish-speaking populationThe JUNTOS Center for Advancing Latino Health at KU Medical Center, whose mission is to eliminate health disparities in under-served Latino communities in Kansas, is working to deliver COVID-19 information to these communities in their native language.
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March 17, 2020Eighth community college joins nursing partnership programCloud County Community College joined the Community College Nursing Partnership at the KU School of Nursing, the eighth community college in the state to sign on.
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January 31, 2020New weight-loss study seeks to help mobility-impaired individuals get healthierMobility Impaired Get Healthy Together (MIGHTY) will explore and compare different methods to help those will mobility issues lose weight.
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January 9, 2020Exercise Is Medicine program revamps for maximum impactWant to lose weight, battle depression or manage chronic pain? Your doctor’s “prescription” may include a newly reimagined program at the Kirmayer Fitness Center called Exercise is Medicine (EIM).
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December 26, 2019Arthur Dick, M.D., retires after 50 years of service to neurology field and department at KUArthur Dick, M.D., retiring after 50 years, helped build neurology field and establish department at KU
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December 23, 20197 news stories that shaped 2019Check out the memorable news stories of 2019 at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Our year in review gives you a look back at the best of 2019.
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December 12, 2019Losing weight is study and practice at KU Medical Center weight management clinicThe University of Kansas Center for Physical Activity and Weight Management conducts nationally funded studies based on weight loss and activity and also has an award-winning fee-for-service weight loss clinic.
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December 4, 2019Grant supports advance practice nurses in rural and underserved areasAdvance practice nurses (APRNs) can gain additional training in rural and underserved areas with support from a nearly $2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
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October 16, 2019Panel discusses 3 Rs of rural health: recruitment, retention, reimbursementAttracting and retaining medical staff is a major challenge in rural areas, second only to financial solvency for struggling community hospitals, according to panelists who are experts in rural health
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October 9, 2019One-of-a-kind outreach program benefits Alzheimer’s caregiversKU ADC's RDAD-KC program provides one-on-one, in-home support to Alz caregivers in Kansas
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September 18, 2019Jerrihlyn McGee named vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion at the University of Kansas Medical CenterMcGee will work to enhance the successful recruitment, professional development and retention of students, faculty and staff from diverse and under-represented population groups.
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January 24, 2019KU’s Department of Occupational Therapy Education celebrates 75 yearsThe Department of Occupational Therapy Education at the University of Kansas Medical Center has developed a national reputation of excellence for educating its students to become therapists who provide essential assessment and support skills that empower their patients with physical or mental disabilities to engage in everyday life activities.