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KU recognizes 13 students with 2025 University Awards
The University of Kansas has awarded 13 students with honors that recognize community engagement, leadership and academics. The University Awards, among the most prestigious awards presented at KU, were established to recognize students who embody service excellence, dedication or whose academic achievements are stellar.
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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.
Fri, 01/10/2025
Physicians reveal outlooks and concerns about use of artificial intelligence in medical care
In a new study, John Symons, professor of philosophy at the University of Kansas, and researchers at the KU School of Medicine-Wichita reveals the outlooks and concerns about use of artificial intelligence among frontline physicians and physicians’ assistants.
Wed, 01/08/2025
Communication studies expert attacks myths about harms of social media
Jeffrey Hall, professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, finds that the latest research on links between social media use and well-being does not support dire claims or bans. His findings were published in the 25th anniversary edition of the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Fri, 12/20/2024
Research points the way to lifesaving antiparasitic drugs while unlocking a scientific mystery
A breakthrough in understanding how a single-cell parasite makes ergosterol (its version of cholesterol) could lead to more effective drugs for human leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease that inflicts about 1 million people and kills about 30,000 people around the world every year.
Tue, 12/17/2024
Parkinson’s drug comes to market with help of renowned University of Kansas pharmaceutical chemist
Valentino Stella, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Kansas, assisted in developing Vyalev, a new Parkinson's drug therapy marketed by pharmaceutical firm AbbVie.
Tue, 12/17/2024
Mental health stigma negatively influences those even with good intentions, research finds
In a new paper, Elizabeth Felix, assistant professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, investigates the presence of a potentially unique actor in the stigma process: the aversive stigmatizer. These are individuals who deliberately reject negative cultural stereotypes but still hold implicit mental illness-related biases that may inadvertently influence discriminatory behaviors.
Mon, 12/16/2024
Study examines how culture, family and identity shape body image challenges for Hispanic women
Better understanding of eating disorders is necessary to both identification and development of effective treatment, but the Latina demographic has historically been underrepresented in research.
Wed, 12/11/2024
Understudied but ‘significant public health issue’ FXTAS is focus of first-of-its-kind research at KU
Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome may be more common than people realize because it looks so much like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases. Some physicians may even be unaware of the condition.
Thu, 12/05/2024
Douglas County tenant survey explores intersections of income, housing and violence
KU project documents the experiences of 1,051 Douglas County tenants to help the community understand how the experiences of people facing housing insecurity.
Mon, 11/25/2024
Project to document medical ableism experienced by people with disabilities
A new project at the Institute for Health and Disability Policy Studies (IHDPS) at the KU Life Span Institute aims to examine how health care challenges rooted in prejudices, known as medical ableism, affect people with disabilities.
Fri, 11/15/2024
KU addiction center study explores how next-day responsibilities influence cannabis use
One sign of substance use disorder is continuing to use substances despite interference with responsibilities. However, previous research hadn’t examined why people may or may not reduce cannabis use before certain activities.
Thu, 10/17/2024
Design-Zyme, KU collaboration results in $3 million SBIR award for Lyme disease vaccine development
The woods can be a place of adventure and beauty, a peaceful escape for a walk. But among the leaves and grass, the threat of ticks can turn a hike into a health-altering encounter with Lyme disease. A recent $3 million Small Business Innovation Research award will fund the research and development of a vaccine to stop Lyme disease in its tracks.
Wed, 10/09/2024
Study: ChatGPT needs expert supervision to help parents with children’s health care information
New research from the University of Kansas Life Span Institute highlights a key vulnerability to misinformation generated by artificial intelligence and a potential model to combat it.
Wed, 09/25/2024
Study finds most at-risk populations for HIV discussing subject in negative, risky ways got most social media attention
An analysis of young men, the most at risk for new HIV infections in the United States, who discussed the topic in negative ways or promoted risky behaviors tended to get the most attention on X. Deeper understanding of why the population discusses the subject that way and how algorithms further their messages can help design better public health campaigns, researchers argue.
Wed, 09/18/2024
Study links operating room environment to shorter surgery
A study from a University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design researcher shows a better-designed operating room shaves time off of orthopedic surgery, implying better outcomes and reduced costs.
Tue, 09/03/2024
Study: Individuals with pre-existing disabilities had long COVID at much higher rates than peers
An analysis of a national health survey showed individuals with pre-existing disabilities who contracted COVID suffered long COVID at much higher rates than their nondisabled peers. This exacerbates existing barriers to health care access and inequities in health, requiring an adjustment of health policy, researchers say.
Tue, 08/06/2024
Researchers leverage AI to help business provide nutritious choices in American food deserts
KU's Tera Fazzino, along with a multidisciplinary group of researchers across several institutions, will help create an artificial-intelligence-powered digital tool, called the NOURISH platform, to help businesses and startups operating in food deserts give more nutritious choices to an estimated 24 million Americans.
Wed, 06/26/2024
KU researchers highlight how $80.6 billion in federal spending supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities nationwide
In recognition of the anniversary of the 1999 decision, which was celebrated June 20 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, University of Kansas researchers shared information about how federal funds are distributed to each state to help individuals, families and caretakers.
Tue, 05/28/2024
KU establishes $11 million biomedical center to advance women’s health using big data
A new grant from the National Institutes of Health will establish a multidisciplinary biomedical center at the University of Kansas to research big data’s potential to improve women’s health. It will fund KU’s fifth Center of Biomedical Research Excellence.
Thu, 04/25/2024
Study reports new compound halting replication of COVID by targeting ‘Mac-1’ protein in cell models
Research from the University of Kansas shows for the first time SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, can be inhibited from replicating in living cell cultures using a compound that targets “Mac-1,” a protein key to defending SARS-CoV-2 against the human immune response.
Tue, 03/19/2024
Study shows narrative conversion messages boost attitudes about COVID vaccinations among unvaccinated adults
Messages in which a hesitant person detailed their decision about getting vaccinated also reduced resistance to inoculation, KU research shows. The findings could guide future public health communications.