PAIN Retreat Group Photo

Migraine headache is one of the most debilitating disorders in the world and treatments are insufficient. My laboratory studies the neurocircuitry underlying migraine and post-traumatic headache. Our preclinical laboratory focuses heavily on the sensory abnormalities associated with migraine and post-traumatic headache, including photophobia, spontaneous pain and touch hypersensitivity. Our lab’s research uses functional MRI, optogenetic and DREADD approaches to better understand the circuits contributing to those sensory abnormalities. We recently identified the deep cerebellar nuclei as possible sensory integration centers underlying sensory abnormalities in migraine. We are a VA associated lab and part of the VA Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss with a special emphasis on Veteran related problems in headache. Post-traumatic headache is similar to migraine and affects about 50% of Veterans who saw combat in war zones. Our hope is to one day identify brain regions that can be manipulated in humans to treat headache. Our promotion of a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to tackle these important questions in headache medicine offers trainees room to grow and become wonderful independent scientists.

nestin hRAMP1 (-) image

Iowa Neuroscience Institute Events

Neuroscience & Pharmacology Seminar: Serena Dudek, PhD promotional image

Neuroscience & Pharmacology Seminar: Serena Dudek, PhD

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 10:30am to 11:30am
Medical Education Research Facility
Insights into hippocampal function from studies on synaptic plasticity in area CA2Serena M. Dudek, PhDSenior Investigator and Acting Chief, Neurobiology LaboratoryNational Institute of Environmental Health, NIH
Psychological and Brain Sciences Colloquium: Ulrich Mayr promotional image

Psychological and Brain Sciences Colloquium: Ulrich Mayr

Friday, October 31, 2025 3:30pm to 5:00pm
Psychological and Brain Sciences Building
The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences is excited to welcome Dr. Ulrich Mayr for this colloquium event. Ulrich is a Lewis Professor and Department Head of the Psychology Department at the University of Oregon. Dr. Mayr's primary research focus is on the relationship between memory, attention, and cognitive control, both from a general and a developmental/life-span perspective. His research methods include behavioral experiments, eye-tracking, and EEG or fMRI neuroimaging. As a...
Iowa Neuroscience Institute Seminar: Michael Yassa, PhD promotional image

Iowa Neuroscience Institute Seminar: Michael Yassa, PhD

Friday, December 5, 2025 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Carver Biomedical Research Building
Seminar Title TBDMichael Yassa, PhDProfessor, Neurobiology and BehaviorJames L. McGaugh Endowed Chair in the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryProfessor, Psychiatry and Human BehaviorProfessor, NeurologyDirector, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and MemoryAssociate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Charlie Dunlop School of Biological SciencesUniversity of California, IrvineIowa Neuroscience Institute seminars feature top neuroscientists from around the country sharing their latest...

Carver College of Medicine Events

Women In Micro & Immuno Coffee Hour

Monday, September 8, 2025 11:00am to 12:00pm
Carver Biomedical Research Building
Join us for the Women in Micro & Immuno Coffee Hour. It is the monthly coffee hour on the second Monday of the month from 11 a.m. to noon in 1289 CBRB. Enjoy coffee, pastries and contribute to the discussion!This is open to ALL — students, staff, postdocs, and faculty interested in promoting women in science.Speakers change monthly. Contact: jessica-tucker@uiowa.edu for details.

REDCap Basic Training

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 10:00am to 11:00am
Virtual
This is the first step in the REDCap training series. In this training, we will build a new REDCap project from scratch and cover basic features such as: • Building forms with proper field types and validation • Assigning user permissions • Project backup and overview with data dictionary, codebook, pdf, and xml • Ensuring your project works properly by testing with real world application • Making mid-study modifications safely after having started data collection in production • Creating...
Neuroscience & Pharmacology Seminar: Serena Dudek, PhD promotional image

Neuroscience & Pharmacology Seminar: Serena Dudek, PhD

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 10:30am to 11:30am
Medical Education Research Facility
Insights into hippocampal function from studies on synaptic plasticity in area CA2Serena M. Dudek, PhDSenior Investigator and Acting Chief, Neurobiology LaboratoryNational Institute of Environmental Health, NIH
Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Brittany Todd promotional image

Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Brittany Todd

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 11:00am
Medical Education Research Facility
Brittany Todd is a PhD candidate in the Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, as well as a student in the Medical Scientist Training Program. Her research has been with Drs. Alexander Bassuk and Elizabeth Newell'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.
Hardin Open Workshops: EMBASE (Zoom) promotional image

Hardin Open Workshops: EMBASE (Zoom)

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Virtual
EMBASE is a biomedical and pharmaceutical database containing bibliographic records with abstracts. Although there is overlap with records from PubMed, there are also many unique records. This hands-on session will show you how to conduct basic searches using EMBASE’s quick search box, how to conduct searches using EMTREE subject headings, and how to use subheadings for drug and disease topics.PLEASE NOTEClass will be taught via Zoom. Advance registration is required. Registrants will be emailed...