UIowa Neuroscience Graduate Program

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UIowa Neuroscience Graduate Program

This is the page for friends of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa "Is this heaven?"

"No, it's Iowa."

Welcome to the official page for the University of Iowa Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience! Here you will find updates regarding our students, our research, and other science happenings at UI. https://neuroscience.grad.uiowa.edu/

If you have content to add (or questions), please email:

Program Email: grad-neuroscience@uiowa,edu

Departmental Contact Information:

356 Medical Research Center
Iowa City, IA 52242
319-384-4470

05/27/2026

🎓 Congratulations to our 2025–2026 Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience thesis defense students!

This academic year, we had the privilege of celebrating an incredible group of students as they successfully defended their theses and reached this major milestone in their scientific journeys. Your hard work, perseverance, curiosity, and dedication to advancing neuroscience research have been truly inspiring.

Please join us in congratulating:
✨ Matt McGregor
✨ Amy Barry
✨ Brittany Todd
✨ Ben Kreitlow
✨ Angela Richardson
✨ Gage Liddiard
✨ Mallory Shin
✨ Hannah Stutt
✨ Ashby Martin
✨ Utsav Mukherjee
✨ Brooke Yeager
✨ Annie Rohl

We are so proud of all you have accomplished and are excited to see where your careers and discoveries lead next. Congratulations on earning this well-deserved achievement!

05/08/2026

🎉 Congratulations to Annie Rohl, PhD! 🎉

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience is proud to announce that Annie Rohl, PhD, successfully presented and defended her thesis, “Activity in the Human Subthalamic Nucleus During Speech Production,” on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 marking an outstanding milestone in her doctoral training.

Conducted in the laboratories of Drs. Jeremy Greenlee, MD and Joel Berger, PhD, Annie’s research advances our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying speech production, with important implications for both basic neuroscience and clinical applications. Her work reflects a remarkable combination of scientific rigor, innovation, and dedication.

We extend our sincere congratulations to Annie on this significant achievement. Her accomplishments are a testament to her perseverance and passion for discovery, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact of her contributions to the field of neuroscience.

04/17/2026

Congratulations to Brooke Yeager on the successful presentation and defense of her doctoral thesis in Neuroscience!

Brooke completed her graduate training in the laboratory of Dr. Nandakumar Narayanan in the Department of Neurology, where she conducted innovative research examining the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. Her dissertation, “Functional network dynamics underlying cognitive impairments in Parkinson’s disease,” provides important insight into how large-scale brain network activity contributes to cognitive symptoms, expanding our understanding of the disease beyond its well-known motor features.

Through her work, Brooke has advanced the field’s knowledge of brain network dynamics and their role in neurodegenerative disease, helping to inform future directions for research and potential therapeutic strategies.

We commend Brooke for her dedication, perseverance, and scholarly excellence throughout her doctoral training. Her accomplishments reflect a strong commitment to advancing neuroscience research, and we are excited to see the impact she will make in her future endeavors.

Please join us in congratulating Brooke on this outstanding achievement!

04/09/2026

Utsav Mukherjee, PhD, Successfully Defends Doctoral Thesis in Neuroscience

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience is proud to congratulate Utsav Mukherjee on the successful defense of his doctoral thesis on April 8, 2026.

Utsav’s dissertation, “Unraveling Novel Regulators of Hippocampal Long-Term Memory Consolidation,” represents a significant contribution to the field of neuroscience, advancing our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie memory formation and persistence. His research highlights novel pathways involved in hippocampal function, offering valuable insight into the complex processes that support long-term memory.

Throughout his doctoral training, Utsav demonstrated a strong commitment to scientific excellence, thoughtful inquiry, and collaborative research. His work reflects not only technical rigor, but also a deep curiosity about the fundamental workings of the brain.

Utsav completed his graduate studies under the mentorship of Dr. Ted Abel, whose guidance and support helped shape this important body of work.

We extend our sincere congratulations to Dr. Mukherjee on this outstanding achievement and thank him for his contributions to the Neuroscience Program. We look forward to following his continued success in the years ahead.

04/08/2026

Ashby Martin, PhD, Successfully Defends Dissertation in Neuroscience

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience is proud to announce that Ashby Martin, PhD, successfully completed his thesis seminar and doctoral defense on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Ashby’s dissertation, titled “Does the Use of a Speech Interpreter Affect Neuropsychological Assessment?”, explores an important and often underexamined factor in clinical and research settings. His work contributes valuable insight into how language access and interpretation may influence the accuracy and outcomes of neuropsychological evaluations—an area with significant implications for patient care, assessment equity, and cross-cultural research.

Throughout his graduate training, Ashby demonstrated a strong commitment to rigorous scientific inquiry and interdisciplinary collaboration. His research reflects both methodological precision and a deep awareness of real-world clinical challenges, embodying the mission of the program to advance impactful and translational neuroscience.

Ashby completed his doctoral work under the mentorship of Dr. Dan Tranel, whose guidance and expertise supported the development of this meaningful body of research.

We congratulate Dr. Martin on this outstanding achievement and thank him for his contributions to the program and the broader scientific community. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of his work in the years ahead and wish him every success in his future endeavors.

03/24/2026

Congratulations to Hannah Stutt, PhD, on the successful presentation and defense of her thesis, “Dorsal Striatal Dopamine and Interval Timing,” at the University of Iowa!

Hannah’s achievement reflects years of dedication, curiosity, and rigorous scientific inquiry. Her work stands as a testament not only to her commitment, but also to the mentorship and guidance of Nandakumar Narayanan, whose support and expertise have helped shape this important research.

We are proud to celebrate this milestone with Hannah, Dr. Narayanan, and the broader Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience community.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Stutt on this incredible accomplishment and wishing her continued success in all that comes next!

01/22/2026

🔬 Calling aspiring biomedical scientists!

Applications for the 2026 Biomedical Scholars Summer Undergraduate Research Program (BSURP) at the University of Iowa are now in their final days and close Sunday, February 1.

This 10-week residential summer program provides undergraduates with immersive research experiences, faculty mentorship, and professional development within interdisciplinary biomedical graduate programs.

📅 Program Dates: May 25 – July 31, 2026
📌 Application Deadline: February 1

Help us spread the word by sharing with students, advisors, and colleagues!

12/09/2025

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Mallory Shin! 🎉

We’re thrilled to share that Mallory Shin successfully defended her PhD thesis on December 3, 2025, in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa!

Her dissertation — “Mechanisms of Tau Proteostasis Across Development and Neurodegeneration” — showcases remarkable work that deepens our understanding of tau biology and neurodegenerative disease.

We’re so proud of Mallory’s hard work, dedication, and the impact she’s made during her time in the program. A special thank-you to her mentor, Dr. Marco Hefti, for his support and guidance.

Please join us in celebrating this incredible milestone and wishing Dr. Shin all the best in the next chapter of her career! 💛🖤🎓

11/17/2025

🎉 Congratulations to Gage Liddiard, PhD! 🎉

Please join us in celebrating Gage Liddiard on the successful completion of his thesis seminar and defense on November 14, 2025!

Gage’s dissertation, “Tonic GABAergic inhibition in early brain development and its role in treating neonatal seizures,” sheds new light on critical mechanisms in early brain development with important implications for treating neonatal seizure disorders.

We are also excited to share that Gage will continue his training through the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) to earn his medical doctorate. We can’t wait to see the impact he’ll make as a future physician-scientist!

👏 Congratulations, Dr. Liddiard!

11/12/2025

🧠 Support the Future of Neuroscience! 🧠

Want to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of scientists?
Support the Iowa Brain Bee, an annual competition that gives high school students a hands-on introduction to neuroscience through learning, discovery, and friendly competition.

Your donation helps provide educational materials, event resources, and opportunities for students to engage directly with University of Iowa neuroscientists.

Every dollar opens minds — and helps young people explore the science of the brain! 💡

In 2025, one of our contestants, Amit Bhatt, made it to the USA Brain Bee National Championship at Rutgers University and was named one of the top 12 neuroscience finalists in the country! Let’s keep that momentum going.

👉 Donate today: http://givetoiowa.org/BrainBee

Learn more: https://grad-neuroscience.wixsite.com/iowabrainbee

Address

2126 Medical Labs
Iowa City, IA
52242

Telephone

+13193844470

Website

http://neuroscience.grad.uiowa.edu/

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