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.

Molecular Medicine Events

Molecular Medicine Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Miriam McDonough promotional image

Molecular Medicine Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Miriam McDonough

Wednesday, October 28, 2026 2:00pm
Medical Laboratories

Miriam McDonough is a PhD candidate in the Biomedical Science (Molecular Medicine) Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. Their research has been conducted in Jon Resch's laboratory.

If you are not able to attend in person, please consider showing your support by attending via Zoom. Please email britt-hokanson@uiowa.edu for the Zoom link.

Molecular Medicine Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Alexa Sheehan promotional image

Molecular Medicine Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Alexa Sheehan

Monday, November 2, 2026 10:00am
Medical Education Research Facility

Alexa Sheehan is a PhD candidate in the Biomedical Science (Molecular Medicine) Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. Her research has been conducted in Rebecca Dodd's laboratory.

If you are not able to attend in person, please consider showing your support by attending via Zoom. Please email britt-hokanson@uiowa.edu for the Zoom link.

Molecular Medicine Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Jianyu Yu promotional image

Molecular Medicine Interdisciplinary Program Thesis Defense Seminar: Jianyu Yu

Monday, November 9, 2026 12:00pm
Bowen Science Building

Jianyu Yu is a PhD candidate in the Biomedical Science (Molecular Medicine) Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. His research has been conducted in Bing Li's laboratory.

If you are not able to attend in person, please consider showing your support by attending via Zoom. Please email britt-hokanson@uiowa.edu for the Zoom link.

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Molecular Medicine News

Graduate College Program Events

Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Virtual Career Development Series - Neuroscience alumnus, Timothy Skog, PhD promotional image

Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center Virtual Career Development Series - Neuroscience alumnus, Timothy Skog, PhD

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 11:30am
Virtual

🎓 From PhD to Medical Writing: Hear from Neuroscience Alumnus Timothy Skog, PhD ('23)

What can you do with a PhD beyond the lab? Come hear from Timothy Skog, PhD ('23), a University of Iowa Neuroscience Graduate Program alumnus, who will be sharing his experience building a career in regulatory medical writing.

As part of the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Career Development Series, Dr. Skog will present:

“Regulatory Medical Writing: Career, Skills & Opportunities”

Dr. Skog is currently a Seni...

IMLS Funding Opportunities and Application Tips, with Jill Connors-Joyner promotional image

IMLS Funding Opportunities and Application Tips, with Jill Connors-Joyner

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Virtual

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has its upcoming FY27 grant deadline this November. IMLS Senior Program Officer Jill Connors-Joyner will provide an overview of the FY27 funding opportunities, application requirements, and application tips. She will then answer your questions about the application process.

Submit your question ahead of time to have it included in Jill's FAQ list for this session!

Jill Connors-Joyner is a Senior Program Officer in the Office of Library Services...

Registration Deadline: Junior Faculty and Graduate Student Session with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

Registration Deadline: Junior Faculty and Graduate Student Session with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (all day)
111 Church Street

University of Iowa junior faculty and graduate students at all stages are invited to join Walter Biggins—editor-in-chief at the University of Pennsylvania Press—for a light breakfast and a conversation about turning an article, thesis, or dissertation into a book on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 9–10:30 a.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies library. Please bring any questions you have about that process or about scholarly publishing in general.

Register by Wednesday, September 30.

Biggins is...

P2P & Life in Iowa: Trivia Night promotional image

P2P & Life in Iowa: Trivia Night

Friday, October 2, 2026 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Iowa City Public Library
Put your thinking caps on and join International Student and Scholar Services for Trivia Night!
AI Is Not Your Friend: Cautions and Vents about Its Uses and Abuses in the Creation of Scholarly Publications — public lecture by Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

AI Is Not Your Friend: Cautions and Vents about Its Uses and Abuses in the Creation of Scholarly Publications — public lecture by Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 3:00pm to 4:00pm
111 Church Street

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 3–4 p.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, Walter Biggins, editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press—will offer his perspective as both a longtime acquiring editor and as a writer on how the advent of AI affects the present and possible futures of scholarly publishing. In particular, he will discuss how the emerging technology creates concerns and unresolved tensions—ethical, legal, and otherwise—in publishing around intellectual property, peer...

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