Associate Professor & Vice Chair for Professional Education

Education:
PhD, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 2002 
Post-doc, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, 2004

Academic Appointments:
Co-Director, COM Musculoskeletal and Integument Block, 2017 - present
COM Component Leader for Gross Anatomy, 2016 - present
Co-Director, Core I: Structure of the Human Body, 2016
Assistant Core Director, Core I: Structure of the Human Body, 2015
Course Director, Human Anatomy, Washington University School of Medicine, Program in Physical Therapy, St. Louis, MO, 2008 - 2009

Honors & Awards:
Interprofessional Academy of Educators, UNMC, 2019
College of Medicine Class of 1962 Basic Science Outstanding Teacher Award, UNMC, 2017
M1 Golden Apple Award, College of Medicine Class of 2020, UNMC, 2017
Excellence in Basic Science Teaching Award, College of Medicine, UNMC, 2016
Distinguished Service Teaching Award, Washington University School of Medicine Class of 2012, 2009

Professional Organizations:
American Association of Anatomists
American Association of Clinical Anatomy

Teaching: 
Dr. Latacha’s primary role in the department is teaching gross anatomy, with an emphasis on active learning modalities including laboratory activities and surface anatomy. Dr. Latacha teaches in all of the College of Medicine Phase 1 blocks as well as Structure and Development of the Human Body for allied health and graduate students. She also participates in the Teaching and Research Presentation Skills course for graduate students.

Research: 
Dr. Latacha’s biomedical research efforts have focused on early vascular patterning in the chick embryo and the biomechanical forces involved in cardiac looping. Her current research focus is the design and implementation of new teaching methods in medical education.

Recent Publications:

Manuscripts Peer Reviewed:

1.  McCumber TL, Latacha KS, Lomneth CS. (2021) The state of anatomical donation programs amidst the SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) pandemic. Clinical Anatomy 36 (6): 961-965.  
2. McCumber T, Cassidy K, Latacha K, Simet S, Vilburn M, Urban N, Vogt C, Urban J. (2019) Accuracy of ultrasound-guided localization of the peripatellar plexus for knee pain management. Clinical Anesthesia 58: 1-2.  
3. Latacha MP; Latacha KS. (2017) ICDs in Cadavers: Potential Risks and Learning Opportunities. EP Lab Digest 17: 1-12.  
4. Ramasubramanian A, Latacha KS, Benjamin JM, Voronov DA, Ravi A, Taber LA. (2006) Computational model for early cardiac looping. Annals of Biomedical Engineering 34 (8): 1655-1669.   
5. Latacha KS, Rosenquist TH. (2005) Homocysteine inhibits extra-embryonic vascular development in the avian embryo. Developmental Dynamics. 234(2): 323-331.   
6. Latacha KS, Rémond MC, Ramasubramanian A, Chen AY, Elson EL, Taber LA. (2005) Role of actin polymerization in bending of the early heart tube. Developmental Dynamics 233(4): 1272-86.   
7. Taber LA, Voronov DA, Remond MC, Latacha KS, Alford PW. (2004) Mechanical forces involved in cardiac C-looping. Advances in Bioengineering, BED 197-198.  

  Published Abstracts: 

1.  Latacha KS, Svec AW, Brown ME, Samson KK, Nelson KL. (2021) Benefit of Pre-Matriculation Anatomy Courses on Medical Student Performance in an Integrated Curriculum. FASEB J: R3802.   
2. Latacha K, Keim S, Harmon D, Marzban H, Lopez L, Topping D, Royer D, Carpenetti T, Downs, MB, Davies D, Harrell K, Brooks W, Cotter M, McNary T, Mork A, Wineski L, Lewis S, Giannaris EL, Farias A, Martindale J, Hankin M. (2020) Essential Anatomy for General Internal Medicine in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum. FASEB J: R7435.   
3. McCumber T, Cassidy K, Latacha K, Simet S, Vilburn M, Urban N, Vogt D, Urban J. (2019) Accuracy of ultrasound-guided localization of the peripatellar plexus for knee pain management. FASEB J.  
4. Ramasubramanian A, Latacha KS, Taber LA. (2005) A computational model for the initial stages of cardiac looping. Proceedings of the 2005 Summer Bioengineering Conference. 2005: 15-16.   
5. Taber LA, Voronov DA, Remond MC, Latacha KS, Alford PW. (2004) Mechanical forces involved in cardiac C-looping. Advances in Bioengineering, BED. 197-198.   
6. Ramasubramanian A, Latacha KS, Taber LA. (2005) A computational model for the initial stages of cardiac looping. Summer Bioengineering Conference. Vail, CO.   
7. Taber LA, Voronov DA, Remond MC, Latacha KS, Alford PW. (2004) Mechanical forces involved in cardiac c-looping. ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Expo. Anaheim, CA.   
8. Latacha KS, Chen AY, Voronov DA, Remond MC, Zamir EA, Taber LA. (2003) Cytoskeletal actin is required for cardiac looping in the chick embryo. FASEB J. 17: A359