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

ACB Seminar Series - Grace Gottschamer promotional image

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 promotional image

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 promotional image

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 promotional image

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 promotional image

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 promotional image

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 promotional image

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 promotional image

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)!

đŸ’» “Careers in Research Computing: Data, Supercomputing & Beyond”

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

View more events

Outstanding Alumni 

Alex Petrucci

Alex Petrucci

Eric Emmons

Eric Emmons

Katelyn Joyal

Katelyn Joyal

Victoria Muller Ewald

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
Benton Purnell
Serena Gumusoglu
"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 promotional image

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...

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

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 promotional image

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

Sleep twitches light up the brain

Friday, October 3, 2014
UI study finds twitches during sleep activate the brain in a unique way By: Sara Agnew | 2014.09.29 | 11:23 AM A UI study finds twitches during REM sleep activate the brain in a unique way, providing further evidence that sleep twitches teach newborns about their bodies. ©istockphoto.com/eaniton A University of Iowa study has found twitches made during sleep activate the brains of mammals...

Compound protects brain cells after traumatic brain injury

Friday, September 12, 2014
New compound prevents neurodegeneration caused by blast injury and protects brain function By: Jennifer Brown | 2014.09.11 | 11:00 AM A new class of compounds has now been shown to protect brain cells from the type of damage caused by blast-mediated traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mice that were treated with these compounds 24-36 hours after experiencing TBI from a blast injury were protected from...

UI study finds potential genetic link between epilepsy and neurodegenerative disorders

Monday, August 11, 2014
New epilepsy pathway was previously shown to be involved in Alzheimer’s By: John Riehl | 2014.07.22 | 11:10 AM A recent scientific discovery showed that mutations in prickle genes cause epilepsy, which in humans is a brain disorder characterized by repeated seizures over time. However, the mechanism responsible for generating prickle-associated seizures was unknown. A new University of Iowa study...

Walking may help patients with Parkinson's disease

Monday, July 7, 2014
Aerobic exercise improves physical and mental symptoms of Parkinson's disease By: UI Health Care Marketing and Communications | 2014.07.02 | 03:00 PM A new study led by University of Iowa researchers suggests that brisk walking may improve the physical and mental symptoms of patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease. The study found that regular walking improved motor function, mood...

Bad learning

Tuesday, July 1, 2014
New form of brain signaling affects addiction-related behaviorBy: Jennifer Brown | 2014.06.25 | 02:18 PMUniversity of Iowa researchers have discovered a new form of neurotransmission that influences the long-lasting memory created by addictive drugs, like cocaine and opioids, and the subsequent craving for these drugs of abuse. Loss of this type of neurotransmission creates changes in brains cells...

Blumberg honored with a MERIT Award

Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Professor is only the second faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to ever receive this award By: Nic Arp | 2014.06.23 | 10:34 AM Mark Blumberg, F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor in the University of Iowa Department of Psychology, has been honored with a MERIT Award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) for his research on the...

Stress hormone linked to short-term memory loss as we age

Thursday, June 19, 2014
BY: AMY MATTSON | 2014.06.17 | 04:03 PMA new study at the University of Iowa reports a potential link between stress hormones and short-term memory loss in older adults.The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, reveals that having high levels of cortisol—a natural hormone in our body whose levels surge when we are stressed—can lead to memory lapses as we age.Short-term increases in...

Name that song (title)

Wednesday, May 28, 2014
UI study pinpoints brain region associated with auditory memory By: John Riehl | 2014.05.28 | 10:39 AM Ever had one of those moments? You’re joyfully humming along to a song, but you can't remember its name. Why is the title slipping your mind?A University of Iowa study suggests that it could be more than simple forgetfulness. It could be due to damage to the brain’s left temporal pole. Damage to...

More than memory

Tuesday, May 27, 2014
UI study shows hippocampus is involved in language processing, may help treat Alzheimer's By: John Riehl | 2014.05.27 | 10:17 AM The hippocampus is no longer just for memory.University of Iowa researchers show that this brain region is involved in language processing as well, possibly providing additional insight into the accompanying deficits in memory and language in patients with Alzheimer’s...

Aging brains on the job

Friday, April 25, 2014
Aging brains on the jobUI neuroscientist Steven Anderson offers perspective on Iowa’s aging workforceBy: Mary Geraghty Kenyon | 2014.04.18 | 07:00 AMTwo demographic trends in Iowa—an aging population and workers staying on the job later in life—will have a significant impact for employers and employees in the years ahead. University of Iowa neuroscientist Steven Anderson will offer his perspective...