Director Spotlight
On location with Neuroscience Program Director Daniel Tranel, PhD
"Join the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Iowa and become part of the bright team of scientists trying to solve the mystery of the human brain."
Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Provides collaborative support for the neuroscience community.
IDGP Neuroscience Events
Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Avery Van De Water
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 1:00pm
Avery Van De Water is a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. Their research has been conducted in Dorit Kliemann's laboratory.
If you are unable to attend in person, please consider showing your support and attending via Zoom. Please email britt-hokanson@uiowa.edu for the zoom link.
Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Angela Smith
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 11:00am
Angela Smith is a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. Her research has been conducted in both Kathleen Sluka's and Stephanie Gantz's laboratories.
If you are unable to attend in person, please consider showing your support and attending via Zoom. Please email britt-hokanson@uiowa.edu for the zoom link.
Outstanding Alumni
9
"The fact that I was able to perform at this level and do this work is representative of this program. The strength of the Neuroscience Program at the University of Iowa is what makes it such a destination program for people.”
Carver College of Medicine Research Events
Biomedical & Health Informatics Community Meeting
Thursday, September 9, 2027 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Biomedical and Health Informatics Community Meeting
Biomedical & Health Informatics Community Meeting
Thursday, August 12, 2027 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Biomedical and Health Informatics Community Meeting
Biomedical & Health Informatics Community Meeting
Thursday, July 8, 2027 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Biomedical and Health Informatics Community Meeting
Biomedical & Health Informatics Community Meeting
Thursday, June 10, 2027 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Biomedical and Health Informatics Community Meeting
Biomedical & Health Informatics Community Meeting
Thursday, May 13, 2027 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Biomedical and Health Informatics Community Meeting
Biomedical & Health Informatics Community Meeting
Thursday, April 8, 2027 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Biomedical and Health Informatics Community Meeting
Biomedical & Health Informatics Community Meeting
Thursday, March 11, 2027 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Biomedical and Health Informatics Community Meeting
Neuroscience News
UI doctoral students receive fellowship from AAUW
Monday, September 23, 2019
Two University of Iowa doctoral students have received American Fellowships from the American Association of University Women for their work, and support of women in their fields.An American Association of University Women fellowship aims to advance the academic work of women who struggle to complete their dissertation because of family issues and funding. Two University of Iowa doctoral students...
Ryan Kelley Defends Thesis!
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
The Neuroscience Graduate Program congratulates Ryan Kelley (Greenlee lab, Neurosurgery) on his successful thesis defense yesterday! His seminar title: Neural representations of cognitive control and speech in the subthalamic nucleus. Pictured below Ryan Kelley (left) and mentor Jeremy Greenlee, MD (right)
Shane Johnson Defends Thesis!
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
The Neuroscience Graduate Program congratulates Shane Johnson (Radley lab, Psychological and Brain Sciences) on his successful thesis defense yesterday! His seminar title: An analysis of prefrontal cortex pathways and their assembly of stress coping responses.Pictured below: Shane (left) and mentor Jason Radley, PhD (right)
Ryan Kelley wins INI's Kwak-Ferguson Fellowship
Monday, July 1, 2019
University of Iowa Neuroscience MD/PhD student Ryan Kelley has won the 2019 Kwak-Ferguson Fellowship, a $10,000 award from the Iowa Neuroscience Institute for an upper level graduate student working in the area of neurodegenerative diseases. His research in the lab of Jeremy Greenlee, MD, Professor of Neurosurgery focuses on the neural mechanisms of speech production.Kelley is pursuing both MD and...
Alex Petrucci earns prestigious fellowship award
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Alexandra Petrucci has received a predoctoral research fellowship award from the American Epilepsy Society (AES).Petrucci, who works in the Iowa Neuroscience Institute lab of Gordon Buchanan, MD, PhD, was one of four students nationally to receive this award. She will use the funding to support her epilepsy research investigating post-ictal generalized EEG suppression network and receptor...
Recent alumnus Thomas James publishes in eLife!
Monday, June 10, 2019
Recent alumnus Thomas James (2018) recently published this study in eLife with his mentor, C. Andrew Frank. The Frank lab researches the ability of neurons to self-regulate their own activity (i.e., homeostatic plasticity), and this study examines the role of second messenger pathways at the fruit fly neuromuscular synapse.Abstract: Synapses and circuits rely on neuroplasticity to adjust output...
Brittany Williams defends Thesis!
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
The Neuroscience Graduate Program congratulates Brittany Williams (Lee lab, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics) on her successful thesis defense yesterday! Her seminar title: Title: Characterization of the modulatory effects of alternative splicing on Cav1.4 Ca2+channels Pictured below Mentor Amy Lee, PhD (left) and Brittany (right)
Focusing on Vision Issues: Brittany Williams
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Neuroscience doctoral candidate Brittany Williams loves conducting research, work that she likens to solving a complex puzzle. Through the support of mentors and the welcoming environment at the University of Iowa, she hopes to help those who suffer from visual impairments.Brittany Williams is familiar with the saying “Great minds think alike.” But it’s nowhere near her favorite quote—she prefers...
Guang Hao Liu defends thesis!
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Guang Hao (Max) Liu, from the lab of Gloria Lee, successfully defended his thesis on Thursday, February 24th. His dissertation title is "Investigating the effects of Tau-Fyn interaction in healthy and disease states of the brain." Way to go Max!
Krystal Parker, PhD, receives $2.1 million grant to study the cerebellum and its role in cognitive function
Thursday, January 17, 2019
Krystal Parker, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, has received a five-year, $2.1 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to continue exploring the idea that the cerebellum may play a key role in cognitive function and may be targeted in diseases such as schizophrenia, autism, bipolar disorder, and Parkinson’s disease.