Migraine headache is one of the most debilitating disorders in the world and treatments are insufficient. The Sowers 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.
Dr. Sowers was recently featured in Medicine Iowa, a publication of University of Iowa Healthcare featuring stories of research and education at Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine. View the article here: https://medicineiowa.org/fall-2025/levi-sowers-shedding-light-migraine-and-post-traumatic-headache
Iowa Neuroscience Institute Events
Neuroscience and Pharmacology Seminar - Rong Grace Zhai, PhD
Harnessing the Power of Drosophila for Therapeutic Discovery for Genetic Neuropathies
Rong Grace Zhai, PhD
Jack Miller Professor of Neurology
Vice Chair of Research
Department of Neurology
University of Chicago
Iowa Neuroscience Institute Seminar: Michael Yassa, PhD
Seminar Title TBD
Michael Yassa, PhD
Professor, Neurobiology and Behavior
James L. McGaugh Endowed Chair in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
Professor, Psychiatry and Human Behavior
Professor, Neurology
Director, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences
University of California, Irvine
Iowa Neuroscience Institute seminars feature top neuroscientists from around the country sharing their latest...
Carver College of Medicine Events
Hardin Open Workshops - EndNote Desktop (Zoom)
EndNote is a reference management tool that helps you to easily gather together your references in one place, organize them, and then insert them into papers and format them in a style of your choosing. This session will walk you through the basics of using EndNote to collect and format your citations. The class will be hands-on, and there will be time for questions at the end.
PLEASE NOTE
Enrollment in HOW is open to all University of Iowa affiliates and residents of the state of Iowa. Advance...
REDCap Advanced Training
This is the fourth step in the REDCap training series. In this training we will cover advanced features such as:
Importing data from a CSV file Ways to customize your data entry experience with form display logic Making your forms more dynamic and personalized with context aware smart variables Sending automated, conditional email alerts Ensuring data is high quality by executing data quality rules, creating data 'missingness' codes, and opening data queriesRegister by clicking the...
Neuroscience and Pharmacology Seminar - Rong Grace Zhai, PhD
Harnessing the Power of Drosophila for Therapeutic Discovery for Genetic Neuropathies
Rong Grace Zhai, PhD
Jack Miller Professor of Neurology
Vice Chair of Research
Department of Neurology
University of Chicago
Pain Interest Group Workshop - Ezgi Yarasir, PT, PhD and Alex Keyes, PhD
Exercise-derived biomarkers
Ezgi Yarasir, PT, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar in Dr. Kathleen Sluka's Lab
Dynorphinergic neurons in the lateral pons inhibit inflammatory, neuropathic, and post-surgical pain via a descending circuit
Alex Keyes, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar in Dr. Yuriy Usachev's Lab
REDCap MyCap Training
This is the fifth step in the REDCap training series. In this training, we will discuss using the MyCap mobile app for data collection. We will cover features such as:
Creating participants Creating tasks and schedules Active tasks and their unique data output Direct messages and announcementsThis training is a demo and not hands-on. After this training, you will have a basic understanding of the MyCap mobile app for REDCap.
Register by clicking the virtual event link above or by going...