Kansas City University students and alumni earn honors in osteopathic medicine and biology

KANSAS CITY, Mo., April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Kansas City University  (KCU) students and alumni were recently recognized for their research excellence at two major medical research conferences.

Three students from the KCU College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) were invited to present their research at The Society for Redox Biology and Medicine's 32nd Annual Conference in Washington D.C., in November 2025.

• Student Doctor Zahra Yousaf presented on the role of arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase as an indicator in pancreatic cancer patient outcomes. Read the full abstract here.
• Student Doctor Anneka Blankenship's presentation on targeting lipolysis to enhance mitochondrial metabolic health in aging fibroblasts was selected as a feature presentation during the session on aging. Read the full abstract here.
• Student Doctor Sarila Ekin received the Young Investigator Award, a top award for graduate students, trainees, medical resident and post-doctoral candidates who presented during the conference. Read the full abstract here.

Student Doctor Ekin's work is the subject of a pending NIIH R21 grant application on pancreatic cancer therapy from the research lab of Ehab Sarsour, MSc, PhD, associate professor of cellular and molecular biology and biochemistry at KCU-COM.  The research is conducted in collaboration with Ted Holman, PhD, professor of chemistry at the University of California Santa Cruz, with consultation from KCU alumnus Cornelius A. Thiels, DO, associate professor of Surgery & Health Services Research at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

"Supporting these three outstanding student doctors throughout their research journeys has been an exceptional privilege, and their recognition underscores the caliber of scientific inquiry taking place at KCU," said Sarsour "Their accomplishments reflect a level of dedication and rigor that sets them apart, and their work demonstrates not only remarkable academic achievement but a genuine commitment to driving meaningful progress in medical science."

In addition to the success of the three student doctors, KCU-COM Class of 2023 alumna Niritta Patel, DO, won first place in Basic Science Research for her research presentation at the American College of Physicians Oklahoma Chapter Meeting in November 2025.

Patel's research was recently accepted and published in the peer-reviewed journal, Radiation Research, and was featured on the edition's cover page. Her work is the subject of a pending NIH R01 grant application on head and neck cancer therapy from Sarsour's research lab. She has also been selected to present her research at the American College of Physicians Internal Medicine Meeting—a national conference held April 16 - 18. Read the full abstract here.

"Dr. Patel's accomplishments reflect the enduring legacy KCU has in advancing the next generation of medical research," said Sarsour. "Her national recognition and published work demonstrate how KCU graduates continue to push scientific discovery forward, strengthening the University's impact on the future of medicine."

These honors are just a small part of the continued legacy of excellence in medical education at KCU. In 2024 and 2025, KCU achieved a higher than 99 percent residency placement rate, with more than half of graduates entering primary care fields, reflecting the University's reputation as one of the country's leading medical education institutions and its commitment to meeting critical workforce needs. KCU medical students in the Class of 2026 achieved a 98.8 percent placement rate as of March 24.

About Kansas City University

Kansas City University (KCU), founded in 1916, is a fully accredited, private not-for-profit health sciences university with Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, Biosciences and Dental Medicine. The College of Osteopathic Medicine is the fourth-largest medical school in the U.S. and the leading producer of physicians in Missouri. It ranks #1 in producing doctors who practice in primary care, rural areas and medically underserved regions within the state. The College of Osteopathic Medicine has two sites strategically located on the University's campuses in Kansas City and Joplin, Missouri, to address the growing needs of both urban and rural populations. In partnership with local organizations, KCU's Center for Population Health and Equity builds momentum around understanding and addressing the social factors that impact health, within and outside of the traditional health care setting, to better prepare students to practice osteopathic medicine, clinical psychology and dentistry. The University offers multiple graduate degrees: a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, a Doctor of Dental Medicine; a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology, a Master of Arts in Bioethics; a Master of Science in the Biomedical Sciences, a Master of Business Administration in partnership with Rockhurst University, a Master of Public Health in partnership with the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and a new Master of Health Sciences in Anesthesiologist Assistant that launched in January 2026.

Media Contact:
Haley Reardon, Director of Communications
[email protected] | 417.208.0664

SOURCE Kansas City University