Three University of Missouri-Kansas City professors from the health sciences have received the University of Missouri System’s most prestigious faculty honor: Curators’ Distinguished Professor.

The recognition was awarded to Jannette Berkley-Patton, Ph.D., professor of biomedical and health informatics in the School of Medicine; Timothy Cox, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences and endowed professor in dental and musculoskeletal tissue research in the School of Dentistry; and Gerald J. Wyckoff, Ph.D., chair of the Division of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and director of Research and Graduate Studies in the School of Pharmacy. Wyckoff was named a Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor, a designation that highlights exceptional contributions in the classroom.

This distinction is awarded to a select few outstanding scholars and teachers with established reputations. Each honoree becomes a resource for the university and is expected to contribute by giving lectures on other campuses and engaging in teaching and research across divisional lines.

For Cox, who has spent three decades pursuing research, this recognition feels especially rewarding and inspiring.

“The journey has required perseverance, family sacrifices and the unwavering support of staff, trainees and loved ones,” Cox said. “It is both a milestone and a reminder of the trust placed in me to advance the University’s mission and contribute to the broader scientific community.”

Cox’s research focuses on the genetic and maternal dietary factors that influence craniofacial development and conditions such as cleft lip/palate and craniofacial microsomia. His lab also employs genomic sequencing tools with local, national and international collaborators to gain insight into the genetic basis of these conditions.

He credited º£½ÇÂÛ̳ for supporting his work.

“º£½ÇÂÛ̳ has been pivotal in allowing my work to flourish,” Cox said. “Its stability, resources and collegial environment have enabled me to pursue ambitious projects with sustained focus. More than a workplace, it has provided an academic home – a community where curiosity is fostered, collaboration is valued and mentoring can leave a lasting impact.”

Wyckoff said the honor is especially meaningful because of his commitment to teaching.

“Interacting with students is what sets my career apart from other professional avenues I could have pursued, and it makes me incredibly proud to be recognized in part for my commitment to teaching as a Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor,” Wyckoff said.

Wyckoff hopes to use this appointment to help increase the visibility of the UM System, º£½ÇÂÛ̳ and the School of Pharmacy.

“Advocating for the kind of educational opportunities that we can offer that can transform the lives of our students as well as the patients and constituents that they will serve is a passion for me,” he said.

Berkley-Patton, director of the º£½ÇÂÛ̳ Health Equity Institute, is known for her extensive research in health inequities, education, prevention and screening in underserved communities.

º£½ÇÂÛ̳ School of Medicine Dean Alexander Norbash wrote in his nomination letter: “Taken together, Dr. Berkley-Patton’s accomplishments have had a lasting impact on the scientific community, but most importantly on the lives that have been changed because of her expansive work. She has created a model of community-engaged research that is being adapted for other community-based studies around the world, and continues expand the research opportunities for our students, faculty, researchers at other institutions and for the Kansas City community and beyond.”