Our Mission

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine is one of the first cross-departmental graduate programs at The University of Iowa. It was founded by John Menninger in 1974, and funded by a National Research Service Award Training Program in Molecular Medicine from 1975-1992. This initial Program did not admit students or grant degrees. Instead, after their first year of graduate study, students from various departments were chosen and awarded stipends based on merit. Similarly to today, the students and faculty met for a weekly seminar, designed to inform trainees about the variety of research that was of interest to cell and molecular biologists, to give trainees practice in presenting their research to a critical audience, and to provide a social connection for trainees who were working in various departments. In 1992, the Molecular Biology Graduate Program was formalized into a degree-granting PhD program, and in 2017, the program changed its name to Molecular Medicine to reflect a expanded focus on translational science.

Today, the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine still fosters the interdisciplinary efforts of a diverse group of investigators—both faculty and students—with common interests in molecular and cellular biology. Currently the program faculty represent the departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Dows Institute for Dental Research, Internal Medicine, Microbiology, Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, Otolaryngology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology,  Psychiatry, Radiation Oncology, and Surgery. The program actively recruits new students with diverse research interests.

Iowa mascot in lab coat looking at microscope

# 24

Ranking in research among public institutions

a person in a science lab

$ 295 Million

External medical research funding for FY2023

science lab

# 44

Overall ranking by the 2024 U.S. News & World Report

Molecular Medicine News

BSURP 2025

BSURP 2025 Application Portal Opens 11/1

Thursday, October 31, 2024
Ayushi Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellowship

Program student, Ayushi Sood receives 2024 Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellowship

Thursday, October 10, 2024
McCray receives Emily’s Entourage 2024 Trailblazer Award

McCray receives Emily’s Entourage 2024 Trailblazer Award

Monday, September 30, 2024

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