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Mon, 02/02/2026

From Kansas to the world: KU’s WHO collaboration works to promote global health

By delivering a digital “toolbox” to 300 countries, researchers at the Center for Community Health and Development are bringing life-saving lessons back home to Kansas.
Mon, 01/26/2026

Study shows athletes with better jumping ability generate faster golf club head speed

Researchers from the University of Kansas partnered with Oklahoma State University's golf program to measure jumping ability and its correllation with golf club head speed, finding athletes with better jumping ability were able to generate more speed on their swings.
Wed, 01/14/2026

Fractured family relationships increase susceptibility for polydrug use, study finds

In a new study, Jarron Saint Onge, professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, examines the relationship between using multiple types of drugs and social inequality among low-income Mexican American women.
Wed, 12/17/2025

Grant to expand community-based research project focused on people with mobility disabilities

With new federal funding, a University of Kansas project is expanding access to exercise for people with disabilities. Life Span Institute researcher Lyndsie Koon says the community-based functional fitness program has shown strong results.
Mon, 12/01/2025

NIH grant supports KU study of DNA-protein cross-links

Identifying toxic DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs) and the cellular pathways to repair them are the goals of research underway by University of Kansas researcher Luke Erber, assistant professor of medicinal chemistry, and his lab team. The research is being funded by a $1.8 million grant recently announced by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a unit of the National Institutes of Health.
Mon, 12/01/2025

School of Pharmacy researcher publishes work on social isolation, drug abuse

School of Pharmacy researcher and associate professor of pharmacology and toxicology Zijun Wang was recently published in Nature Communications. Her research delves into social isolation and how it impacts mental health and substance abuse disorders and potentially discovering drug therapies to intervene.
Fri, 11/21/2025

New KU initiative uses cutting-edge sports technology to help Kansas high school athletes train smarter

A new initiative led by the Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory helps Kansas high school athletes train smarter, stay healthier and sets the stage for groundbreaking sports science research.
Mon, 11/17/2025

Parents of autistic children find training, support through online OASIS program

OASIS at the University of Kansas helps caregivers of autistic children learn evidence-based strategies founded on behavioral science, serving as a critical bridge between diagnosis and intervention.
Fri, 10/24/2025

Research reveals people desire social distance from spouses of those with mental illness

In a new book chapter, Elizabeth Felix, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, employs a vignette survey experiment to investigate the extent to which the public wants social distance from people with certain mental illnesses, as well as their romantic partners.
Mon, 10/20/2025

Study uses GPS technology to find football practices can be up to 40% more demanding than games

Quincy Johnson, a researcher at the University of Kansas, led a study that used GPS technology to track how far and fast football players run and which positions had the most high-intensity work. They compared the workloads of practices to games, and the findings can help coaches, trainers and athletes find the best balance to properly prepare for a demanding game.
Thu, 10/16/2025

KU Positive Psychotherapy Clinic doubles number of clinicians, provides service across Kansas

The Positive Psychotherapy Clinic in the University of Kansas School of Education & Human Sciences has served Kansans from 48 counties, with plans to continue growing services. Clinicians report seeing improvements in clients as early as the first session.
Fri, 10/10/2025

KU social work training program strengthens mental health workforce in rural Kansas

The Integrated Health Scholars Program (IHSP) at the KU School of Social Welfare recently received a $2.4 million award through the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program, funded by the Health Resources & Services Administration.
Fri, 10/10/2025

Research gives insight into the effect of neurodegenerative diseases on speech rhythm

By studying in minute detail how amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, affects speech rhythm, a University of Kansas researcher hopes to improve personalized treatment. Panying Rong's research found that when subjects tried to speak more slowly than normal, it helped intelligibility more than trying to speak more clearly.
Mon, 10/06/2025

KU program found effective in helping reduce stress among child welfare service providers

The Resilience Alliance, an intervention for child welfare service providers in Kansas, was found to help reduce the secondary traumatic stress associated with working amid stressful family environments, according to University of Kansas researchers. They believe the findings can lead to reduced burnout among the workforce and lead to better service outcomes for families.
Tue, 07/29/2025

Study finds high levels of social infrastructure lead to healthier communities

The United States spends significant amounts of money on health care every year, but health outcomes have not improved. New research from the University of Kansas has found that high levels of social infrastructure, especially in the arts, is connected to healthier communities.
Thu, 07/24/2025

KU centers team up to introduce local students to STEM fields in physical performance

A new partnership within the Achievement & Assessment Institute at the University of Kansas blends STEM education and physical performance training to offer middle school and high school students hands-on experience in sports medicine, exercise science, and strength and conditioning.
Wed, 07/23/2025

KU researcher advocates scientific framework to unlock music therapy’s full potential

Music therapy isn’t a “soft science,” according to KU Life Span Institute researcher Deanna Hanson-Abromeit, who advocates for wider adoption of her framework to evaluate and strengthen music therapy as a health intervention.
Tue, 07/15/2025

Study examines early sensory processing and development in people with autism

A researcher from the University of Kansas Life Span Institute recently published a comprehensive review of differences in sensory processing for people with autism during the prenatal (in utero) and neonatal (birth to a few months old) phases of life.
Tue, 07/01/2025

Research from the University of Kansas suppresses coronavirus by targeting Mac1

A study published in mBio details the vulnerability of coronaviruses to inhibitors of a small protein domain called Mac1, found in all coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV. The findings point toward potential antiviral therapies.
Tue, 06/24/2025

‘Muslim Ban’ decreased preventative care for children of Middle Eastern ancestry, study finds

In a new study, David Slusky, professor of economics at the University of Kansas, evaluates the impact of the 2017 “Muslim Ban” on preventive care use among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ancestry children in the U.S., finding decreased well-visits and associated vaccinations.
Wed, 06/11/2025

Study finds pitchers have thicker UCLs in elbows than other baseball players, factors that risk common injury

A University of Kansas study measured the thickness of the UCL in throwing and nonthrowing elbows of both pitchers and position players of a college baseball team. The study can showed arm slot is not correlated with UCL thickness, contradicting a common belief of throw angle contributing to the common injury.
Mon, 06/09/2025

KU scientists and center director among experts calling for revision of federal food and nutrition guidance during pregnancy

Should women stop eating fish while pregnant? While women often limit fish intake during pregnancy, experts warn this restricts nutrients vital for the developing fetus.
Wed, 05/28/2025

Study simulates pulling on athlete's jersey to predict noncontact ACL injuries

A KU study dropped a weighted ball attached to subjects while they jumped to simulate noncontact ACL injuries in sports. The results showed that pulling from behind was the most dangerous and that improving core strength is key in preventing such injuries.
Tue, 05/13/2025

Study reveals pharmacy care perceived differently by diverse populations, including patients with disabilities

In a new study, University of Kansas researchers found the most acute differences in perspectives on pharmacy interactions come from communication issues specific to hearing loss and “limited physical space for patients in wheelchairs” experienced by respondents.
Wed, 02/26/2025

Jayhawk Athletic Performance Lab teams up with KU Football to elevate pro day training

The Jayhawk Athletic Performance Laboratory (JAPL), a sport performance-based research center housed under the Achievement & Assessment Institute, is collaborating with the KU Football team to help players better prepare for the NFL Combine and Big 12 Pro Day through technology and data analysis.
Mon, 02/24/2025

Report reveals high levels of added sugar in US infant formula despite medical recommendations

A study published today from the University of Kansas in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis shows most infant formulas on the U.S. market contain primarily added sugars rather than the healthier, naturally occurring lactose found in cow-milk base that would be best for babies because it’s closest to human breast milk.
Mon, 02/24/2025

Study finds people prefer AI chatbots when discussing embarrassing health info — but humans when they are angry

A lab-based experimental study from the University of Kansas examined particpants' preferences for interacting with an artificial intelligence chatbot when discussing health information. The study, based on COVID-19 vaccine information, can help health marketers design campaigns and use AI in a more effective way.
Thu, 02/20/2025

Successful mobile phone intervention for eating disorders on college campuses will expand

The BEST-U program, an 11-week treatment underpinned by guided self-help cognitive behavioral therapy, has shown “most participants were fully recovered from their eating disorder” during a pilot program at the University of Kansas.
Wed, 02/12/2025

Scholars address rhetorical potency of ‘Plandemic’ COVID-19 misinformation

The "Plandemic" video became influential by appealing to both sides of America’s political divide, according to Brett Bricker, KU communication studies researcher. He contributed to the new book “Pandemic Resilience: Vaccination Resistance and Hesitance, Lessons from COVID-19.”
Mon, 01/13/2025

Study examines differences in strength by position among football players

A KU study is setting the stage to determine if there are differences in strength by position among college football players. Results showed there were differences in body type, as well as other factors, among player types that could help improve strength training for athletes.

Media Contacts

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson

KU News Service

785-864-8858