Morgan Bretches said other students at KU School of Medicine-Wichita are often surprised to learn that opportunities for basic science research exist for them. Now that Bretches has been awarded a national student research fellowship, she’s hopeful that word will get around.

Bretches got notified this spring that she had received the Alpha Omega Alpha Carolyn L. Kuckein Student Research Fellowship for a research project on breast cancer with Shang-You Yang, Ph.D. The fellowship, which includes a $6,000 award, is intended to “foster the development of the next generation of medical researchers,” according to the AOA Honor Medical Society website.

The fellowship carries much more than just monetary meaning for Bretches: Her aunt died of breast cancer.

“I do have interest in it because of my aunt,” she said. “She passed in May 2023. I was able to experience that in a very tangible, real way.” To be a part of research that could someday prevent or cure such cases is meaningful, she added.

The AOA fellowships, established in 1982, are for student-designed projects with an academic mentor. Each medical school with an active AOA chapter is allowed to submit one fellowship application.

The student who’s selected then submits a summary of their proposed project including their hypothesis, rationale, methods and sample size, potential significance, and other information. Bretches, a second-year medical student, is believed to be the first KU Wichita student to be awarded the fellowship. 

The fellowships aren’t limited to basic research but that’s an area Bretches is particularly interested in. Basic research is usually defined as focusing on the advancement of knowledge, whereas applied research tries to find a solution to a specific problem.

Bretches connected with Yang while completing her public health degree at Wichita State University. Yang, whose background is as an orthopaedic surgeon, serves as associate professor of biological sciences at WSU and research professor at KU Wichita. His laboratory is the KUSM-W molecular orthopaedic research lab at WSU.

“I was looking for research experience and he graciously accepted me as an undergrad,” said Bretches, who worked on Yang’s research into using stem cells to heal bone breaks.

In Bretches’ cancer research, she is studying the resistance that cancer cells build up to two drugs used in the treatment or prevention of breast cancer. Bretches said one of them — tamoxifen — is known to build up resistance. The newer drug — raloxifene — has not been as extensively studied. 

Working in Yang’s lab at WSU, she grew cancer cells, then applied the two drugs to them, collected the cells left over after a period of time and then analyzed them to see how their gene profiles had shifted.

Eventually, Bretches hopes to write up the research for publication. She is receiving elective credit from KU for the research.

“Breast cancer is a very common disease,” Yang said in explaining the need for research into it. While current treatments help many people, he added, “there’s always room for improvement.”

Yang said he’s worked with a few other medical students on basic research, but KU Wichita, as a community-based medical school, focuses more on clinical research.

“I always encourage medical students to participate in research, including both clinical as well as basic research,” he said.

WSU graduate student Riley Drees is helping Bretches with technical and other aspects of the research. “It’s been nice to have the collaboration between the two universities,” Bretches said.

Samuel Ofei-Dodoo, Ph.D., MPA, M.A., CPH, assistant dean for medical education, said medical students are not required to undertake research projects, but doing so can help them distinguish themselves, like how some students opt for volunteer work. The skills developed during research can also help these student-doctors and physicians in clinical practice, for example, when evaluating newly released medical studies, he said. "Research in medical education is crucial for improving patient care and outcomes. It drives evidence-based practices, informs clinical decision-making, and fosters continuous learning and innovation. By integrating research into medical education, we ensure that future physicians are equipped with the most current knowledge and skills to provide the highest quality care."

Bretches, a Wellington native, said she’s “pretty sure” she wants to pursue internal medicine as a specialty, possibly with a fellowship in oncology.

“I do like research,” she said. “I hope to be able to continue researching when I’m a physician one way or another.”