Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Executive Function
The Hwang lab conducts research to understand the neural mechanisms of executive functions. Specifically, we are interested in discovering the neural architecture, processes, and dynamic systems that allow brain networks to select, inhibit, transfer, and integrate information. Together, these mechanisms support many important mental functions, such as attention, working memory, response selection and inhibition. We address our research questions with a comprehensive human neuroscience approach, combining multimodal research methodologies, including fMRI, EEG, TMS, eye tracking and behavioral testing.
Intergenerational Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Health
Interdisciplinary research group explores how the contexts we live and learn in affect social, emotional, and behavioral health outcomes across the life course. Particularly interested in the family system and the role of intergenerational relationships in promoting adaptive developmental outcomes and well-being.
Discovering brain circuitry for energy metabolism
Current Projects: Role of glial cells in feeding and glucose metabolism, role of hunger in reward seeking behavior, and effect of sleep deprivation on energy metabolism. Research: Perform research activities based upon protocols developed by other research staff or principal investigator of the research project. Read and review articles as directed. As individual skills develop, analyze literature to develop hypotheses for discussion with other researchers or principal investigator.
Cognitive Neuroscience and Clinical Neuropsychology
The Brain Lesion and Neuromodulation Laboratory (BLNL) investigates neural mechanisms of cognition and behavior. We do so primarily using lesion-deficit mapping, and brain stimulation (i.e., "neuromodulation"). Current topics of interest in the BLNL include: linking cognitive and personality changes to brain network damage in patients with focal brain lesions (e.g., in patients who have had a stroke), and using direct electrical stimulation of the brain in neurosurgical patients to alter brain network connectivity and cognition. We are also broadly interest in topics that span clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience.
Immune regulation of graft-versus-host disease and inflammatory bowel disease
We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated undergraduate students who are interested in immunology and want to investigate intestinal mucosa in two disease models, namely graft-versus-host disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
Physiology of Ion Transporting Epithelia
Our projects are captured by the question “How do the different kinds of cells work together in an epithelium to orchestrate ion transport?”. Duties include making solutions, help in preparing experiments, and mouse genotyping.
Obesity, Gut Microbiota, and Multiple Sclerosis Research Program
Shahi lab studies how obesity influences the immune system, gut microbiota, and brain health, with a special focus on multiple sclerosis (MS). He investigates: How obesity-driven changes in gut bacteria increase hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) production, altering immune cell activity and worsening inflammation. How these mechanisms disrupt gut–brain communication and contribute to MS severity. Translating these findings into new microbiome- and metabolism-targeted therapies for MS.
Evolution of Stress Response Networks in Yeast Pathogens
We are looking for motivated students with a strong interest in research as a career, and eager to gain skills in molecular biology, fungal genetics and bioinformatic data analysis. Research projects in the lab span a wide range of topics but are mostly focused on understanding the evolution of stress response regulation in a group of yeast species. This group includes several opportunistic pathogens that based on our preliminary data have rewired their stress response networks.
Novel genomic technologies for the diagnosis of rare cancers and blood disorders
The Tung Lab is focused on the development of novel genomic technologies in the diagnosis of rare cancers and blood disorders. We study the roles of both somatic and germline genetic variants in various cancer predisposition syndromes, with a specific interest in hereditary hematological malignancies and inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. We are also interested in the development of novel diagnostic tools in pediatric cancers. Click here to learn about ongoing projects and how to get involved.
Learning-Based High-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Students are expected to code/run deep learning algorithms to solve specific problems in biomedical imaging.
Cutting-Edge Dementia Research (Technology, AI, and EHR)
Viral Immunology Focusing on Brain Viruses and Neuropathogenesis
Our lab focuses on human immune response to polyomaviruses JC and BK. The project seeks to prospectively follow kidney transplant patients' blood and urine samples to determine immune control of the virus. We are also creating individualized kidney organoids from urine stem cells.
Undiagnosed and Rare Diseases Research Program
The Iowa-Undiagnosed Diseases Program is attempting to solve undiagnosed diseases by using orthogonal omics-based research tools. The Chandra lab is seeking a motivated undergraduate student wanting to be involved with clinical translational research. Click here to learn more.
Understand the Neural Bases of Motivation and Cognitive Control as Applied to Social Cognition and Addictive Behaviors
Duties vary but typically include assisting with running laboratory sessions, collecting EEG data (i.e., "brain waves") and performing data entry and quality control.
Sleep Disturbance in Psychiatric Disorders
Students in this lab will have the opportunity to assist data collection in behavioral, sleep EEG or MRI experiments, organize and maintain databases, and aid in preprocessing of data. They may receive training on EEG and MRI data acquisition, sleep scoring, RedCap, and MRI safety. This is an attractive position for those who are interested in pursuing graduate careers in neuroscience, clinical or cognitive psychology in the future. There is opportunity to conduct honor theses if the student’s research interest aligns with the goals of our lab, and they demonstrate commitment and excellence.
Gut Microbiome Interbacterial Interactions
Our laboratory studies interbacterial interactions among colonic commensals. Altered composition of the gut microbiome contributes to many disease states, and targeted manipulation holds therapeutic promise. The intestinal microbiome is a complex ecosystem where bacteria occupy overlapping niches. Bacteria contact one another, eliciting responses which may neutral, competitive, or collaborative. Bacteroidetes comprise one of the dominant phyla in the human gut microbiome and are known to compete with diverse species to colonize and persist in the intestine. As part of their fitness for the colonic environment, Bacteroidetes utilize a remarkable diversity of carbon sources, and some encode type VI secretion systems which deliver effectors (toxins) to kill contacting bacteria. Genomes of these Bacteroidetes also encode immunity proteins which prevent intoxication of self and kin.
Experimental fluid dynamics, Naval hydrodynamics, Flow diagnosis
For undergraduate students who are interested in experimental fluid dynamics, there are several on-going research projects including sustainable drag reduction and developing an in-house laser illumination system.
Uterine Endometrial Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms, Targeted Therapy
Uterine endometrial cancer incidence (~65,950 new cases/year) and deaths (~12,550 deaths/year) are on the rise. To help endometrial cancer patients and cure endometrial cancer, we need understand the characteristics of this disease. The current focus of our work is to understand molecular mechanisms of endometrial tumor progression and utilize target therapy or molecular enhanced hormonal therapy to treat endometrial cancer and other hormone-driven cancers.
Studying the Maintenance of Sex and other Big Questions, Mostly in Snails
Uterine endometrial cancer incidence (~65,950 new cases/year) and deaths (~12,550 deaths/year) are on the rise. To help endometrial cancer patients and cure endometrial cancer, we need understand the characteristics of this disease. The current focus of our work is to understand molecular mechanisms of endometrial tumor progression and utilize target therapy or molecular enhanced hormonal therapy to treat endometrial cancer and other hormone-driven cancers.
Development of Behavior Problems and Positive Adjustment in Children
The Developmental Psychopathology Lab conducts research to understand how children develop behavior problems as well as positive adjustment. We have been particularly interested in externalizing behavior problems, such as aggressive, disruptive, and noncompliant behavior. We focus on the development of self-regulation skills and the consequences of children’s self-regulation skills (or deficits) for their school readiness. The goal of our lab is to improve understanding about how children develop behavior problems from a very early age (3–7 years).
Social-Emotional Development from Infancy to Adolescence
We study children’s social-emotional development from infancy to adolescence. Students in this lab have the opportunity to work on a longitudinal study to help collect data during laboratory sessions, code behavioral data from videos, and perform preliminary data management.
Unveiling GPCR signaling in cancer and obesity: function and therapeutic options
The research focuses on investigating the signaling mechanisms underlying the development of obesity and breast cancer. This project offers ample opportunities for undergraduate student involvement. Depending on their experience, students may assist with lab maintenance, support experimental procedures, and receive guidance in applying for the ICRU fellowship. With substantial contributions, students may also have the opportunity to co-author manuscripts.
Neural Mechanisms Underlying Motivated Behaviors
We are looking for undergraduates interested in neuroscience research investigating how the brain influences reward seeking and fear behaviors.
Mechanisms by ion channels and transporters mediate transport of ions across cellular membranes
The Chowdhury Lab is interested in understanding how ions and small molecules are transported across the oily cellular membranes. Such processes are not only critical for cellular survival, they underlie the electrical activity of neurons, cardiac myocytes etc. The lab specializes in membrane protein biochemistry and biophysics and uses multi-disciplinary approaches to determine atomic resolution snapshots of protein complexes, mediating these transport processes, at different stages of their function.
Neurocognitive Basis of Parent-Child Interactions and Child Development
Research assistants will have the opportunity to assist with various lab procedures (e.g., collecting data during child lab visits, data management, and video coding of parent–child interactions). Students will also have the opportunity to gain experience in data collection and analysis in fNIRS and MRI experiments.
Epigenetics in cancer progression and control
Our lab is interesting in learning how changes in DNA accessibility (epigenetics) contribute to gene expression changes that drive cancer progression and resistance to therapy. The trainee will work closely with a research scientist and the principal investigator to learn and apply new techniques. There are opportunities for both wet-lab and bioinformatic research.
How early epigenetic programming of the human genome in T cells enable them to have long-lasting fitness and function in health
The project would be to establish a new assay in the laboratory. The trainee will work closely with a research scientist and PI in the lab and be involved in day-to-day lab operations.
Immune pathogenesis of graft-versus-host disease and inflammatory bowel diseases
We are interested in working with motivated undergraduate students who can spend time in the laboratory to learn intestinal immunology and advance their laboratory skills. Intestinal immune system is associated with regulation of aberrant immune reactions, as seen in graft-versus-host disease after bone marrow or hematopoietic cell transplantation or in inflammatory bowel diseases. Our studies focus on T lymphocytes and gut microorganisms, such as helminths or gut bacteria that can regulate these aberrant and pathological immune responses. Students will purify immune cells from spleen or lymph nodes, characterize them in detail by multicolor flow cytometry, perform in vitro immune cell cultures besides various other experiments. Students will analyze DNA for various reasons.
Cognitive Control and Action Selection
The research assistants will be invited to participate in all aspects of psychological research relating to the organization of voluntary action. We are primarily interested in how individuals select their responses as they perform one or more tasks. Research assistants will run human participants in 45-minute experiments and engage in any other aspects of the research that interests them, including experimental design, programming the experiments and data analysis.