Two photos: A person wearing blue gloves holds a 12-well cell culture plate with purple-stained samples in a laboratory setting, and a professor in a laboratory lifts up a specimen to inspect it.

Global solutions straight from the heartland

The University of Kansas asks big questions and creates solutions that better the world. Our world-renowned research, academics, and faculty spark discoveries that improve lives and strengthen communities.

Creating new cancer therapies

Xiaoqing Wu leverages cutting-edge technology to study cancer cells and test thousands of potential drug compounds. Her discoveries led to three patents for new types of inhibitors that slow tumor growth.
A portrait of Xiaoqing Wu wearing a lab coat

“Discoveries we make in the lab today translate into better treatment options for people’s lives tomorrow.”

Xiaoqing Wu
Associate research professor in KU’s Department of Molecular Biosciences

KU Statistics

Top 1%
University of Kansas Cancer Center national ranking
348
New inventions disclosed by KU researchers in the past five years
#3
Global ranking in developmental disability research

Unlocking the mysteries of immunity

Anthony Fehr researches how coronaviruses cause disease. He was the first to establish a connection between a particular cellular modification and the anti-coronavirus response. With this discovery, his team developed novel inhibitors that support the immune system by blocking viral activity.
A portrait of Anthony Fehr standing in a laboratory

“KU is really good at promoting creativity in research, and that’s what’s really key to making new discoveries and things that will change the world.”

Anthony Fehr
Associate professor in KU’s Department of Molecular Biosciences

Developing life-saving treatments

X. Long Zheng researches vascular biology, thrombosis, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) — a rare but life-threatening condition. Among the first to identify and clone an enzyme involved in blood clotting, Zheng also discovered the primary cause of TTP and identified the antibodies needed to improve diagnostic tools and treatment options.
A close-up of X. Long Zheng behind a microscope

“This is the opportunity for me to help others grow and to be successful.”

X. Long Zheng
Russell J. Eilers M.D. Endowed Professor and Chair of KU’s Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
A researcher writes Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) in English and Chinese characters on a whiteboard.
A person wearing blue gloves holds a 12-well cell culture plate with purple-stained samples in a laboratory setting.
Two KU researchers in white lab coats share a laugh while working in a university laboratory.
A close-up image of a sunflower

There’s so much to discover

Groundbreaking research and academic excellence at the University of Kansas shine through the people who put knowledge into action to improve your world.

See how KU delivers results