KANSAS CITY, KAN. ? The Kansas University Medical Center will restructure its top research leadership, the campus’ top administrator said Wednesday.

Barbara Atkinson, executive vice chancellor for the Medical Center and dean of the School of Medicine, told faculty and staff of the changes Wednesday afternoon.

Joan Hunt had one of her titles removed.

She had been vice chancellor for research and president of the Research Institute when Atkinson was put in charge of the Medical Center on Jan. 1. Now, she’ll only retain her Research Institute role.

Now, James Voogt, professor of molecular and integrative physiology, will become senior associate vice chancellor for research and report directly to Atkinson.

Paul Terranova, professor and director for the Center for Reproductive Studies, will be senior associate dean for research for the School of Medicine.

Dennis McCulloch, a Medical Center spokesman, said the move was meant to create a “triumvirate” in charge of research on the campus.

“This will give us more arms and legs to get things started, if life science research is going to be the bread and butter for our campus.”

McCulloch said Hunt would oversee administrative details of research at the Medical Center, while continuing her own Kansas Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network program, which is working to develop bioinformatics capabilities at the state’s universities.

Terranova and Voogt will work in areas such as recruiting researchers and pursuing federal grants.