Bani Yaghoub,Majid
Mathematics
Current Research: I use partial, delay and ordinary differential equations for modeling and analysis of infectious diseases and population dynamics.
Research interests: Construction of traveling/stationary waves, speed of spread, analysis and numerical simulations of mathematical models in epidemiology and population biology.
You can learn about the past undergraduate projects that I supervised: http://b.web.umkc.edu/baniyaghoubm/pur.htm
I am also a member of UMKC Applied Mathematics Group: http://cas.umkc.edu/mathematics/amg/
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Bennett,Kym
Psychology & Counseling
Our team examines several aspects of health related to social cognition, with a particular focus on the creation of attributions following a chronic disease diagnosis, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer. We’ve examined causal attributions and their short- and long-term effects on physical and mental health status. We’ve also explored the effects of discrimination on affective and health outcomes among Hispanic Americans, as well as the effects of poverty and stress on health-related quality of life following a heart attack. More recently, our team has developed two scales to assess self-blame attributions in patients with CVD and cancer. In addition to these projects, we are studying benefit-finding during the COVID-19 pandemic among college-age adults in the US. We are interested in exploring how benefit-finding may affect adjustment processes and academic outcomes during this unprecedented time in our history. We are also conducting a study examining whether perseverative cognitions, like vigilance and worry, mediate the associations between experiences of discrimination, experiences of microaggressions, and sleep quality among Black Americans.
You can visit our team web page here: https://info.umkc.edu/soccogandhealth/
Thanks for your interest!
First-generation college graduate
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Best,Rebecca
Political Science & Philosophy (PSP)
Dr. Best's research interests include the involvement of women in terrorism and insurgency, the reintegration of female veterans, the involvement of veterans in civil society and politics, negotiations between states and insurgencies, women in conflict, and the effectiveness of terror proscription regimes and watch lists.
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Blanton,Virginia
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Bora,Kabeer
Economics
I specialize in using empirical tools mainly causal methods to understand classical political economy. I teach Econometrics, Economic History, Sports Economics and Radical Political Economy.
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Bouyain,Samuel
Cellular & Molecular Biology
The long-term goal of the research undertaken in the lab is to determine how interactions between cell recognition molecules underpin communication between cells during the development of the nervous system. Currently, our work is focused on a family of cell surface receptors called contactins and the complexes they form with amyloid precursor protein (APP) and its homologs APLP1 and APLP2. The role of APP in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease is well described, while its normal physiological functions have not been explored as thoroughly. In particular, complexes between APP and contactins have been involved in axon guidance and synapse formation. My laboratory uses biochemical and structural (X-ray crystallography) approaches to gain insights into the contactin/APP interactions that underlie the development and maintenance of the nervous system.
An undergraduate student working in the lab can expect to acquire valuable skills in protein expression and purification. He/she will design and perform protein-protein binding assays and, hopefully, participate in protein crystallization and data collection.
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Bumann,Erin
Oral and Craniofacial Sciences
Ever wonder how your jaw and skull know exactly how to grow during development — and what happens when they don’t?
Roughly 2–3% of babies are born with skull and jaw anomalies like cleft lip/palate or tiny lower jaws. These conditions often require multiple invasive surgeries starting in infancy, with no guaranteed long-term fix. At the UMKC School of Dentistry, our lab studies how the bones of the face form during early development — and what goes wrong when they don’t.
Our goal? To uncover the root causes of these facial birth defects and design less invasive, more effective therapies that could change lives. If you're fascinated by embryology, bone biology, genetics, or regenerative medicine, come join us! You’ll get hands-on experience with cutting-edge research and help us explore how to support babies born with craniofacial differences — from basic science to better care.
As part of our research team, you’ll get hands-on experience working side-by-side with a lab member who’ll help you learn the ropes. You’ll learn how to keep a real lab notebook, design and lead experiments, and become a contributing member of an active research team.
You’ll also sharpen your skills in reading and interpreting scientific papers, making sense of data, and communicating science clearly — whether that's in a lab meeting or on a poster at a research event. Expect to meet one-on-one each month with Dr. Bumann, who is a Board-certified Pediatric Dentist-Scientist, to talk about your progress, your goals, and what kind of scientist (or healthcare pro!) you want to become.
Along the way, you’ll pick up tools like GraphPad for data analysis, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and learn to use other software or equipment depending on your project. It’s a great way to explore your interests, build your resume, and make discoveries that matter.
We’re looking for students who are curious, collaborative, and ready to dive in — no matter your background. If you're someone who likes working on a team, keeps things organized, pays attention to the little details, and isn’t afraid to ask questions or try (and retry!) until something works, you'll thrive here.
Whether you're interested in dentistry, medicine, developmental biology, bone and tooth science, craniofacial research, or just want to explore how science impacts health, there’s space for you here. We welcome students from a wide range of majors, and we’ll match your project to your goals — whether that’s applying to dental school, diving into research, or discovering what lights you up.
We’re looking for students who can spend about 10+ hours a week in the lab, ideally in two solid chunks of time between Monday and Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM — you won’t be stuck here all day every day, but we want you to have enough time to really dig into your project and get results!
Planning to stick around for two or more semesters? Even better! Long-term students get to dive deeper into their projects, gain more skills, and make a real impact.
Our lab is located at the UMKC School of Dentistry, right in the heart of Kansas City at 650 E. 25th Street on the 2nd and 3rd floors. It’s a collaborative, welcoming space where science meets real-world impact — and we can’t wait to show you around.
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