OU College of Medicine

08/28/2026

NEWS: A University of Oklahoma researcher has received a five-year, $2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to investigate how pancreatic cancer uses cholesterol to survive chemotherapy.

“Our goal is to understand how pancreatic cancer adapts to survive treatment, and it appears that cholesterol plays a role,” said Surendra Shukla, Ph.D., assistant professor of oncology science in the OU College of Medicine, research member of OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and principal investigator for the grant.

Learn more: https://link.ou.edu/4bCrhTY

08/27/2026

OU Health is expanding access to advanced heart valve care with the newest FDA-approved therapies for structural heart disease, offering Oklahomans more treatment options close to home.

As one of the first health systems in the region to offer the TriClip™ and Evoque™ therapies for tricuspid valve disease, and the first in Oklahoma City to perform an Abbott Navitor™ transcatheter aortic valve replacement, OU Health continues to bring leading-edge cardiovascular care to patients across the state.

These minimally invasive procedures provide new options for patients with complex heart valve conditions, often without the need for open-heart surgery.

"For years, the tricuspid valve was called the forgotten valve, and patients with severe leak were often told to live with it," said Dr. Parasuram Melarcode Krishnamoorthy, interventional cardiologist and leader of our structural heart program. "That has changed. We can now repair this valve, and we can replace it, all through a small incision in the leg. Oklahomans should not have to leave the state to receive that kind of care."

Through a coordinated team of interventional cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, heart failure specialists and imaging experts, OU Health is helping patients access innovative treatments and personalized care right here in Oklahoma.

Advanced heart care. Innovative treatment options. Closer to home.

08/27/2026

08/27/2026

Going to be a great year! ❤️

08/26/2026

Maureen Cox, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the OU College of Medicine and researcher at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, is uncovering how an aggressive form of breast cancer hijacks the body’s own immune system to fuel tumor growth.

Cox and her team discovered that triple-negative breast cancer recruits immune cells called macrophages, which release a protein that encourages nerves to grow into tumors. Those nerves can then support tumor growth and treatment resistance.

Even more promising: When Cox’s team blocked that signaling in preclinical models, nerves didn’t infiltrate the tumors and tumor growth was significantly reduced.

Published in Cell Death & Differentiation, the research could open the door to new treatment strategies aimed at helping the immune system fight back against difficult-to-treat cancers.

🔗 Learn more about Cox’s research: https://link.ou.edu/3UizwPi

08/25/2026

Just six more days left to apply for Club Scrubs, a free, hands-on program for high school students interested in exploring careers in medicine and healthcare. 🩺

https://link.ou.edu/3USuBVc

08/22/2026

🩺 Calling all OU College of Medicine alumni! 🩺

Join us Sept. 17–19 for Alumni Reunion Weekend, a three-day celebration of the people, connections and shared legacy that make the OU College of Medicine special.

The weekend kicks off in Oklahoma City with Evening of Excellence, honoring this year’s College of Medicine Hall of Fame Award recipients. From there, reconnect with classmates during Alumni Day on the OU Health Campus and wrap up the weekend with fellow Sooners at Boomer Bash in Norman before OU's football game vs. New Mexico.

Whether it’s been five years or 50 since graduation, we’d love to welcome you back!

🔗 https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/reunion

08/20/2026

Through OU Health's Operation Ukraine program, 49 surgeons have trained in Oklahoma City since 2023, strengthening surgical expertise and fostering lasting international partnerships. At a recent reunion sponsored by Razom for Ukraine, 10 program participants reunited with colleagues and mentors to reflect on their shared experiences and the program's continued impact.

The gathering provided an opportunity to reconnect, celebrate the relationships built through the program and discuss the future of surgical education and collaboration.

The visit also included engagement with faculty at Bogomolets National Medical University, where participants toured the simulation center and collaborated on plans for future surgical training and cadaver lab development.

At OU Health, we are proud to support initiatives that expand access to advanced surgical training, foster knowledge sharing and help improve patient care across the globe.

08/20/2026

👏 Congratulations to Associate Professor Martin-Paul Agbaga, PhD, for receiving a Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) International Research Collaborators Award!

We are proud of your commitment to vision research and
look forward to the important work you will undertake as a result of this grant.

Learn more about RPB grants: http://bit.ly/RPBgrant

08/17/2026

Registration is open for Evening of Excellence 2026!

In one month, the OU College of Medicine will bring together alumni and friends to celebrate the people, achievements and impact that continue to shape medicine in Oklahoma and beyond.

The evening will feature the College of Medicine Hall of Fame Awards and kick off Alumni Reunion Weekend.

Learn more and register: https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/alumni/eoe