Stephanie Gantz, Carver College of Medicine assistant professor in molecular physiology and biophysics, was named one of the 2024 Sloan Research Fellows by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

New findings may take scientists a step closer to understanding what causes SUDEP—Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy—a rare but fatal complication of epilepsy. There are about 3,000 deaths from SUDEP each year in the U.S. The biggest risk factor is epilepsy that is not well controlled with medication or surgery, but the exact cause of SUDEP is not known. However, increasing evidence suggests that loss of breathing, or apnea, that persists after a seizure is a major cause of SUDEP. In the new study, University of Iowa neuroscientists found that stimulating a specific area of the amygdala brain region provokes prolonged loss of breathing that continues even after a seizure has ended.

The U.S. maternal mortality rate continues to climb to unprecedented numbers, highlighting a critical gap in the global understanding of maternal health and the pressing need for new, early interventions. With prevention as a top priority, University of Iowa Health Care researchers have gained momentum on identifying early markers and risk factors that can help identify high-risk pregnancies and guide timely interventions. Donna Santillan, PhD, and Mark Santillan, MD (09F,16PhD), are leading this effort through the UI Women’s Health Tissue Repository.

Beth Newell, assistant professor of pediatrics–critical care in the UI Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, is working to improve outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in her clinical care practice, which she couples with research on how immune cells in the brain respond to a TBI and impact long-term recovery.