University of Iowa Department of Biology

06/05/2026

Congratulations to the faculty, staff, and students who were recognized for their accomplishments at our Department of Biology Awards Ceremony in May! Stay tuned over the next few weeks as we recognize the awardees individually!

06/04/2026

Anna Gaw was recently promoted to Associate Director, Student Support and Transitions, with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Academic Advising! She was most recently an Assistant Director with CLAS Academic Advising and previously served as a Senior Academic Advisor in the Department of Biology where she advised Biology, Biomedical Sciences, and Neuroscience students.

Anna joined the Department of Biology in March 2015 and has been a professional academic advisor for over 25 years. Congratulations, Anna! 🎉

06/03/2026

The UI Department of Biology invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in evolutionary ecology, beginning in the academic year 2027. Candidates must hold a PhD in Biology or a closely related field at the time of appointment. Review of applicants will begin on November 1, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled.

For more details and to apply, visit:

Jobs@UIOWA: The official place to search and apply for jobs at The University of Iowa.

06/02/2026

Professor of Biology John Manak, PhD, was recently honored with a Friend of Systems Unlimited Award in recognition of his advocacy work on behalf of the disabilities community in the class he teaches: Good Genes Gone Bad (BIOL:2120). In this course, Dr. Manak brings individuals from the Systems Unlimited community into his classroom to discuss living with their disabilities in an effort to not only raise awareness of the many issues confronting the disabilities community, but also to encourage an engaging and uplifting dialog between students and the guests.

Systems Unlimited is a non-profit organization serving people of all ages with disabilities and mental health needs in Eastern Iowa.

06/01/2026

The UI Department of Biology invites applications for multiple non-tenure-track Instructor positions (50%–100% appointment) that would begin on August 19, 2026. Initial appointments are for one year and are subject to annual review and renewal. These positions will primarily contribute to instruction in the introductory biology laboratory curriculum for life sciences, including courses such as Human Biology, Foundations of Biology, and Diversity of Form and Function.

For details and to apply, visit:

Jobs@UIOWA: The official place to search and apply for jobs at The University of Iowa.

05/29/2026

Congratulations to all of the graduate students who successfully defended their dissertation or thesis during the Spring 2026 semester!

The following are students in our Integrated Biology Graduate Program or one of our department’s labs who successfully defended their thesis/dissertation:
- Adrianna Caro, Ph.D. in Integrated Biology
- Nicholas (Cole) Kerns, M.S. in Integrated Biology
- Maisie Laughlin, M.S. in Integrated Biology
- Lily McGettigan, M.S. in Integrated Biology
- Sehee Min, Ph.D. in Integrated Biology
- Emily O’Brien, M.S. in Integrated Biology
- Israel Wipf, Ph.D. in Cell and Developmental Biology, Tootle Lab

05/21/2026

With the conclusion of the Spring 2026 semester, we’d like to take a moment to recognize the staff and faculty who were identified by graduating seniors for making a positive difference in their lives during their time at the University of Iowa. From the Department of Biology, 29 faculty/staff were recognized, including 2 who were recognized by more than 5 students! 🎉

05/20/2026

Congratulations to all of the University of Iowa Spring 2026 graduates! We wish these Hawkeyes the best as they embark on their future endeavors! 💛🖤

05/17/2026

The UI Department of Biology is seeking a bi-weekly parttime employee to work in the Drosophila Culture Media Lab (Fly Kitchen). This position helps support the department’s research and teaching labs which use Drosophila (fruit flies) as subjects in genetics experiments.

For more information about the position, please visit:

Jobs@UIOWA: The official place to search and apply for jobs at The University of Iowa.

05/16/2026

Two new faculty members in the UI Department of Biology, Cathy Yea Won Sung and Anne Martin, are advancing research on how the body develops and responds to disease with support from the National Institutes of Health and the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust. Together, their work highlights our department’s focus on understanding complex biological systems and improving human health.

To read more, visit:

Cathy Yea Won Sung and Anne Martin, who joined CLAS last fall, are advancing research in hearing loss and brain science with support from the National Institutes of Health and the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust.