KCU Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Research Symposium

Students and faculty showcased their research and learned from renowned scientists at KCU’s 25th annual Research Symposium held March 22, 2017. This year’s theme focused on the importance of translational research, or the “bench to bedside” approach for translating laboratory discovery into patient care.

“This is an important experience in the education of our students,” said Robert White, PhD, dean of the College of Biosciences. “They are going to be the scientists and physicians of tomorrow and will be treating the patients of tomorrow. So this allows them to be part of the work that develops prevention and therapies for certain diseases.”

The day-long event included 10 oral and 46 poster presentations. Topics included, “A Cadaveric Study of the Levator Palebrae Aponeurosis,” “Why We Ethically Disapprove of FGM: An Analysis of Varying Genital Cutting Practices and What They Illustrate,” and “Dopaminergic Neurons in the Substantia Nigra in Parkinson’s Disease — Built to Fail?" 

The symposium also featured two national leaders in research from the Kansas City community. Tom Curran, PhD, the Donald J. Hall Eminent Scholar in Pediatric Research and executive director for the Children’s Research Institute at Children’s Mercy Hospital, delivered the keynote presentation, “Translating Science into Medicine: Lessons from Targeting the Hedgehog Pathway in Cancer.” Carl Gelhaus, PhD, senior program manager in the Medical Countermeasures Division of MRIGlobal and KCU adjunct professor, presented his ongoing research on the Zika virus.

Award winners from the 2017 KCU Research Symposium are:

Joshua Beckler, MS Candidate, Norbert W. Seidler, PhD, Prize for Research Oral Presentation				Dami Lee, OMS III, MS Candidate, Betty Jo White, DO, FACOS, Prize for Research Oral Presentation
Kellee Neal, OMS III, Poster Presentation First Place				Amy Whitaker, OMS III, Poster Presentation Second Place