Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience | Graduate College | The University of Iowa

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Study aspects of the human brain with top-notch researchers in the University of Iowa's Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience.

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.

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IDGP Neuroscience Events

ACB Seminar Series - Grace Gottschamer

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 9:30am to 10:30am

Bowen Science Building

Grace Gottschamer, an Interdisciplinary Graduate Student from the Dunnwald Lab will present a seminar titled " Irf6 and Epidermal Homeostasis."

ACB Seminar Series - Joy James

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 9:30am to 10:30am

Bowen Science Building

Joy James, a Cell and Developmental Biology Graduate Student in Sam Stephen's Lab will present a seminar titled "Proinflammatory Cytokines Induce Golgi Remodeling In Pancreatic Β-cells Beyond Inos-no Signaling."

Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Virtual Career Development Series - Neuroscience alumna, McCall Sarrett, PhD

Tuesday, October 27, 2026 11:30am

Virtual

🎓 Neuroscience Alumni Spotlight: McCall Sarrett, PhD ('20)

From Herky to Duo: A Career in the Cognitive Science of Learning

What can a PhD career look like beyond the traditional academic path?

Join the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Career Development Series for a conversation with McCall Sarrett, PhD ('20, Neuroscience), a University of Iowa graduate alumna who has built a career applying cognitive science and research in industry.

McCall is currently a Learning Scientist at Duolingo, where...

2026 Neuroscience Research Day Keynote Speaker: Constanza J. Cortes, PhD

Monday, November 2, 2026 1:00pm

Medical Education Research Facility

Keynote Speaker Announcement: Constanza J. Cortes, PhD
2026 Neuroscience Research Day – Monday, November 2, 2026

We are excited to welcome Constanza J. Cortes, PhD, Assistant Professor of Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, to the University of Iowa for this year's Neuroscience Research Day.

Dr. Cortes's research explores the intersection of exercise, brain aging, skeletal muscle, and Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular focus on how...

Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Angela Smith

Tuesday, November 10, 2026 11:00am

Medical Education Research Facility

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.

Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Katelin Scott

Monday, November 30, 2026 10:00am

Medical Education Research Facility

Katelin Scott is a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. Her research has been conducted in Aislinn Williams' 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.

Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Virtual Career Development Series - Genetics alumna, Kim Bekas, PhD

Tuesday, December 8, 2026 11:30am

Virtual

📣 Career Development Series: Finding Flexibility in a Career in Grantsmanship

Looking for a career path that keeps you connected to research while offering a different kind of flexibility after the PhD? Grantsmanship may be an option worth exploring!

The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Cancer Career Enhancement and Training is hosting the next session of its Career Development Series, featuring Kim Bekas, PhD (‘22 Genetics).

Kim currently serves as a Grants & Contracts Officer IV and...

Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Virtual Career Development Series - Neuroscience alumna, Amanda Bullert, PhD

Tuesday, January 12, 2027 11:30am

Virtual

Curious about where a PhD can take you beyond the traditional academic career path? Join the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Office of Cancer Career Enhancement and Training for an upcoming Career Development Series conversation featuring

University of Iowa alumna Amanda Bullert, PhD (‘23 Neuroscience)!

💻 “Careers in Research Computing: Data, Supercomputing & Beyond”

Amanda Bullert, PhD (‘23 Neuroscience)
Senior Research Data Consultant
Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain
University of...

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Outstanding Alumni

Alex Petrucci

Eric Emmons

Katelyn Joyal

9

DISSERTATION PRIZE WINNERS AWARDED BY THE GRADUATE COLLEGE. Joseph Parvizi, Michael Koenigs, and Benton Purnell (right), Katelyn Joyal EARNED THE SPRIESTERSBACH DISSERTATION PRIZE. Matthew Sutterer, Arianna Rigon, Banu Gumusoglu, Victoria Muller E

"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.”

Banu Gumusoglu, PhD
2020 winner, Rex Montgomery Dissertation Prize

Iowa Neuroscience Institute Events

2026 Neuroscience Research Day Keynote Speaker: Constanza J. Cortes, PhD

Monday, November 2, 2026 1:00pm

Medical Education Research Facility

Keynote Speaker Announcement: Constanza J. Cortes, PhD
2026 Neuroscience Research Day – Monday, November 2, 2026

Dr. Cortes's research explores the intersection of exercise, brain aging, skeletal muscle, and Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular focus on how...

Hawk-IDDRC Seminar Series featuring Maja Bucan, PhD: "Sleep and activity patterns in autism”

Friday, October 9, 2026 12:00pm to 1:00pm

Carver Biomedical Research Building

Please join us for our first Hawk-IDDRC Seminar of the academic year, featuring: Maja Bućan, PhD.
Professor, Departments of Genetics and Psychiatry; Co-director, Autism Spectrum Program Of Excellence, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Lurie Autism Institute, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and PennMedicine
Presenting: "Sleep and activity patterns in autism” Friday, October 9, 2026, Noon – 1pm CST in the Kelch Conference Room (CBRB 1289)
Lunch will be available for those who...

Pain Interest Group Seminar - Andrew Schrepf, PhD

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 9:00am to 10:00am

Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building

The neuroimmune interface in chronic pelvic pain

Andrew Schrepf, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology
University of Michigan

Neuroscience News

Wonder Women lead UI Psychiatry

Monday, August 21, 2017

Three women, each with diverse clinical and research specialties, are now at the helm of the Department of Psychiatry. The dynamic trio joins a strong leadership team that already includes another female leader, bringing the total to four women leaders with common goals of boosting mental health care and training, while keeping the department at the cutting-edge of research. Top Row: Jodi Tate...

UI Adds New Neuroscience Major

Monday, July 17, 2017

UI faculty members discuss the new undergraduate neuroscience major approved by the state Board of Regents on June 28.The University of Iowa is elevating its strength in the health sciences to bring together numerous disciplines and create an undergraduate neuroscience major.The state Board of Regents approved the major in a June 28 telephonic meeting.Months prior to the regents’ approval of the...

UI researchers find brain region that affects drug use habits

Monday, July 10, 2017

The human brain is nimble. It can reorganize itself to learn new things, catalog memories, and even break old habits. So, what if our brains could be taught to suppress cravings, especially the destructive impulse to use drugs?University of Iowa researchers studying the infralimbic cortex—a region of the brain that controls addictive behavior—performed a series of experiments in which rats were...

Benson Named Clinical Chief of Cardiology

Monday, July 3, 2017

Dr. Christopher Benson has been named the Clinical Chief of Cardiology for the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Benson is a Professor of Internal Medicine and of Pharmacology and Chief of Cardiology at the VA Medical Center. He received his MD from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine where he also did his residency. He then completed a four-year cardiovascular fellowship at...

Metabolic enzyme drives memory formation

Monday, June 26, 2017

Loss of metabolic enzyme in mouse brains impairs long-term spatial memoryACSS2 enzyme, which is required for long-term spatial memory, relocates to the cell nucleus where gene expression occurs. Image shows mouse neurons from the hippocampus. Neuron nuclei are stained blue and ACSS2 enzyme is red, so overlap is pink-purple. The axons are green. Image credit: University of PennsylvaniaWhen certain...

University of Iowa researchers adjust to damage at Bowen Science Building

Monday, June 26, 2017

Sunday’s fire in Bowen Science Building has left Paul Heidger wishing he had cleared out a lot more stuff from his campus office during the five years since he became an emeritus professor.http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2017/06/13/university-iowa-researchers-adjust-damage-bowen-science-building/392840001/

Nopoulos named interim leader of Psychiatry

Friday, June 2, 2017

Peggy Nopoulos, MD, professor of psychiatry and vice chair of research, Department of Psychiatry, has accepted the role of interim chair and department executive officer of the Department of Psychiatry, effective July 1. Nopoulos, who has additional appointments as professor of neurology and pediatrics, joined the UI Carver College of Medicine faculty in 1994. She received her medical degree from...

NIH funding boost in spending deal

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Widespread news reports claim a bipartisan government spending deal has been reached to keep the government funded through the end of the fiscal year (September 30). The agreement includes a $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase consistent with what we anticipated in our note, “NIH under Trump.”This $2 billion increase builds on the $2 billion increase the...

Brain stimulation improves schizophrenia-like cognitive problems

Thursday, March 30, 2017

Cerebellar stimulation restores missing brain wave in rats and corrects timing deficit“A beautiful, lobular structure,” is how Krystal Parker describes the cerebellum—a brain region located at the base of the skull just above the spinal column. The cerebellum is most commonly associated with movement control, but work from Parker’s lab and others is gradually revealing a much more complex role in...

Dedication of Iowa Neuroscience Institute marks new era of brain research at the UI

Monday, February 13, 2017

University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld joined UI Health Care leaders, officials from the UI Foundation, and representatives from the Roy J. Carver Trust at a Feb. 3 dedication ceremony celebrating the opening of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute and the $45 million Carver Trust grant that helped make the establishment of the institute possible.“This is a wonderfully important time in the life of...