KCU Hosts Nobel Prize Recipient Dr. Randy Schekman at Annual Research Symposium

Science took center stage in Kansas City this week as Nobel Laureate Dr. Randy Schekman arrived to celebrate the 100-year history of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences (KCU) and nurture medical students who will carry on the tradition into the future.

Dr. Schekman is a cell biologist at the University of California, Berkeley, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. He shared the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Dr. James Rothman and Dr. Thomas C. Südhof for their groundbreaking work on cell membrane vesicle trafficking.

Dr. Schekman spoke to medical and biosciences students at KCU about his own research and took part in student and faculty presentations in a research symposium on campus.

“It was a pleasure to present to the KCU community during the University’s Centennial Research Symposium,” said Dr. Schekman. “I love teaching. … It’s a marvelous way to introduce young students to the magic of biochemistry and cell biology.”

KCU medical student and Sarnoff Fellow Ryan Coute presented his own research showing regional variations among those who suffer cardiac arrest and the possibility that improving community CPR education can increase survival rates.

“This was an awesome opportunity to hear from Dr. Schekman,” said Coute. “Plus, it offered a great opportunity for students like myself to show our scientific work alongside Dr. Schekman and some highly accomplished people.”

This year’s symposium featured 5 oral presentations and 45 posters on a variety of research in biomedical or clinical science.

“Our 2016 Research Symposium marked a century in medical and scientific research at KCU,” said Marc B. Hahn, DO, KCU president and chief executive officer. “We were honored to host Dr. Schekman as this year’s keynote speaker and appreciated the tremendous insights he shared. We are proud of our students and faculty who continue to commit themselves to the pursuit of scientific inquiry, and who made our Centennial Research Symposium a great success.”