Children’s Mercy is ‘Built for Kids’. Check out the Children’s Mercy Research Institute 2024 recap in the annual report. Excerpts about Varberg lab can be found on pages 74-77 and 88-91.

Training the Next Generation:Creating Opportunities for Tomorrow’s Researchers

A story published by the Children’s Mercy Research Institute on November 27, 2024 showcases the commitment of Children’s Mercy research leadership and faculty, including Dr. Varberg, to help train the next generation of scientists. The featured article titled, “Training the Next Generation: Creating Opportunities for Tomorrow’s Researchers,” highlights several programs including the STAR 2.0 program, ProX, Summer Scholars and the ASTRA Collective. The Varberg lab was integral in establishing the ASTRA Collective and continues to promote trainee development through engagement with programs, such as STAR 2.0, at Children’s Mercy. Read the full story at the link below.

ASTRA collective logo

STAR 2.0 Summer Program

The Children’s Mercy Office of Equity and Diversity with support from the Children’s Mercy Research Institute hosted the fourth consecutive summer experience for the STAR 2.0 Program (Summer Training in Academic Research). This is a pathway program that leads historically marginalized high school students into medicine and science-focused careers. The Varberg lab was one of three research teams to lead a STAR Summer Research Project.

The STAR students learned about the placenta and how we can study placental development using different techniques, like RNA-sequencing. Their six-week research project culminated in a formal presentation where they had the opportunity to share what they learned with their peers, colleagues, family and friends. We are so proud of these amazing students! They are going on to do wonderful things and we wish them all the best in their academic and career journeys!

Thank you to everyone at CMH and our team teacher lead for making this a memorable experience!

Keisuke recently participated in the Kansas City Corporate Challenge and competed for Children’s Mercy in the Table Tennis tournament. Keisuke beat out the competition to bring home a 1st place medal! Way to go, Keisuke!!

Kansas City Corporate Challenge

Children’s Mercy Research Month 2024

Children’s Mercy hosted a month of events in May to celebrate research in the theme of "Superheroes of Science"! Events included reception celebrations, presentations, poster sessions, lunch and learns, etc. The closing celebration overlapped with the 15th annual Big Slick celebrity weekend at Children’s Mercy. David Koechner, one of the celebrity guests, and Blue from Sporting Kansas City stopped by the Closing Celebration (pictured right and below).

Keisuke dancing with Blue, the Sporting Kansas City mascot, at the closing celebration of Research Month! Big ‘thank you’ to Blue for bringing the energy to the celebration.

Ashley presented a poster at the Children’s Mercy Research Month Poster Showcase (pictured right). This work was initiated during her rotation with the lab in her first year as an IGPBS graduate student at KU Medical Center. We are excited to see her continue on with this work, along with others in the lab! Way to go Ashley! The first poster for the Varberg lab is officially in the books. Thank you to the Research Month organizers, poster judges, and everyone who made this event a great success.

The Varberg lab is excited to welcome Dr. Qi Fu and Dr. Xingrao Ke. Qi and Xingrao join us as Research Scientists and bring extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of OBGYN, DOHaD, epigenetics, and neuroscience. We are thrilled to have them in our group. Welcome to the team!

The Varberg lab is excited to welcome graduate student, Ashley Howard! Ashley will be joining the lab to complete her PhD thesis. She is currently a first year graduate student in the KU Medical Center IGPBS Program and was recently awarded the Self Fellowship for her outstanding academic performance. Congratulations, Ashley, and welcome to the team!

Kaela Varberg, PhD was awarded a three-year, $747,000 R00 Pathway to Independence Award from Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Varberg’s study titled, “Regulation of Invasive Trophoblast Cell Lineage Development,” will identify gene targets of Achaete-Scute Family Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor 2 (ASCL2) and place ASCL2 within the regulatory hierarchy controlling invasive trophoblast cell lineage development. This work will leverage innovative rat models and human trophoblast stem cells.