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NextGen PATHWAYS Symposium

 

Thursday, March 12 and Friday, March 13, 2026
at the Missouri University of Science and Technology
1346 N Bishop Ave, Rolla, MO 65409

Poster abstract submission is open from Friday, November 3 to Sunday, December 12.
General registration is open from Monday, January 5 to Friday, January 30.

 

Agenda

 

Thursday, March 12

5:00 p.m. - 5:05 p.m.: Welcoming Remarks
| Executive Director, NextGen Precision Health initiative

5:05 p.m. - 5:20 p.m.: Missouri S&T's Biomedical Innovation Ecosystem Vision
| Chancellor, Missouri S&T

5:20 p.m. - 5:35 p.m.: Missouri S&T’s Research Enterprise
| Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Missouri S&T

5:35 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.: Biomedical Research Synergies at S&T

  • | Dean, College of Engineering and Computing
  • | Dean, College of Arts, Sciences, and Education
  • | Dean, Kummer College of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development

6:15 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.: Evening Reception

  • Poster presenters check in
  • Free professional headshots available
  • Light refreshments and networking

8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.: Trainee Happy Hour

  • (Rolla R&D Brewpub)
  • 600 North Rolla Street, Rolla, MO 65401
 
Friday, March 13

7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.: Registration, Coffee & Poster Set Up (Sessions A & B)

8:30 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.: Welcome and Housekeeping 

8:45 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.: Keynote

9:45 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.: Faculty Theme Talks - Session A

  • Sunjeev Phull, PhD | NextGen Fellow | Missouri S&T Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
  • | Missouri S&T Materials Science and Engineering, Chemistry
  • | UMSL Philosophy
  • | Mizzou Nutrition & Exercise Physiology
  • | UMKC Ophthalmology
  • | UMSL Optometry

11:05 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.: Break / Poster Session A

12:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.: Lunch / Networking

1:15 p.m. - 2:35 p.m.: Faculty Theme Talks - Session B

  • Sandy Saunders, PhD | NextGen Fellow | Mizzou Pathobiology and Integrative Biomedical Sciences
  • | Missouri S&T Biological Sciences
  • | Mizzou Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
  • | UMSL Computer Science
  • | UMKC Biological and Biomedical Systems
  • | Missouri S&T Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

2:35 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.: Break / Poster Session B

3:45 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.: Break / Tallying Poster Votes

4:00 p.m.: Poster Presentation Awards and Closing

 

Agenda is subject to change prior to the event dates.

 


 



Director of Philanthropic Giving
KCUR, Kansas City's NPR Affiliate

MASTER OF CEREMONIES

David Fulk became an active volunteer with KCUR in 2005 and was named their Volunteer of the Year in 2010. He joined the KCUR staff in 2014 to build a major giving program and serves on the station’s Leadership Team.

David has been a fundraising professional for more than 30 years with decade-plus stints at KCUR, Truman Medical Center (now University Health) Charitable Foundation and William Jewell College, where he received his undergraduate degree in history. David served as co-interim leader of the UMKC Charitable Foundation in 2022 and helped design and lead the $120m fundraising effort for UMKC’s Healthcare Delivery and Innovation Building.

He has been a longtime community volunteer in Liberty, Mo., where he resides, serving on the boards of the Liberty Symphony, Liberty Parks and Recreation, Liberty Parks Foundation, and Liberty Arts Foundation. Since 2009, David has been the concert host of the Liberty Summer Band and is the elected City Clerk of Liberty. In Kansas City, he’s served on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFPKC) and currently serves as board secretary of Te Deum. He was recognized in 2024 by the Kansas City Royals as a Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat honoree.

 


 

Faculty Theme Talks

 

Anthony Convertine

Missouri S&T Materials Science
and Engineering; Chemistry

Jill Delston

UMSL Philosophy

Scott Rector

Mizzou Nutrition & Exercise Physiology

Karl Kador

UMKC Ophthalmology

Tareq Nabhan

UMSL Optometry

Gina Yosten

Missouri S&T Biological Sciences

Bret Ulery


Mizzou Chemical and
Biomedical Engineering

Badri Adhikari


UMSL Computer Science

Hillary McGraw


UMKC Biological and
Biomedical Systems

Ryan Gilbert


Missouri S&T Chemical
and Biochemical Engineering

 

 

NextGen Fellows Flash Talks

 

Sunjeev Phull
Sunjeev Phull, PhD
Missouri S&T Chemical and
Biochemical Engineering

Sandy Saunders
Sandy Saunders, PhD
Mizzou Pathobiology and
Integrative Biomedical Sciences

 

 


NextGen Precision Health’s PATHWAYS symposium draws on pathbreaking work from across the 91Ô­´´ to celebrate research collaborations with the potential to impact global health.

On average in the U.S., it takes for a new treatment to make it from the discovery phase to a clinical patient. We believe we can accelerate that time frame if all segments of the translational science pipeline are engaged from the beginning. At the PATHWAYS symposium, research faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students from a broad range of disciplines will build understanding to lower research barriers and jump start new projects.


 

Keep an eye out for more email updates about:

 

Poster Presentations
Poster
presentations

Speaker announcement
Speaker
announcements

Career advancement
Career advancement
opportunities

 


 

The agenda will promote a dual mission: accelerating discoveries and fostering discoverers. The symposium will provide networking opportunities for experts across our four universities and give young researchers a pragmatic approach for connecting to other fields and the translation process. By making each of our contributions accessible and relevant across domains, we can leverage our strengths and ultimately impact quality of life around the world. 

 


 

Sponsors

to learn how your organization can sponsor Pathways. Inquiries can be directed to nextgen@umsystem.edu.

 

Gold level sponsor

 


 

Questions? 

Contact the NextGen Precision Health initiative at nextgenpathways@umsystem.edu

 

"UM System and NextGen Precision Health"

 

Reviewed 2025-09-27