University of Kansas Medical Center News

The report card gave a physical activity grade of a D-, with just 20% to 28% of children getting the recommended daily hour of physical activity.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center is part of the myeloMATCH trial, a large, coordinated effort to improve patient outcomes through targeted treatments for people with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome.

Study looking at Medicare claims data for nearly 900,000 people with obstructive sleep apnea also found that those who used CPAP machines were less likely to have major cardiovascular events.

The grant, which includes researchers from KU School of Nursing and KU School of Medicine, will fund the creation of a sustainable model of quality obstetrical services and care at a network of hospitals in three rural Kansas counties.

Reuniting with a former patient and clinical trial participant, Fabian encouraged continued research and using new ways to locate clinical trials.

The report, based on data collected from many different credible sources, is the first issued by the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center.

Abiodun Akinwuntan, Ph.D., MPH, earned a third Fulbright award, this time to South Africa to identify opportunities for research collaborations and student and faculty exchanges.

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the All of Us Research Program is working to collect data from a million different people to drive new treatments and cures.

A $3.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense will fund this new study, which will take place at both KU Cancer Center and the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Researchers at KU Medical Center led the update released by the American College of Sports Medicine, one of the world’s leading organizations in the field of exercise science.

Medical gaslighting, when a health care professional discounts a patient’s complaints, is a serious problem for women’s health.

Study points to differences in how people of different races and ethnicities may benefit from Medicaid expansion

Funds will benefit the KU Cancer Center’s new building

KU Medical Center researcher combines her education in music and cognitive psychology to study how music affects the brain

The Masonic Cancer Alliance community grant seeks to reduce stigma, promote screening in southeast Kansas

KU Medical Center is a site for the first trial of a drug specifically designed to go into muscle and target the molecular cause of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Biosensor technology can detect lung cancer in blood when it is still curable and could be used to screen large populations at risk for the disease.

Blood biomarkers have the potential to accelerate diagnoses for dementia and identify people most likely to benefit from the new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease.

Program supports students with economically and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in pursuing careers in the health professions

These devices improve clinical outcomes, but study shows they are used much less in rural areas, where the burden of type 1 diabetes is high.

Lead exposure rates are twice the national average for kids in Kansas, especially for those in rural areas, indicating the need for prevention and remediation.

The $11.4 million grant will improve patient outcomes by supporting and training the next generation of physician-scientists in precision medicine.

More pregnant women and new mothers die in the United States than any high-income country in the world, but the leading cause is often left out of initiatives to combat that crisis.

KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center is participating in the first clinical trial testing a drug intended to slow down or even prevent Alzheimer's in people with Down syndrome, who are at high risk for the disease.

KU Medical Center study aims to better understand attitudes and perceptions regarding sperm donation in the African American and Black community

KU Medical Center has the first CT scanner in North America that can scan the whole body while a person is standing, enabling researchers to see the effect of weight on joints and other tissues.

At an annual event to encourage careers in research, KU Medical Center celebrated the achievements of 18 undergraduate students from 10 universities.

A new research grant awarded to the KU Medical Center will support investigation into a neurological condition and has its roots in a Powerball jackpot.

Charles Porter, M.D., started his medical career at the same time as his career in photography, and both provide plenty of adventure to this day.

Landon Center on Aging researchers study how to prevent serious injury in older adults by collecting data from people who volunteer to fall in the lab.

A study co-authored by a KU Medical Center researcher and published in Lancet Digital Health found that an online platform for cognitive behavioral therapy improved the mental health of people with MS and depression.

The iAmHealthy Parents First study is the first randomized controlled trial in the world designed to examine the effectiveness of an integrated obesity treatment program aimed at both adults and children.

Here are just some of KU Medical Center’s accomplishments and successes over the past year.

The inaugural geroscience symposium is part of KU Medical Center’s broader effort to foster research relevant to aging, age-related diseases, healthspan and longevity.

As an undergraduate anthropology major at UCLA, Lauren Scott found that domestic cats have 276 unique facial expressions they use to communicate with each other.

“Why” is a documentary created by the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center that puts forth a positive perspective on the lives of people living with cognitive decline and dementia.

KU Medical Center scientists have partnered with scientists from NASA Ames Research Center in the first-ever examination of long-term space exposure on female reproductive physiology.

Physical activity is still important for the numerous holistic health benefits exercise provides, even for those losing weight on popular new drugs.

The new center, funded as part of a prestigious program at the National Institutes of Health, will bridge the gap between research knowledge and clinical practice and reduce health inequities.

Population health researchers at KU receive a nearly $3.7 million federal award to address chronic diseases in Grant, Finney, Ford and Seward counties in Kansas.

Sponsored by the Gates Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, the Women’s Health Innovation Opportunity Map outlines 50 opportunities across the research and development continuum that are critical for improving the health of women in all socio-economic groups around the world.

KU Medical Center has nearly doubled its federal research portfolio since 2017 and increased its clinical trial revenues by 45% since 2021.

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the All of Us Research Program is working to collect data from a million different people to drive new treatments and cures

KU researcher John Taylor, M.D., received a Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network Innovation Award to investigate the biological reasons that people with Down syndrome are less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Rare genetic condition results in thousands of polyps and either near-certain colon cancer or a lifetime of screenings and surgery

KU Medical Center researcher is co-author of commentary on exercise and physical activity published in JAMA

KU School of Medicine faculty member Diego Mazzotti, Ph.D., answered a few questions about his career path and how big data and informatics can influence sleep medicine.

Scientists at the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center are researching the potential of a ketogenic diet and a heart-healthy diet to improve brain health.

KU Medical Center was a site in a study published in JAMA that identified a dozen symptoms and a scoring system to identify long COVID in adults.

The KU Cancer Center will build a new facility designed to place research and treatment side by side.

Rural Health Council facilitates collaboration and synergy among KU Medical Center researchers and faculty members, while the Rural Health Partners invites health care professionals across Kansas to provide input.

KU School of Nursing faculty member Heather Nelson-Brantley, Ph.D., brings business skills from her prior career for a unique perspective on the challenges facing nursing.

The Center for African American Health will partner with the community to enhance and improve the health and wellness of Black individuals and African Americans living in Kansas and beyond.

Sally Maliski, Ph.D., FAAN, will retire after seven years as dean, faculty member and researcher.

Commentary seeks to set an agenda for national problem of cancer disparities in those who have been incarcerated.

The KU Center for Community Access, Rehabilitation Research, Education and Service (KU CARES) will develop and implement innovative rehabilitation strategies to improve the health and well-being of people with disabilities in Kansas and nationwide.

The “Eat, Sleep, Console” care approach was more effective than standard of care to treat newborns exposed to opioids in the womb, according to a national clinical trial in which KU Medical Center participated.

The Center for Clinical Research, the investigative center of the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, is reaching out to rural residents via telehealth, telephone and mail service.

Researchers are conducting a clinical trial for a new drug that seeks to address the underlying cause of APOL1-mediated kidney disease rather than managing its symptoms.

Robert Deady has no scientific degree, but his dedication to the work of KU ADRC earns him the title (and award) of Citizen Scientist.

The new cryogenic electron microscope can reveal the structure of flash-frozen proteins and other biomolecules at nearly atomic resolution, enabling researchers to understand diseases and design drugs to fight them.

The findings show themes around data collection, relationship-building and best practices.

KU Medical Center researcher published in NEJM study showing large-core strokes can be treated with vacuum to retrieve clot

KU researcher Sandra Billinger, Ph.D., was part of a multi-site study that may change how stroke rehabilitation is conducted.

KU School of Nursing students presented research projects ranging from maternal health to elderspeak.

The annual K-INBRE Symposium gives promising students in Kansas and Oklahoma a chance to pursue research topics in the biosciences.

Available in English and Spanish, CareTEXT was developed by the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center to help caregivers of people with dementia take care of their loved one as well as themselves.

The pandemic kept Samuel Durairaj, a Ph.D. student in rehabilitation science, separated from his family for 11 months, but they were there to see him win awards for research, teaching and leadership.

New mural is part of the KU Cancer Center’s campaign to encourage diverse participation in cancer clinical trials.

Clinical trials can benefit you, no matter what stage of cancer you have. Here, Tara Lin, M.D., professor of hematologic malignancies and cellular therapeutics at KU Medical Center and medical director of the Clinical Trials Office at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, explains five reasons to consider participating in the testing of a novel cancer treatment.

Sharla Smith, Ph.D., MPH, answered a few questions about her work and the problem of health disparities for Black infants and mothers.

The ketogenic diet, or “keto” diet, can be a quick way to shed pounds. But it’s also a very strict diet. Learn about keto and how it’s being studied in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.

Obesity is a complex national epidemic. The grant is intended to produce trainees who can think broadly about the condition from the laboratory to the clinic.

Controlling hypertension is important to brain health as well as to cardiovascular health, but the condition often is not well managed. Researchers at KU Medical Center have designed a home-based hypertension program they hope will help.

May 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.

See what shaped the University of Kansas Medical Center this year.

Clinical assistant professor Jennifer Cheng, M.D., is one of about 550 female board-certified neurosurgeons in the nation.

Studies in JAMA show that walking 10,000 steps can improve cardiovascular health and reduce risks of both dementia and cancer better than any pill or injection currently available.

Results of the study of the antiparasitic medication, once a much-discussed potential treatment for COVID-19, were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Mazen Dimachkie, M.D., was one of 36 researchers from Europe and North America to recruit participants for the first large-scale, randomized control study investigating intravenous immune globulin as a treatment for dermatomyositis.

An observational study led by Halinder Mangat, M.D., demonstrated that rates of severe adverse events after COVID-19 immunization are very low compared with the risks from COVID-19.

TEAMSPORT 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.

Susan Carlson, Ph.D., has spent decades researching the role of fatty acids in infants and pregnant women, and the University of Kansas has recognized the importance of that research.

National call to action encourages use of low-dose CT to combat the leading cause of cancer in the United States

The Kansas Center for Metabolism and Obesity Research seeks to become a national hub for obesity-related research and the training of junior research faculty.

Radiation injury is a problematic side effect in cancer treatment, and radiation toxicity from radiological and nuclear devices has been a growing national concern since 9/11.

Thanks 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.

Founded in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, the prestigious National Academy of Medicine has approximately 2,200 members worldwide.

Their work will inform the design of drugs aiming to one day restore the function of that protein in order to prevent or treat the disease.

The KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center received a prestigious five-year, $1.5 million grant to expand and strengthen its program to boost brain health researchers.

Jeffrey Burns, co-director of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, says early results of studies on lecanemab are promising.

Karen L. Weis, professor, KU School of Nursing-Salina, brings Air Force experiences and a wealth of research to nursing education in Kansas.

Karen Towne gains assistance to pursue her doctorate at KU School of Nursing and to research fetal development in challenging environments

The 2nd Annual Health Outcomes Assembly was titled "Disparities Between Counties and ZIP Codes”

Older adults who drink three cups of dairy milk a day can increase their brain’s level of a powerful antioxidant that helps protect the brain from the damage that accompanies aging and aging-related diseases.

KU Cancer Center oncology experts teamed up with statistical experts to warn those with leukemia and lymphoma of their increased risk of getting COVID-19

Anna Arthur, Ph.D., MPH, RDN, is part of a research group recommending a good-fat, low-carb and plant-based diet for best results from head and neck cancer treatment.

Glenn 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.

NCI recognition as a Comprehensive cancer center is the culmination of years of community effort and means that KU Cancer Center joins the top echelon of leading cancer experts.

Researchers from KU Medical Center and the University of Minnesota found that patients may not be benefiting as much as they should from competition between producers of the generic drug, entecavir.

African Americans have disproportionately high rates of tobacco-related disease, making treatment critical.

About 95% of participants achieved a measurable immune response after vaccination, according to study led by a KU School of Medicine professor and published in JAMA Oncology.

The 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.

Equipment upgrade provides cutting-edge resources to researchers across the region

The method offers a powerful alternative to conventional flow cytometry based on blood DNA rather than intact living cells

The study, part of the NIH Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) Initiative, is designed to determine the long-term effects of COVID-19 and to understand why some adults develop long COVID and others do not.

The 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.

Axicabtagene ciloleucel, known by the brand name Yescarta, is significantly more effective than the current standard of care in treating people with large B-cell lymphoma who relapse after the first line of treatment.

The pandemic continues, but so does research and education.

Along 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.

A symposium, held virtually Oct. 27-28, allowed scientists to learn about, and share, the latest research in PKD.

Barney Graham, the architect of Moderna and Pfizer vaccine, is honored in a Washington, D.C. celebration.

Want to preserve your memory as you age? Reach for an avocado.

For 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.

Renewal of five-year grant will provide funding for the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center through 2026.

Trikafta can provide additional benefit for CF patients who have genetic mutations that made them eligible for previously approved CFTR modulators.

These guidelines will help physicians make informed decisions with patients by understanding their individual risks and outlining a plan for their care.

The study evaluated a one-time infusion of Yescarta compared with standard of care in patients who had relapsed or had refractory LBCL after frontline treatment.

The KU ADC looks to increase diversity across all its numerous studies with a goal of making African Americans and Latinos at least 20 percent of the trial's participants across all sites.

Research looks to understand the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine in individuals receiving immunosuppressive and cytotoxic treatments.

The FSHD CTRN, an international network of academic research centers, uses the expertise and infrastructure of its members to streamline clinical trial research.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center is calling for public attention to this issue to prevent cancer deaths.

Leading the multi-site clinical trial, Carol Fabian, M.D. and her team plan to enroll 120 women ages 45 to 60 who are at increased risk for breast cancer.

A new mobile application created by The University of Kansas Cancer Center allows anyone to identify potential clinical trials right here at KU and quickly communicate with the clinical trials team.

Three new outpatient treatments will be tested at the University of Kansas Medical Center in efforts to broaden options for COVID-19 patients. These new treatments may make it easier to receive COVID-19 treatment outside a hospital, as they include an oral pill, an injection and a medication that can be inhaled through a home nebulizer.

Two new monoclonal antibody treatments for outpatients with COVID-19 are being tested at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Known as BRII 196 and 198 and produced by Brii Biosciences, these investigational treatments are both monoclonal antibodies designed to block the ACE receptor.

Adam Rouse, M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor and director of basic research in the Department of Neurosurgery, sees basic science emerging as a key player in the fight against the pandemic

Researchers from The University of Kansas Cancer Center are involved in the presentation of nearly 50 research studies at the 62nd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting.

Female physicians are more likely to pursue careers in academic medicine than their male counterparts but are less likely to be promoted to senior faculty and leadership positions, and that gender gap is no narrower than it was 20 years ago, according to a study published by researchers at KU Medical Center in the NEJM.

Men with cancer and COVID-19 may be at significantly higher risk for severe symptoms and even death as compared to females fighting both, a University of Kansas Cancer Center research team has found after reviewing multiple studies.

The physician-scientist training program at the University of Kansas Medical Center, which enables students to earn both a medical degree and a doctoral degree in a biomedical science, is now recognized as one of the most prestigious such programs in the country.

The American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGR) recognized Joseph S. Tash, emeritus professor of molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, with its prestigious Founder’s Award.

The Airways Clinical Research Centers Network (ACRC), the research arm of the American Lung Association, named the University of Kansas Medical Center a consortium hub. The change will give KU Medical Center the responsibility to mentor and lead other universities in its group in lung-health research, including COVID-19 research.

The 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.

The University of Kansas Medical Center will be participating in a unique nationwide clinical trial that will allow for the testing of multiple agents to fight COVID-19. Known as ACTIV-2 (Adapt Out COVID), this trial is part of the Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines effort announced by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) this spring.

Faculty at the University of Kansas School of Nursing are taking a unique look at the value of nursing by combining electronic health records, human resource records and other data to measure the effects of nursing on pain management.

"These awards provide our investigators with opportunities to move quickly toward developing research programs aimed at COVID-19 mitigation and treatment." --Peter Smith, Ph.D., senior associate vice chancellor for research, KU School of Medicine

Pioneering geneticist Merlin G. Butler, M.D., Ph.D., keeps pushing the boundaries of science

The University of Kansas Medical Center and Children's Mercy Kansas City announced that they will be leading the regional efforts of a nationwide clinical trial brought through the COVID-19 Prevention Network to test the COVID-19 vaccine AZD1222, developed by Oxford University and purchased by AstraZeneca.

A 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.

Frontiers: University of Kansas Clinical and Translational Science Institute has awarded three pilot grants to scientists studying COVID-19.

Cancer 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.

Five undergraduate and five graduate students from the University of Kansas Medical Center showcased their research at the Kansas Capitol during two separate events in spring 2020. Students discussed the posters illustrating their research with lawmakers and the general public.

The Healthcare Worker Exposure Response and Outcomes of Hydroxychloroquine (HERO HCQ) trial is accompanied by a registry that will create a community of health care workers who have expressed interest in contributing to the scientific community's understanding of the impact of COVID-19.

SHARPhub was established in 2018 to help researchers move biomedical discoveries and technologies out of the laboratory and into the commercial market, where they can be used to improve human health.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center will receive an additional $5 million from the state budget for the KU Cancer Center Research Fund, approved by the Kansas legislature and signed by Governor Laura Kelly. These funds will be crucial to the KU Cancer Center’s competitive application for National Cancer Institute (NCI) comprehensive cancer center designation.

Women with a high risk for breast cancer can be prescribed drugs to help reduce their risk of cancer, but many don’t take the drugs because of their problematic side effects.Researchers at The University of Kansas Cancer Center have identified a drug that may keep the preventive punch but lessen the strong side effects.

Dennis Owens, MD, PhD, leading psychiatry department’s new clinical trial research

Individuals who have an inherited condition that gives them high cholesterol regardless of diet or other lifestyle issues might one day benefit from the new drug APO(a)-I, which was tested at the University of Kansas Medical Center by Patrick M. Moriarty, M.D. Results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in January 2020.

Dr. Prachee Avasthi, assistant professor of cell biology, and her team have published four scholarly articles on actin protein and how it affects cell cilia. This basic science may help with disease research in the future.

A new research unit that will greatly expand the capacity for scientists to conduct clinical trials opened at the University of Kansas Medical Center on Jan. 13. It is the first clinical and translational science unit (CTSU) on the main KU Medical Center campus in Kansas City, Kansas.

Check 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.

The 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.

KU Medical Center was one of the sites of a phase 3 trial that led to the approval of the drug, known by its brand name, Trikafta, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on October 21.

The All of Us Research Program visited the University of Kansas Medical Center as part of its quest to collect biomedical data from 1 million individuals across the United States in the next 10 years.

The 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.