Research Experiences

• Thesis title: Elucidating the role of CCN3 in Endometrial Cancer
  • Mentor: Warren B. Nothnick
• Quality Improvement Project: Mainstream Genetic Testing Implementation in Gynecology Oncology for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Patients 
  • Mentor: Melissa Javellana
• Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in primary ovarian cancer patients
  • Mentor: Andrea Jewell
• Effect of Distance from KUMC on post-operative complications in HIPEC patients
  • Mentor: Andrea Jewell

Grants

• The University of Kansas Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Interdepartmental Funding of Research (2024-2025, co-investigator)

Publications and Poster Presentations

• Aliani R, Graham A, Cook I, Javellana M, Jewell A, Spoozak L, Nothnick WB. Altered expression and localization of CCN3 in Endometrial Cancer. Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting, March 2025.
• Aliani R, Graham A, Cook I, Javellana M, Jewell A, Spoozak L, Nothnick WB. Altered expression of Cellular Communication Network Factor 3 (CCN3) in Endometrial Cancer. University of Kansas Medical Center Greenwald Symposium, November 2024.
• Aliani R, Seitz V, Tsaih SW, Beran BD, Davidson ERW. Impact of Race, Ethnicity, Insurance, and Procedural Timing on Sterilization Method. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2024 Oct 22. PMID: 39435511.

Leadership and Service

• Society of Gynecologic Oncology – Legislative Affairs Sub-Committee Member
• University of Kansas Medical Center Greenwald Symposium – Volunteer

Publications

Abedin, Y., Minchella, P., Peterson, R., Gonnella, F., Graham, A,, Cook, I., Javellana, M., Jewell, A., Spoozak, L., Nothnick, W.B. Functional Analysis of RE1 Silencing Transcription Factor as a Putative Tumor Suppressor in Human Endometrial Cancer, International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024 Sep 7;25(17):9693.
doi: 10.3390/ijms25179693. PMID: 39273639

Abedin, Y., Fife, A., Samuels, C.A., Wright, R., Murphy, T., Zhang, X., Alpert, E., Cheung, E., Zhao, Q., Einstein, M.H., Douglas, N.C. Combined Treatment of Uterine Leiomyosarcoma with Gamma Secretase Inhibitor MK-0752 and Chemotherapeutic Agents Decreases Cellular Invasion and Increases Apoptosis. Cancers. 2024 Jun 10;16(12):2184.
 doi: 10.3390/cancers16122184. PMID: 38927890

Grants

The University of Kansas Medical Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology Interdepartmental Funding of Research, awarded 2023-2024

Project: Examining the role of REST in endometrial cancer cell lines

PI: Dr. Lori Spoozak, Co-I: Dr. Warren Nothnick, Dr. Yasmin Abedin

 Poster and Oral Presentations

• Gonella, F., Abedin, Y., Graham, A., Minchella, P., Peterson, R.,, Cook, I., Javellana, M., Jewell, A., Spoozak, L., Nothnick, W.B. Impact of RE1 Silencing Transcription Factor (Rest) and Obesity on Endometrial Pathology and Associated Biomarkers in Mice. Poster Presentation. Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancers. Seattle, Washington, March 14-17, 2025.

• Abedin, Y., Cook, I., Javellana, M., Jewell, A., Spoozak, L., Addressing the Opioid Epidemic through an Opioid-Prescribing Curriculum for OB/GYN Residents. Oral APGO CREOG Annual Meeting. Oral Presentation. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 27, 2025

• Abedin, Y., Minchella, P., Peterson, R., Graham, A., Cook, I., Javellana, M., Jewell, A., Spoozak, L., Nothnick, W. RE1

• Transcription Factor (REST) is decreased in endometrial cancer. Poster Presentation. The 20^th Annual Glibert S. Greenwald Symposium on Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, November 2-3, 2023.

• Abedin, Y., Minchella, P., Peterson, R., Graham, A., Cook, I., Javellana, M., Jewell, A., Spoozak, L., Nothnick, W. RE1 Transcription Factor (REST) is decreased in endometrial cancer. Poster Presentation. Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancers. San Diego, California, March 16-18, 2024.

• Abedin, Y., Samuels, C., Murphy, T., Alpert, E., Cheung, E., Zhao, Q., Einstein, M.H., Douglas, N.C. Gamma secretase inhibitors in combination with cytotoxic agents decrease invasion in uterine leiomyosarcoma. Oral Presentation. Society of Gynecology Oncology, Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancers. San Diego, California, March 17, 2024.

• Fife, A., Murphy, T., Zhao, Q., Abedin, Y., Einstein, M.H., Douglas, N.C. Notch inhibition with gamma-secretase inhibitor increases apoptosis in uterine leiomyosarcoma cells. Poster Presentation. Society of Gynecologic Oncology, Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancers. San Diego, California, March 16-18, 2024.

Awards

• KUMC Graduate Medical Education Research Forum  2^nd place poster 2024
• KUMC Graduate Medical Education Research Forum 3^rd place poster 2025

Leadership and Service

• Volunteer for The 20^th Annual Glibert S. Greenwald Symposium on Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, November 2-3, 2023

Research Experience

• Thesis title: Multilevel implementation science program evaluation of federally-funded cervical cancer screening and diagnostic testing in a non-Medicaid expansion state
  • Investigated disparities by age, race, and rurality in cervical cancer screening, colposcopy, and treatment among low-income women in Kansas’s National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)
  • Conducted mixed methods evaluation of patient navigation reach, efficacy, and sustainability using validated implementation science frameworks
  • Designed, conducted, and analyzed qualitative interviews with patient navigators and led community-based participatory research initiatives with 360-feedback the Kansas Department of Health as well as the University of Kansas Cancer Center Patient Research Advocacy Program
• Sexual Health Empowerment (S)HE Program
  • Characterized adaptation and baseline calibration of validated cervical and breast health literacy instruments in criminal legal-involved populations to support evidence-based evaluation of gynecologic health literacy interventions
  • Reviewed best practices in jail-based research for cervical cancer prevention
  • Analyzed evidence and implementation and policy considerations for use of HPV self-swab testing for cervical cancer screening among criminal-legal involved persons
• Quality Improvement Project: Assessment of referral patterns, uptake, and loss-to-follow up for outpatient specialty palliative care in gynecologic oncology

Grants

• University of Kansas Cancer Center Cancer Prevention and Control mini pilot grant ($1200)

Classes

(Taught): Stanford Gynecology Pathology Case Conference (2022 – 2023) (Audited): Biostatistics I and II, Scientific Writing, Systematic Reviews, UCSF Implementation Science Short Course (2023)

Leadership and Service

Society of Gynecologic Oncology – Palliative Care Committee Member (April 2023 – present)

Publications:

(1 additional accepted in press, 1 submitted, and 3 in process)

• Ratnaparkhi R, Ismail A, Krebill H, Cook I, Javellana M, Jewell A, Spoozak L, Emerson A, Ramaswamy M, Calhoun E, Mudaranthakam DP. Utilization and outcomes of serial cervical cancer screening in a National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) in a non-Medicaid expansion state. Cancer Causes Control. 2024 Dec 16. doi: 10.1007/s10552-024-01948-3
• Thomas D, Ratnaparkhi, R. Readability assessment of Spanish online patient education materials in gynecologic oncology. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2024 Dec 2;56:101548.
• Ratnaparkhi R, Doolittle GC, Krebill H, Springer M, Calhoun E, Jewell A, Mudaranthakam DP. Screening log: Challenges in community patient recruitment for gynecologic oncology clinical trials. Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2024 Sep 29;42:101379.
• Ratnaparkhi R, Javellana M, Jewell A, Spoozak L. Evaluation of Homologous Recombination Deficiency in Ovarian Cancer. Curr Treat Options Oncol. 2024 Feb;25(2):237-260.
• Kennedy P, Ratnaparkhi R, Lee J, Glenn JE, Kelly PJ, Kimminau KS, Assimonye S, Ramaswamy M. Case example of a jail-based cancer prevention clinical trial: Social determinants of health framework, novel experimental design, and retention strategies to facilitate long-term follow-up of clinical trial participants. J Clin Transl Sci. 2023 Jun 23;7(1):e163
• Ratnaparkhi R., Spoozak L. When insight yields inaction: the role of implementation science in improving palliative care integration. Ann Palliat Med 2023.

Poster and Oral Presentations:

• Schmidt R, Ratnaparkhi R, Mudaranthakam DP, Khan MJ. Expert user perceptions on usability of the ASCCP mobile app. In 2025 ASCCP annual meeting (poster presentation)
• Craddock V, Ratnaparkhi R, Fitzgerald Wolff S, Pozek J, Cook I. Epidural versus intrathecal analgesia for postoperative pain control in an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol for open gynecologic oncology surgery: a retrospective cohort quality improvement study. In 2025 SGO Winter Meeting (poster presentation)
• Littleton, D, Ratnaparkhi R. Readability assessment of Spanish online patient education materials in gynecologic oncology. In WAGO 2024 Annual Meeting (oral presentation)
• Ratnaparkhi R, Pope E, Cook I, Javellana M, Jewell A, Sinclair CT, Spoozak L. Oncologic outpatient specialty palliative care referral utilization: A single institution quality improvement project. In ASCO 2024 Annual Meeting (online abstract)
• Ratnaparkhi R, Pepper S, Mudaranthakam D. Implementation of patient navigation (PN) at the state level to support federally-funded cervical cancer screening. In ASCCP 2024 Scientific Meeting (On-demand oral presentation)
• Ratnaparkhi R, Khorshid A, Khan MJ. Use of a flashcard curriculum to improve resident ability to apply 2019 ASCCP Guidelines in clinical scenarios. In ASCCP 2024 Scientific Meeting (poster presentation)
• Tolani AT, Deer C, Lenhart N, Wang A, Ratnaparkhi R, Magaoay B, Hoskin E, Kuwahara K, Campbell B, Losch J, Shannon P, Rosen M. What recourse do patients have when they are denied insurance coverage for fertility care? An analysis of the California Department of Managed Healthcare Independent Medical Review Database between 2001-2023. Fertility & Sterility. 2023 Oct;120(4): E268.
• Ratnaparkhi, R., Salyer, C., Williams, B., Brubaker, L., Spoozak, L. Identifying triggers for outpatient palliative care consultation: How to introduce palliative care to patients. In Society for Gynecologic Oncology 2023 Annual Meeting (On-demand oral presentation)

Grants

• 2022-Present Principal Investigator, University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS
  • $35,000 grant funded prospective clinical trial examining changes in the gut microbiome in association with patient symptoms, quality of life in endometrial cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment.

 Research Experience

• 2021-Present Lead Investigator, University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, KS
  • Conduct preclinical studies on novel agents targeting cell kinesins in ovarian cancer cell lines. Conduct pilot study on evaluation and characterization of gut microbiome and bacterial extracellular vesicles in blood of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.
• 2021-2022 Principal Investigator, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS
  • Develop and implement hospital wide interventions to improve Enhanced Surgery After Recovery (ERAS) metrics including improving antibiotic timing and decreasing erroneous administration of antibiotics for gynecology cases.
• 2022 Fellow, Society for Translational Oncology Fellow’s Forum, Leesburg, VA
  • Complete three-day intensive workshop in how to apply translational research findings in tumor biology to improve patient outcomes

Grants

• University of Kansas Cancer Center Pilot Project Award, $19,500 (Principal Investigator)
• National Institutes of Health R01CA226838 (co-investigator)
• KUMC Department of OBGYN Interdepartmental Research Grant $1500 (co-investigator)

 Publications

• Salyer C, Lipnicky A, Bagwell-Gray M, Lorvick J, Cropsey K, Ramaswamy M. Abnormal Pap Follow-Up among Criminal-Legal Involved Women in Three U.S. Cities. 2021. Submitted, under review.
• Salyer C, Lee J, Lorvick J, Comfort M, Cropsy K, Smith S, Emerson A, Ramaswamy M. Cervical Cancer Prevention Behaviors Among Criminal-Legal Involved Women from Three U.S. Cities. 2021. Submitted, under review.
• Salyer C, Veazey-Brooks J, McCammon S, Bassette E, Spoozak L. Facilitators and Barriers to Recruitment of Surgical Professionals into Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Manuscript in process.
• Salyer C, Reese E, Dimon E, Voth C, Spoozak L, Klemp J, Nye L, Glenn J, Ramaswamy M. Adherence Patterns to NCCN Guideline Recommended Genetic Testing among Ovarian Cancer Patients at a Midwestern National Cancer Institute Designated Cancer Center. Manuscript in process.
• Salyer C, Reese E, Dimon E, Voth C, Spoozak L, Klemp J, Nye L, Glenn J, Ramaswamy M. Understanding Black-White Disparities in Genetic Testing among Ovarian Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study of Key Stakeholders. Manuscript in process.

Poster and Oral Presentations

• Salyer C, Lee J, Lorvick J, Comfort M, Cropsy K, Smith S, Emerson A, Ramaswamy M. Cervical Cancer Prevention Behaviors Among Criminal-Legal Involved Women from Three U.S. Cities.
  • Oral presentation at the 2020 University of Kansas Cancer Center Research Symposium, awarded best presentation in Population Health category (November 2020)
  • Poster presentation at the 2021 SGO Annual Meeting (March 2021)
•  Salyer C, Lipnicky A, Bagwell-Gray M, Lorvick J, Cropsey K, Ramaswamy M. Abnormal Pap Follow-Up among Criminal-Legal Involved Women in Three U.S. Cities.
  • Oral presentation at the 2021 WAGO Annual Meeting (scheduled June 2021)
•  Salyer C, Veazey-Brooks J, McCammon S, Bassette E, Spoozak L. Perspectives of Physicians with Dual Certification in a Surgical Specialty and Hospice and Palliative Medicine
  • Oral presentation at the 2021 ACS Annual Meeting (scheduled October 2021)
  • Oral presentation for the KUMC Graduate Medical Education Research Forum (April 2021)
  • Oral presentation for KUMC Department of OBGYN Research Day (April 2021)

Grants/Awards

• TL1 Postdoctoral Clinical and Translational Research Training Program Award –  funded Masters in Clinical Research

• Frontier’s Clinical and Translational Science Award $20,000
• Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) Ann & Sol Schreiber Mentored Investigator Award $75,000
• Residents as Teachers Scholar Program
• Foundation for Women’s Cancer Young Investigator Award in Honor of Laurel Rice, MD
• Society for Reproductive Investigation’s Underrepresented Minority Program Award

 Publications

• Gupta VG, Hirst J, Petersen S, et al. Entinostat, a selective HDAC1/2 inhibitor, potentiates the effects of olaparib in homologous recombination proficient ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2021 Apr 15:S0090-8258(21)00325-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.04.015. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33867143.
• Petersen S, Shahiri P, Jewell A, Spoozak L, Chapman J, Fitzgerald-Wolff S, Lai SM, Khabele D. Disparities in ovarian cancer survival at the only NCI-designated cancer center in Kansas. Am J Surg. 2020 Dec 7;. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.12.009. PubMed PMID: 33309256
• Ball, J, Thompson, J, Wulff-Burchfield, E, Ellerbeck, E, Kimminau, K, Brooks, J, Petersen S, Rotich, D, Kinney, A, Ellis, S.  “Precision community: a mixed methods study to identify determinants of adoption and implementation of targeted cancer therapy in community oncology.” Implement Sci Commun August 2020. 1:72 https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-020-00064-y
• Doe, S, Petersen S, Buekers, T, Swain, M. Does a Multidisciplinary Approach to Invasive Breast Cancer Care Improve Time to Treatment and Patient Compliance? J Natl Med Assoc. 2020 Apr 11. doi: 10.1016/j.jnma.2020.03.010. PubMed PMID: 32291070.
• Petersen S, Wilson AJ, Hirst J, Roby KF, Fadare O, Crispens MA, Beeghly-Fadiel A, Khabele D. " CCNE1 and BRD4 co-amplification in high-grade serous ovarian cancer is associated with poor clinical outcomes." Gynecol Oncol. 2020 Feb 7. doi: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2020.01.038. PMID: 32044108
• Doe, S, Petersen S, Swain, M. Utilization of genetic testing in breast cancer treatment after implementation of comprehensive multi-disciplinary care. Breast J. 2020 Jan 9;. doi: 10.1111/tbj.13747. PubMed PMID: 31916345.

Poster Presentations

• Petersen, S, Winchester, M, Krase, K, Berbel, G, Tarver, S, Broski, J. Shared leadership maintains situational awareness during intraoperative critical events. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Virtual Annual Meeting. April 30^th-May 2^nd, 2021.