Record-breaking research: 17th annual IBRS held in Kirksville
Posted: April 14, 2026
A.T. Still Research Institute (ATSRI) hosted its annual Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Symposium (IBRS) on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025. Held at the Interprofessional Education Building on ATSU’s Kirksville, Missouri, campus, this symposium marked 17 consecutive years of bringing together researchers from across the U.S., and now around the world. More than 300 participants attended the symposium in person and virtually with 128 abstracts submitted, breaking records from previous years.
Throughout the day, the symposium featured oral and poster presentations of research studies from ATSU students, faculty, and staff; Still OPTI resident physicians; Truman State University undergraduate students; and biomedical students and researchers from other institutions. For those who attended virtually, IBRS used the platform “Gather” to facilitate participation and interaction seamlessly in real time.
“Each of these posters, each of these efforts and works continue to improve humanity,” said ATSU Chancellor Craig M. Phelps, DO, ’84. “There is so much amazing research tying wellness and osteopathic medicine together, including undergraduate and graduate research and excellent work by faculty and staff.”
Over the years, IBRS has become a cornerstone of research excellence at ATSU. Its goals are to celebrate student research achievements, foster interaction among students across multiple educational levels, provide experience in presenting research, and increase awareness of research methods, scope, and significance. In addition, the symposium highlights opportunities for students to gain advanced research experience.
“The breakthroughs we need for the challenges of tomorrow are sitting in this room,” said Marie Jackson, PhD, MBA, director, ATSRI, who encouraged attendees to engage openly, think boldly, and connect with their fellow researchers.
Jeffrey C. Winer, MD, MA, MSHS, MHIIM, FAAP, delivered the keynote speech titled “Innovating Scholarship by Going Back to Basics.” Dr. Winer is chief medical informatics officer at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare and an adjunct associate professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. With degrees from Harvard, Yale, George Washington University, and Tennessee, he integrates clinical expertise, data science, and health informatics to advance healthcare.
An author of more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and 60 invited reviews, Dr. Winer is recognized particularly for his dedication to academic mentorship. He supports more than 50 medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty in launching and sustaining scholarly projects in clinical research and quality improvement.
“I really liked the keynote speaker,” said one participant. “I am actually starting to write a manuscript on my research (that I presented at this conference!), so he gave some good advice on that.”
Additional feedback from those who attended IBRS included notes about the increasing quantity and quality of innovative research presented and how students were well versed in their research topics. A virtual participant said it was the first time an online event felt as engaging and present as an in-person one.
“Simply put, IBRS was the highlight of the year – awesome content, brilliant people, and an incredibly successful event,” Dr. Jackson said. “We thank our entire ‘village’ for their generous support, without which this event would not have been possible.”
IBRS award winners
Jack Magruder Research Award
Poster presenter: Dagmawit Kebede, senior, interdisciplinary studies major, Truman State University
Author: Bill Miller, PhD, associate professor, ATSU; Haleluya Merga, junior, biochemistry and molecular biology major, Truman State University; Makda Gebreegziabher, senior, biology major, Truman State University; Arsema Woldeamanuel, junior, nursing major, Truman State University
Sponsor: Dr. Miller
Project: “Allosteric Inhibition of MMP-9 in Silico as a Potential Cancer Therapeutic”
Neil J. Sargentini Memorial Award
Poster presenter: Sydney Christopherson, OMS III, and Ashley Quintana, OMS III
Author: Christopherson and Quintana
Sponsor: Pinak Shah, MD, FACP, associate program director, Internal Medicine Residency program, Mountain View Hospital, Las Vegas
Project: “HRT and Autoimmunity: What We Know and Where Research Must Go”
Max Gutensohn Award
Poster presenter: Alan Boruch, DO, physician and research scientist, Northeast Regional Medical Center
Author: Dr. Boruch and Brian Degenhardt, DO, professor, ATSU
Sponsor: Dr. Degenhardt
Project: “Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy in an Infant with Inclusion Cell Disease”
Best Oral Presentation
Oral presenter: Madison Richards, OMS I
Author: Richards
Sponsor: Karl Jepsen, MD, PhD, associate dean for research, University of Michigan
Project: “Reevaluating the Cortical Fraction”
Graduate Case Report
Poster presenter: Sydney Christopherson, OMS III
Author: Christopherson
Sponsor: Pinak Shah, MD, FACP, associate program director, Internal Medicine Residency program, Mountain View Hospital, Las Vegas
Project: “An Undiagnosed Case of Persistent Leukocytosis and Multisystem Involvement”
Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (MAOPS) President Clinical Graduate Student Research Award
Poster presenter: Ava Thielman, OMS III
Author: Thielman; Lydia Lundquist, OMS IV; Brooke Johnson, OMS IV; Ahmed Baghdady, DO, resident, Henry Ford Warren-Madison Heights; and David Siegel, DO, surgeon, Henry Ford Warren-Madison Heights
Project: “A Rare Case Presentation of Merkel Cell Carcinoma”
MAOPS Rising Star Student Competition Winner
Poster presenter: Sydney Christopherson, OMS III
Author: Christopherson
Sponsor: Pinak Shah, MD, FACP, associate program director, Internal Medicine Residency program, Mountain View Hospital, Las Vegas
Project: “An Undiagnosed Case of Persistent Leukocytosis and Multisystem Involvement”
MAOPS 1st Place Overall Student Competition Winner
Poster presenter: Nicholas Noyce, DO, Still OPTI
Author: Dr. Noyce; Brock Davis, DO, Still OPTI; and David Cleaver, DO, Still OPTI
Project: “When Cancer Changes Costume: The importance of full body skin checks”