Children's Mercy and UMKC honor Dr. Stephen F. Kingsmore and Dr. Kathy J. Goggin with Endowed Chair

Children's Mercy and the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine announced today that Stephen Kingsmore, MB, ChB, BAO, DSc, FRCPath, Director, Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine has been named the Dee Lyons/Missouri Endowed Chair in Pediatric Genomic Medicine and Kathy Goggin, PhD, Director, Division of the Health Services and Outcomes Research, has been named the Ernest L. Glasscock, MD, Chair in Pediatric Education and Research.

Dr Kingsmore is a UMKC School of Medicine faculty member and member of the Children's Mercy medical staff. Dr. Goggin is a UMKC School of Medicine and UMKC School of Pharmacy faculty member and member of the Children's Mercy medical staff. Both received their honor during an investiture ceremony on May 22 at the Kauffman Foundation Conference Center.

Dee Lyons/Missouri Endowed Chair in Pediatric Genomic Medicine
The Dee Lyons/Missouri Endowed Chair will support growth of pediatric genomic medicine research at Children's Mercy. It will strengthen the hospital's capacity to develop new genomic diagnostic tests and genomic medical treatments to improve outcomes in patients at Children's Mercy and around the world. 

"Children's Mercy is starting to become a national leader in pediatric genomic medicine," said Dr. Kingsmore. "This honor allows our team to develop further research initiatives and, ultimately, improve outcomes and quality of life of children with pediatric genetic diseases. The children are waiting."

Dr. Kingsmore joined Children's Mercy in 2011 to establish the Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine. He and his team created the first genome center in the world inside a children's hospital at Children's Mercy. The Center combines genome, computational and analytical capabilities to bring new diagnostic and treatment options to children with genetic diseases. As a leading researcher in pediatric genomic medicine, Dr. Kingsmore was named to Medscape's Best Physicians list and his team's rapid genome sequencing, called STAT-Seq® test, was one of TIME magazine's Top 10 Medical Breakthroughs of 2012.

"It is my privilege to offer Dr. Kingsmore this appointment," said Betty Drees MD Dean University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. "The UMKC School of Medicine believes that excellence is achieved through innovative programs and vibrant community partnerships. With the support of forward-thinking donors and matching contributions through the Missouri Endowed Chair program, the long-standing partnership between UMKC and Children's Mercy can continue to positively influence research, education and clinical care today and into the future."

Dr. Kingmore's team's recent work offers parent's of critically ill children in the hospital's level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) the opportunity to have their baby's entire genome decoded and the results analyzed and returned to their physician in as little as two days. Children's Mercy is the only pediatric hospital in the world yet to offer this rapid genome sequencing approach, called STAT-Seq®, developed at the Center. This is funded through grants from the Marion Merrell Dow Donor Advised Fund, the Claire Giannini Fund, a $1 million grant from the William T. Kemper Foundation, a $5 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Human Genome Research. 

Fred and Dee Lyons' interest in Children's Mercy and pediatric medical research dates back to the 1970s. Fred Lyons is a former executive at Marion labs, Marion Merrell Dow and Hoechst Marion Roussel. Dee Lyons was on the Children's Mercy Board of Directors and chaired the Katharine Berry Richardson (KBR) Associates, a volunteer council dedicated to the support of research at the hospital. The Lyons are the first two KBR Associates life members.

Ernest L. Glasscock, MD, Chair in Pediatric Education and Research
The Ernest L. Glasscock, MD, Chair in Pediatric Education and Research will support the future of the development of the strategic vision for enhancing health services and outcomes research; recruit and lead a multidisciplinary team of scientists that collaborates with faculty across Children's Mercy partner institutions and the community; stimulate innovative approaches to the measurement of health system performance to improve outcomes; and establish a national reputation for Children's Mercy in health services and outcomes research.

"Children's Mercy is focused on discovering new methods for enhancing the patient-care experience and promoting the best possible treatment outcomes," Dr. Goggin said. "This will allow us to gather further knowledge by regularly measuring our performance and to continue to support our commitment to maintaining a high standard of care for all patients, regardless of racial, ethnic or economic background."

Dr. Goggin joined Children's Mercy in 2013. Dr. Goggin's program of research focuses on primary and secondary disease prevention, medication adherence, and psychosocial predictors of health behavior change to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities.

"Dr. Goggin's work and leadership allow Children's Mercy to provide a standard by which we regularly measure research performance and clinical outcomes," said Charles C. Roberts MD Executive Medical Director/Executive Vice President. "A growing emphasis on and interest in health outcomes exists in the industry and in the community today. We are very fortunate to have Dr. Goggin leading the way to the future of Pediatric Education and Research."

Dr. Goggin has published more than 180 papers and abstracts in leading national and international scholarly outlets spanning diverse fields from pharmacy to medicine, nursing, psychology and public health. She has garnered continuous extramural funding since 1997 and has been responsible, as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator, for more than $21 million in extramural funding for national and international research studies. Her research is also notable for its focus on community-based translational research efforts that have impacted faith-based and community based organizations, communities, and a variety of health care settings both domestically and internationally.

Dr. Ernest Glasscock was a long-time friend of Children's Mercy Hospital. A pediatrician for thirty-five years and an educator in pediatric medicine, Dr. Glasscock had a keen interest in the hospital and its research activities. Dr. Glasscock was chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at General Hospital and later chairman of the Department of Pediatrics and staff president at Saint Luke's Hospital.

About Endowed Chairs
Endowed chairs provide ongoing financial support for research and education, and are of strategic importance to elevating the hospital's academic profile and stature as a national leader in clinical care. The investment income of the original gift to establish a chair generates income annually. The principal of the gift is held by the Children's Mercy Hospital Foundation.

Children's Mercy Currently Held Endowed Chairs
Michael Artman, MD
Joyce C. Hall Distinguished
Professor of Pediatrics

Kathy Goggin, PhD
Ernest L. Glasscock, MD
Chair in Pediatric Education and Research

George W. Holcomb III, MD, MBA
The Katharine B. Richardson
Chair in Pediatric Surgery

Richard A. Hopkins, MD
The Thomas Holder/Keith Ashcraft
Chair in Pediatric Surgical Research

Gregory L. Kearns, PharmD, PhD
The Marion Merrell Dow/Missouri
Chair in Pediatric Medical Research

Stephen Kingsmore, MB, ChB, BAO, DSc, FRCPath
The Dee Lyons/Missouri Endowed Chair

J. Steven Leeder, PharmD, PhD
The Marion Merrell Dow/Missouri
Chair in Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology

Bradford W. Olney, MD
The Dr. Rex and Lillian Dively
Chair in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery

Girish S. Shirali, MBBS, FASE, FACC
Melva and Randall L. O'Donnell, Ph.D.
Chair in Pediatric Cardiology

William E. Truog III, MD
The Sosland Chair in Neonatology Research

Shui Qing Ye, MD, PhD
William R. Brown/Missouri Endowed
Chair in Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine

About Children's Mercy
Children's Mercy, located in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the nation's top pediatric medical centers. The 354-bed, not-for-profit hospital provides care for children from birth through the age of 21, and has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of "America's Best Children's Hospitals." For the third time in a row, Children's Mercy has achieved Magnet nursing designation, awarded to fewer than seven percent of all hospitals nationally, for excellence in quality care. Its faculty of 600 pediatricians and researchers across more than 40 subspecialties are actively involved in clinical care, pediatric research, and educating the next generation of pediatric subspecialists. For more than a century, Children's Mercy has provided the highest level of medical care to every child who passes through its doors, made possible through generous community support. For more information about Children's Mercy and its research, visit childrensmercy.org. For breaking news and videos, follow us on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

About the UMKC School of Medicine
The UMKC School of Medicine was founded in 1971 as an innovative combined degree program. From its baccalaureate/MD curriculum to a docent system that emphasizes small group learning, the school has remained a trendsetter in medical education and research. For more information about the UMKC School of Medicine, visit www.med.umkc.edu/. You can also find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.