One of the highest priorities in the School of Medicine’s strategic plan is to improve the research infrastructure to support the needs of existing faculty, to aggressively recruit new NIH-funded investigators, and to expand research training opportunities for medical students and residents.
The School’s Office of Research provides the base for these efforts by:
- Preparing signature information in PeopleSoft for School of Medicine grant submissions.
- Processing and reviewing biannual University grant effort verification reporting.
- Hosting a research Listserv for information dissemination and faculty discussion.
- Contract and budget development for industry funded clinical trials at TMC.
- Coordinating the participation of School of Medicine students in the annual UMKC Health Sciences Student Research Summit.
- Ensuring department and administrative approval at TMC for non-funded faculty, resident and student research.
Meet our Researchers
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Jenifer Allsworth, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Vice Chair, Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Coordinator
Department(s) of Biomedical and Health Informatics
UMKC School of Medicine
Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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Jannette Berkley-Patton, M.A., Ph.D.
Professor
Department(s) of Biomedical and Health Informatics
UMKC School of Medicine

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Jared Bruce, Ph.D.
Professor, Director of Psychiatric Research,
Department(s) of Biomedical and Health Informatics
UMKC School of Medicine
Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Multiple Sclerosis, Medication adherence, Traumatic brain injury, Neuropsychology, Cognitive disorders, Dementia, Delirium, Functional brain imaging
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Xiang-Ping Chu, M.D., Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Tenured
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences
Section: Neurosciences
UMKC School of Medicine

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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Betty M. Drees, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E.
Professor, Dean Emerita, Associate Program Director - Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Fellowship, Program Director – Nutrition and Metabolism Fellowship, President - Stowers Institute for Medical Research Graduate Program
Department(s) of Internal Medicine, Biomedical and Health Informatics
Section: Endocrinology
UMKC School of Medicine, University Health - UMKC Health Sciences District

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Mingui Fu, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences
UMKC School of Medicine
Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Pathology, Regulatory mechanisms of septic shock, Signal transduction in macrophage activation, RNA metabolism in immune regulation, Negative regulation of Toll-like receptor signaling, Molecular signaling of vascular endothelial inflammation, injury and repair, Novel therapeutic targets for human inflammatory diseases including atherosclerosis, sepsis and viral infection
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Karl Kador, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences, Ophthalmology
UMKC School of Medicine

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Steven Seungk-Suk Kang, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences
UMKC School of Medicine
Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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Peter Koulen, Ph.D., FARVO
Professor, Felix and Carmen Sabates / Missouri Endowed Chair in Vision Research, Director of Basic Research, Vision Research Center
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences, Ophthalmology
Section: Neurosciences
Vision Research Center

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Biomedical Informatics, Community and Family Medicine, Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oncology - Adult, Orthopaedic Surgery, Psychiatry, Surgery, Immunology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Science, Ophthalmology
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Sheshadri Madhusudhana, M.D.
Assistant Professor
Department(s) of Internal Medicine
Section: Hematology/Oncology
University Health - UMKC Health Sciences District
Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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Paula Monaghan-Nichols, Ph.D.
Professor, Associate Dean - Research Administration, Chair - Biomedical Sciences
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences
UMKC School of Medicine

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Community and Family Medicine, Neurology, Pediatric Oncology
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Nihar Nayak, DVM, Ph.D
Professor and Vice Chair of Research
Department(s) of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Missouri - Kansas City
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Michael Moncure, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Professor
Department(s) of Surgery
University Health - UMKC Health Sciences District
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Annette Quick, M.D.
Associate Professor
Department(s) of Internal Medicine
Section: Cardiovascular Disease
University Health - UMKC Health Sciences District
Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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Nilofer Qureshi, Ph.D.
Professor, Director – Shock/Trauma Research Center, Director, Molecular & Cellular Immunology
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences
Section: Microbiology
UMKC School of Medicine

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Biochemistry, Biomedical Informatics, Health Informatics, Cell Biology, Emergency Medicine
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Gary A. Salzman, M.D.
Professor, Senior Docent
Department(s) of Internal Medicine
Section: Respiratory and Critical Care
UMKC School of Medicine, University Health - UMKC Health Sciences District

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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John A. Spertus, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor, Daniel J. Lauer / Missouri Endowed Chair in Metabolic and Vascular Disease Research, Clinical Director
Department(s) of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Internal Medicine
Section: CV Disease
Saint Luke's Hospital

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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Mark T. Steele, M.D.
Professor, Associate Dean - Truman Medical Center, Chief Medical and Operating Officer
Department(s) of Emergency Medicine
University Health - UMKC Health Sciences District

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Gary Sutkin, M.D., M.B.A.
Professor, Associate Dean of Women's Health, Victor and Caroline Schutte Chair in Women’s Health
Department(s) of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Obstetrics and Gynecology
University Health - UMKC Health Sciences District

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Surgical error prevention and communication, Intraoperative teaching, Midurethral sling surgery, Surgery, Medical Humanities and Social Sciences, Postoperative Urinary tract infections
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Michael Wacker, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Associate Dean - Academic Affairs, Vice-chair - Biomedical Science
Department(s) of Biomedical Sciences
Section: Physiology
UMKC School of Medicine

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
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John Q. Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Westport Anesthesia / Missouri Endowed Chair for Research
Department(s) of Anesthesiology, Biomedical Sciences
UMKC School of Medicine

Specialties and Research/Medical Interests
Biochemistry, Cardiology, Anesthesiology, Pediatric Prenatal, Neurology