Francois Abboud (2005)

61R–internal medicine

With more than four decades of service to The University of Iowa and the UI Carver College of Medicine—including 26 years as head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Dr. Abboud has been instrumental in building a top education and research institution. As a scientist, his nationally recognized work has focused on the brain's effects on the cardiovascular system and since 1971 has been principal investigator of a major National Institutes of Health program project grant.

Basem Dajani

70R–internal medicine

Jordan’s medical professionals are among the very best in the Middle East because of Basem M. Dajani. For decades, he has worked to improve medical education and quality of care in his country. In 1977, Dajani revolutionized the internal medicine residency program as well as the hospital at the University of Jordan by introducing rounds, morning report, peer review, grand rounds, mortality-morbidity rounds, and quality control, among other improvements.  He also created the intensive care unit at the hospital. By founding the Jordan Medical Board, Dajani single-handedly implemented standards to ensure high-quality medical care where none existed before. Dajani firmly believes the underserved deserve the same excellent quality of care as the most affluent patients.

Rana Dajani (2018)

05PhD–molecular biology

Rana Dajani believes in taking the road less traveled. It’s a path that has led her to staggering academic and research accomplishments. An Eisenhower Fellow and twice a Fulbright scholar, her lab at Hashemite University in Jordan is considered a world expert on the genetics of Circassian and Chechan populations in Jordan, focusing on diabetes and cancer. But she does not rest on this accomplishment. Dajani cares passionately about improving her community and creating opportunity for the next generation. Her “We Love Reading” initiative nurtures a culture of literacy in Jordan and the wider Arab world. The program establishes neighborhood libraries, hosts storytelling sessions, and trains community women to read aloud to young children.

John Eckstein (2001)

50MD, 54R–internal medicine

Dr. Eckstein is known for his noteworthy career in cardiovascular research, contributions to numerous professional organizations and research societies including serving as president of the American Heart Association, and, later, Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. During his tenure as dean, he made significant improvements to the College’s research culture and support and is cited for his excellent skill in recruiting new faculty, resulting in lasting effects on students, patients, and the school.

Gregory Strayhorn (2011)

81R–family medicine

Through his commitment to medical education, Dr. Strayhorn has inspired thousands of students and been a force in shaping the culture and the climate of academic medicine. Serving nearly his entire career at two schools of medicine, Morehouse and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he has endeavored to make the learning experience more hospitable for medical students with a special focus on disadvantaged and minority medical students.

Gene Abel (2013)

65MD

Dedicating his career to developing a systematic approach to child sexual abuse prevention, Dr. Abel has mentored a generation of mental health professionals, authored more than 130 publications, founded the nonprofit Child Molestation Research and Prevention Institute, and developed seven testing instruments to help evaluate and treat adults with a range of deviant sexual behaviors. His Abel Assessment Instruments for Sexual Interest™ set the standard in the field, and The Diana Screen®, which he developed over a 20-year period, offers communities new sexual safety for children by giving childcare organizations the ability to screen potentially sexually abusive caregivers before they are hired.

Shlomo Ben-Haim (2012)

93F–internal medicine

As an innovator of biomedical technologies and entrepreneur of medical devices, Dr. Ben-Haim pioneered the use of 3-D electrical mapping of the heart—technology that has aided the use of minimally invasive procedures to treat arrhythmias and other cardiovascular problems. He has held faculty appointments at Harvard University and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and is the co-founder of a number of successful firms focused on advances in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other conditions.

Thomas Boat (2017)

66MS, 66MD

Dr. Thomas Boat is a born leader who has worked to define the pathophysiology of airway dysfunction, develop effective therapies for childhood chronic lung disease, and improve research, training, and clinical care in the field of pediatrics. His work has shined a light on issues such as pediatric behavioral health and the wellness needs of young cystic fibrosis patients and their families. Throughout his career, Dr. Boat has held numerous leadership roles at health care organizations in Cincinnati, Chapel Hill, and Cleveland and has been a life-long champion of safe, nurturing family environments as important early contributors to lifetime health for children. Most recently, he served as professor of pediatrics and Dean at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Cincinnati Physicians.

Ann Bonham (2012)

80MS, 86PhD–pharmacology

At the University of California, Davis, Dr. Bonham’s studies of central nervous system regulation of cardiovascular and respiratory functions received more than 16 years of continuous National Institutes of Health funding, and as an administrator at UC-Davis School of Medicine she helped establish a school of nursing and to secure one of the first NIH Clinical and Translational Science Awards. She continues her commitment to research and research training advocacy in significant positions including chief scientific officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges.  

Joseph Buckwalter (2011)

69BA, 72MS, 74MD, 79R–orthopedic surgery

As professor and chairman of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation and Arthur Steindler Chair of Orthopaedics at the University of Iowa, Dr. Buckwalter’s visionary leadership has helped to develop a world-famous program that consistently ranks among the best of its kind in the US. He has held leadership positions in numerous medical organizations including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Council on Research, the Orthopaedic Research Society, the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the American Orthopaedic Association; taught globally, contributed hundreds of articles to the orthopaedic literature, and mentored countless students and residents in orthopaedics.

John Cambier (1999)

72MS, 75PhD–microbiology

Considered a world expert in B-cell transduction, Dr. Cambier’s work as a medical research scientist has earned him international respect as a leader in his field.  He shares his research and knowledge with others as an author of more than 200 papers, editorial board member of several prestigious journals, and teacher to students and researchers that have since gone on to make their own important contributions to the field.

Francis Castellino (2014)

66MS, 68PhD–biochemistry

Director of the W.M. Keck Center for Transgene Research and dean emeritus of the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame, has contributed groundbreaking research related to hemostasis—the formation and dissolution of blood clots—and inflammation, advancing understanding of conditions including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and hemophilia. Castellino has more than 400 publications in some of the top journals in the world, and he has trained a number of highly successful doctoral students in his laboratory. His talent as a mentor and administrator, including the 23 years he spent as dean of the College of Science at Notre Dame, has significantly contributed to the college’s commitment to excellence.

James Clifton (2000)

51R–internal medicine

Recognized for his work, particularly in the area of Gastroenterology, Dr. Clifton headed the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Iowa for 18 years, making it one of the premier GI Divisions in the country. The Roy J. Carver Professor Emeritus served on numerous boards and committees and held positions on many of them including the American College of Physicians, where he was President, as well as the American Board of Internal Medicine, where he was the Chairman.

William Connor (2005)

42BA, 50MD

Today, the link between cholesterol and heart disease is common knowledge, thanks in large part to pioneering lipid and dietary cholesterol studies by Dr. Connor. Dedicating his professional life to exploring the relationship between what people eat and how it affects their hearts, brains, and bodies, he authored 3 books on healthy, low-fat cooking with his research partner and wife, Sonja.

Christopher Cooper (2015)

87BA, 91MD, 97R–urology

Christopher Cooper, associate dean for student affairs and curriculum in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, has made his mark on patients, students, and colleagues alike over the course of his career. After completing a pediatric urology fellowship in Philadelphia in 1999, Cooper returned to his alma mater as an assistant professor in the UI Carver College of Medicine. As a professor and vice chair of the UI Department of Urology, Cooper's dedication to his students and patients has earned him wide recognition, including the 1999 Frank Hinman, Jr. Award for Clinical Research from the Society for Pediatric Urology, multiple teaching awards from students and residents, and the 2007 Carver College of Medicine Collegiate Teaching Award.

Reginald Cooper (2004)

60MS/R–orthopedic surgery

For 26 years, Dr. Cooper guided the growth and development of the College’s department of orthopaedic surgery, which is now continuously ranked at or near the top of national surveys. Outside of the college and his contributions to basic research and graduate student education, he was active and held leadership positions in several professional and scientific organizations including the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Orthopaedic Research Society, National Shriners Hospitals Medical Advisory Board, the National Institutes of Health, and served dozens of other organizations.

George Counts (2000)

65MD 

As a national leader in microbiology and research in infectious diseases, as well as a national leader in minority and women's health issues, Dr. Counts worked as a teacher, microbiologist, clinician, and senior administrator in medicine and public health. He served on the Anti-infective Drugs Advisory Committee for the Food and Drug Administration, was a member of the Editorial Board for the American Journal of Infection Control, served as president of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and retired from a long career with the NIH.

Lourdes Cruz (2011)

66MS, 68PhD–biochemistry

Recognized as an internationally renowned researcher and educator, Dr. Cruz is best known for her work on the biochemistry of toxic peptides from the venom of Conus marine snails, as well as her contributions to the development of conotoxins as tools for examining human brain activity. Her work has earned her various national and international awards, and she is the first Filipina to receive the L’Oreal-Unesco Award for Women in Science.

Kathryn Edwards (1999)

73MD 

Dedicated to developing vaccines for the prevention of pediatric infectious diseases, Dr. Edwards played a major role in the development and clinical evaluation of the acellular pertussis vaccine while also passionately teaching the next generation of researchers and clinical leaders. In addition to her clinical trial work, she has served as a consultant for the National Institutes of Health and as a member of advisory committees for several U.S. government agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration. 

Lawrence Einhorn (2001)

67MD

Passionate about cancer research and clinical oncology, Dr. Einhorn revolutionized the treatment of testicular cancer by developing and testing a new drug therapy sometimes called the “Einhorn regimen,” which helped establish Indiana University as a leading center for treating testicular cancer. His work garnered him many awards including American Cancer Society’s Medal of Honor, Indiana University’s Presidential Medal of Honor, National Cancer Institute’s Outstanding Investigator Grant, and Europe’s highest award for clinical oncology, the Jacquiatt Award.

Marion "Dave" Francis (2003)

53PhD–biochemistry

In his more than 40 years of innovative research at Proctor & Gamble, Dr. Francis earned more than 35 patents and made breakthrough discoveries that lead to significant changes in the dental health field, including the widespread adoption of fluoride therapies to strengthen teeth. Building on this research, he and his colleagues studied flouride therapies for bone strength, resulting in the development of a new class of compounds used in several drugs including Didronel, used to treat Paget’s disease; Actonel for osteoporosis in post-menopausal women; and Osteonscan, used by radiologists to detect bone cancer.

Bruce Gantz (2005)

68BS, 74MD, 80MS, 80R–otolaryngology

In addition to his extensive work in cochlear implantation, Dr. Gantz has made significant clinical contributions in cholesteatoma, facial nerve disorders, and skull base surgery. His professional passion has led him to take major leadership roles in the establishment of the National Institute for Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, and in encouraging federal support for biomedical research.

Gerald F. Gebhart (2014)

69MS, 71PhD–pharmacology

Founding director of the Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research and professor of anesthesiology, medicine, neurobiology, and pharmacology and chemical biology at the University of Pittsburgh, is internationally recognized for his research on mechanisms and modulation of pain, principally visceral pain arising from the internal organs. He is a leading authority in his field, contributing to more than 400 publications and earning him numerous awards and distinctions. Gebhart’s multidisciplinary approach to conducting cutting-edge research has also allowed him to serve as a mentor to countless medical and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and colleagues.

Fayez Ghishan (2009)

79F–pediatrics

Dr. Ghishan is an international authority on developmental regulation of intestinal transport and has made a number of seminal observations that have formed the basis for our current understanding of fundamental aspects of intestinal function.  His work has been continually funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the past 30 years and he received a prestigious MERIT Award from the NIH for Consistent and Excellent Contributions to Scientific Knowledge.

R. Ariel Gomez (2017)

83F–pediatric nephrology

A tenacious investigator whose research has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Health since 1988, Dr. R. Ariel Gomez continues to make fundamental contributions to the understanding of the origin, identity, and fate of kidney renin cells. He showed that renin cells are progenitor cells that appear early in life and are necessary for kidney development. Descendants from those progenitors retain the memory to make renin once again when well-being is threatened. Dr. Gomez identified the genes and epigenetic events that control the identity and plasticity of renin cells.Most recently, his group discovered a novel renin progenitor in the bone marrow, a primitive lymphocyte that links the immune and endocrine systems and it is the cell of origin of a highly penetrant type of leukemia.  Through his research, Dr. Gomez hopes to develop treatments for hypertension and kidney and vascular diseases. He began his career in the Pediatrics Department at The University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1984 and held multiple leadership positions at the school before returning to full time research in 2008.

Christina Gurnett (2018)

98MD, 98PhD–physiology and biophysics, 00R–pediatrics

Christina Gurnett is a triple-threat as a scholar, teacher, and physician in the Department of Neurology at Washington University in St. Louis. A genetics expert, she has made significant advances in the study of epilepsy, clubfoot, and scoliosis. Gurnett co-founded the Washington University in St. Louis Pediatric Musculoskeletal DNA Databank, which focuses on collecting DNA from patients with pediatric musculoskeletal disorders. Gurnett has published prolifically, with 71 peer-reviewed papers, and she has received steady research funding for her work. Gurnett continues to see patients in the clinic and on the wards, and she has served as a mentor to graduate students, residents, undergraduates, and postdoctoral fellows.

Katherine Halmi (1998)

61BA, 65MD, 73R–psychiatry

An expert in the clinical treatment and research of eating disorders, Dr. Halmi is both nationally and internationally recognized in her field. Garnering numerous accolades including a research career award from the National Institute of Mental Health, the American Academy of Child Psychiatry Eating Disorders Scientific Achievement Award, and more than $4 million in grant support, her research has included the genetics, neuroendocrine, and outcome of eating disorders.

C. William Hanke (2018)

66BS, 71MD

One health care industry publication called C. William Hanke a “dermatologist’s dermatologist,” and the specialty would be hard-pressed to find a more accomplished representative. An outstanding leader, Hanke is the only dermatologist to serve as president of the American Academy of Dermatology, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, the American College of Mohs Surgery, and the International Society for Dermatologic Surgery. He has received the highest honorary award from each organization. As a faculty member at Indiana University School of Medicine, he achieved the rank of professor of dermatology, pathology and otolaryngology after only eight years. Hanke has been a clinical investigator on several clinical research trials and has made over 400 contributions to medical literature, including 26 books.

James Hanson (2012)

69MD

As director of the Division of Medical Genetics in the University of Iowa Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Hanson was instrumental in developing and expanding a statewide systems of genetics testing, research, and clinical care that includes the Regional Genetics Consultation Service, the Iowa Neonatal Metabolic Screening Program, and the Iowa Births Defects Registry. With a focus on research and public policy at the national and international levels, he retired as director of the Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Ann Harwood-Nuss (2013)

70BS, 73MD

Widely regarded as one of the early pioneers in the specialty of emergency medicine, Dr. Harwood-Nuss directed one of the nation’s first emergency medicine residency programs and subsequently was involved in establishing the University of Florida Department of Emergency Medicine. As a professor of emergency medicine there for more than 30 years, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award and had a resident advocate award named in her honor.

John Herr (2002)

78PhD–medicine

Known for his research in fertilization, gene testing, contraceptives and the reproductive system, as well as translating his discoveries into inventions, Dr. Herr filed more than 36 patents. His professional positions include Professor of Cell Biology and Director of the Center for Research in Contraceptive and Reproductive Health at the University of Virginia where he advocated for local market and economy over selling discoveries and inventions to far away corporations.

Helen Hislop (2000)

51PT, 53MS, 60PhD–physiology and biophysics

With over 50 years in professional life, Dr. Hislop was the nation’s preeminent academic physical therapist and ardent champion of its current and future practitioners.  At the University of Southern California, Dr. Hislop introduced the world's first doctorate program in Physical Therapy, pioneered the first two-year clinical specialist Masters program, as well as originated the transition to a three-year clinical doctorate program (DPT).

John Hoepner (2016)

63BS, 66MD–opthalmology

As a clinician, teacher, and academic leader, John Hoepner has devoted his career to the quest to cure diseases that cause blindness. During nearly 30 years as chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, Hoepner worked to establish major initiatives, including co-founding the university’s Center for Vision Research (CVR) in 1997. In his role as administrative director, his tenacious efforts to attract outstanding scientific talent and procure funding have helped to grow CVR into a self-sustaining, nationally recognized vision research group that has made important discoveries on the possible causes of retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration.

Billy Hudson (2008)

66PhD–biochemistry

An internationally known scientist, NIH Merit Award recipient, and recipient of the Homer Smith Award from the American Society of Nephrology, Dr. Hudson recognized for his help in discovering the molecular underpinnings of autoimmune and hereditary kidney diseases. He has also co-founded two biotech companies to bring a potential treatment for diabetic kidney disease he developed to market.

Bradley Hyman (2001)

82PhD–biochemistry, 83MD, 88R–neurology, 89F–pathology

With a duel background in biochemistry and neurology, Dr. Hyman has made a lasting impact through his research in genetic basis, protein chemistry, and pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. His professional appointments include Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, and director of the Alzheimer unit of the Massachusetts General Institute for neurodegenerative Disease. 

Stanley James (2006)

53BA, 62MD, 67R–orthopedic surgery

Widely recognized as an expert on training, fitness, and the biomechanics of running, Dr. James has been at the forefront of sports medicine and served as a consultant for Nike early in the company’s history.  Dr. James has authored or co-authored more than 50 publications and has worked with some of the world's elite athletes, including Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Carl Lewis, Mary Slaney, Pete Sampras, and Dan Fouts, among others. 

Jesse Joad (2015)

71BS, 78MD, 81R, 86F–pediatrics

Jesse Joad has enjoyed a distinguished career as a pediatrician, scientist, teacher and mentor, administrator, and champion for diversity and inclusion across the medical profession. As a faculty member at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Joad’s research on the impact of air pollutants on lung function provided key insights into the physiology of pediatric asthma. As associate dean for faculty development and diversity at UC Davis, she established a career mentorship program and other initiatives that promoted diversity and cultural competency awareness in academic medicine. Now a professor emerita, Joad serves as an executive coach and speaker, and she is president-elect of GLMA, an organization of health professionals committed to LGBT issues and health equality.

Robert Joynt (1999)

52MD, 63MS, 63PhD–medicine

As a Distinguished Professor at the University of Rochester, founding chair of its School of Medicine and Dentistry's Department of Neurology, former dean of the medical school, and former vice president and vice provost for health affairs, Dr. Joynt had significant influence on the institution and the overall field of neurology. He served as editor to such publications as Clinical Neurology and Archives of Neurology, held leadership roles in the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurological Association, and received numerous awards including the Gold-Headed Cane Award presented by the University of California, San Francisco and the Ellen Browning Scripps Society Medal sponsored by the Scripps Memorial Hospitals of La Jolla, California—both presented annually to a leader in the field of medicine. 

Yuan Chuan Lee (2004)

62PhD–biochemistry

Dr. Lee’s work in analytical glycobiology, structural glycobiology and carbohydrate recognitionhas helped build glycoscience from a small division of biochemistry to an established field that is now an important area of postgenomic biology. His noteworthy positions include Professor of Biology at Johns Hopkins University, an Academia Sinica visiting professor in his native Taiwan, visiting appointments

Horace Loh (2007)

65PhD–biochemistry

An internationally respected investigator and educator who made significant and fundamental contributions to the understanding of neurochemical mechanisms of opioids—major pain killers with addictive potential, Dr. Loh has spent more than 40 years dedicated to his work. He has held leadership positions in several NIH study sections and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and also helped found the Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America.

J. Antonio G. Lopez (2018)

90F–internal medicine

Whether in an academic environment, clinical setting, or private practice, J. Antonio G. Lopez has been a model of leadership and integrity. In a career that has taken him all over the United States, Lopez developed special expertise and recognition in the pathogenesis and treatment of cholesterol and lipid disorders, which built on his research training while in private practice in cardiology. In 2014, he became medical director (cardiovascular) at the multinational biopharmaceutical company Amgen, with responsibility for a breakthrough new drug (called a PCSK9 inhibitor) that reduces LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol) to a level previously thought to be unattainable.

Diane Magrane (2002)

74BA, 78MD

Dr. Magrane is recognized for her expertise in medical education curriculum reform, faculty development, as well as her leadership at the University of Vermont and the Association of American Medical Colleges.  She’s passionate about finding new ways to teach future generation more effectively through interdisciplinary collaboration in medical education and general care, especially when it comes to women’s health.

Rama K. Mallampalli (2020)

91F–pulmonary and critical care

Rama K. Mallampalli is an internationally recognized authority on acute lung injury. His educational, clinical, and research prowess has earned him membership to the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and as a permanent member of several National Institutes of Health committees. His entrepreneurial activities as cofounder of Koutif Therapeutics have led his team to receive FDA investigational new drug approval for a new class of oral ubiquitin-based anti-inflammatories. He served as past chief of pulmonary, allergy, and critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He currently serves as the chair for the Department of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and as physician-in-chief for medicine at the OSU Wexner Medical Center.

Kenneth Mann (2012)

67PhD–biochemistry

Acknowledged as one of the world’s foremost authorities on coagulation, Dr. Mann’s studies have led to improved pro-and anticoagulant medications and advances in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of thrombotic and hemorrhagic diseases. He has published more than 500 papers and earned 22 research patents over a prolific four-decade career.

Allyn Mark (2007)

57BA, 61MD, 67R, 69F–internal medicine

An internationally acclaimed leader in translational medicine and cardiovascular research and training, Dr. Mark has made fundamental contributions to advance understanding of human autonomic control in exercise, heart failure, hypertension, sodium intake, and obesity.  After joining the UI faculty in 1969, Dr. Mark quickly rose to leadership positions within the Department of Internal Medicine and the College, directing the Clinical Research Center as a young faculty member, leading the Cardiovascular Division for 19 years, and serving as associate dean for research for 11 years.

Edward Mason (2003)

43BA, 45MD 

Best known as the father of obesity surgery, Dr. Mason is recognized for his distinguished career at the UI Carver College of Medicine where he began performing gastric bypass surgery in 1966. He has since passionately advocated for the vertical banded gastroplasty, established and maintained the International Bariatric Surgery Registry and the American Society of Bariatric, and remained active in teaching and writing.  

Richard McGee (2010)

75PhD–biochemistry 

Dr. McGee has achieved national recognition for the outstanding student training programs that he has developed, especially in the area of minority student training, at prominent intuitions including NIH, Mayo, Georgetown University, and the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.  He played a central role in the development of the Graduate Research, Education and Training Group of the AAMC and has consistently championed training in the translation of research advances into clinical medicine. 

Gail McGuinness (2010)

75R, 77F–pediatrics 

For over 25 years, Dr. McGuinness has been a key advocate of student and resident education, often ahead of the curve in implementing changes that several years later were advocated and even mandated on the national level. Involved with the continuing education of pediatricians and in setting the standards for their evaluation, Dr. McGuinness served several key roles including the Executive Vice President of the American Board of Pediatrics and the chair of the Residency Review Committee for Pediatrics for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Shelley Miyamoto (2019)

93BS, 98MD

Shelley Miyamoto is a rising star in pediatric cardiology. A nationally and internationally recognized authority on pediatric cardiac transplantation and cardiomyopathy, much of her groundbreaking research focuses on the failing heart of children born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a severe form of congenital heart disease. Miyamoto is currently conducting research on heart failure with two National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Project (R01) grants; she has received continuous research funding since 2009. She is a popular invited speaker, grant reviewer for the NIH and American Heart Association, and a manuscript reviewer for several prominent peer-reviewed journals. Miyamoto is noted not only for her skills as a researcher and clinician, but also as a highly commended teacher and mentor.

Sarah Morgan (2007)

81MD, 84R–internal medicine

Recognized as a highly respected scientist, educator, administrator, and physician, Dr. Morgan has proven to be a national expert on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Her professional positions include Professor of Nutrition Sciences and Medicine and Director of the Division of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and leader at the Osteoporosis Treatment Clinic she helped create.

John Olney (2008)

56BA, 63MD 

A dedicated researcher in the fields of psychiatry, neuropathology, and neuropsychopharmacology, Dr. Olney has contributed a series of critical discoveries that continue to advance our understanding of brain function and brain development. Two of his notable accomplishments include being the first to show that seizure induced brain damage can be prevented by blocking glutamate receptors and proposing the first model to provide a credible explanation for the pattern of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.

John Opitz (2000)

56BA, 59MD, 61R–pediatrics

Recognized and respected worldwide for his research, publications, and work as one of the most predominant clinical dysmorphologists and birth defects experts in the world, Dr. Opitz’s achievements include the Farber Lecture, which is the highest honor given by the Society of Pediatric; the Bethesda Award for research in Mental Retardation; the March of Dimes Lifetime Achievement Award for dedicated work in genetic science; and the Distinguished Visiting Professor Award of University of Wisconsin. He published 400 papers, numerous textbook chapters, editorials and book reviews, as well as his ten books, and was involved in developing the descriptions of many newly recognized syndromes, several of which bear his name.

Tristram Parslow (2018)

83MD, 83PhD–biochemistry

Tristram Parslow has excelled in every aspect of his career—as a researcher, teacher, and department leader. His early work at the University of Iowa on immunoglobulin gene expression addressed issues that stumped Nobel laureates and National Academy of Sciences members. While on the pathology department faculty at the University of California, San Francisco at the height of the AIDS epidemic, Parslow engaged in a series of studies of the molecular virology of HIV and other RNA viruses, including influenza. In the 14 years since Parslow joined Emory University as chair of the Department of Pathology, their annual National Institutes of Health funding has grown from $12 million to $34 million. He continues to lead and mentor others in the field, both at Emory and as president of the Association of Pathology Chairs.

Roy Pitkin (2002)

56BA, 59MD, 63R–obstetrics and gynecology

Early in his career, Dr. Pitkin discovered that amniotic fluid creatinine accurately predicts fetal maturity, a finding that has been widely used to prevent inadvertent preterm birth. As a UI faculty member Dr. Pitkin focused his research on prenatal nutrition, was a distinguished teacher, and began editing the prestigious journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Craig Reynolds (2015)

74BA, 78PhD–microbiology

For more than 35 years, Craig Reynolds has been an active member of the National Cancer Institute as a scientist, program director, and administrative leader. His research interests include innate immune system response, the development of new immunotherapies to treat cancer, and enhancing translational research at NCI, including the testing of clinical cancer vaccines. Since 2005, Reynolds has served as both NCI associate director and director at the NCI campus in Frederick, Md. At NCI-Frederick, he is responsible for the oversight of nearly 3000 employees and more than $500 million in research activities each year, focused on accelerating the translation of laboratory research into new diagnostic tests and treatments for cancer and AIDS.

L. Jackson Roberts (2007)

69MD

Noted for his landmark discovery of isoprostanes and his subsequent pioneering work applied to understand both the basic mechanism of oxidant stress and the role isoprostanes in human disease, Dr. Jackson, through his research, has opened new fields of study and influenced hundreds of other investigators. His more than 300 published papers have had substantial influence in the biomedical scientific community, and his discoveries and scholarship have earned Roberts numerous national awards and, most recently, Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Earl Sutherland Prize.

Lewis Roberts (2017)

92PhD–physiology and biophysics

Dr. Lewis Roberts is an internationally recognized expert in liver cancer whose contributions have benefited medicine’s understanding of the often fatal disease. A native of Ghana, he generously volunteers his time in Africa and Asia to mentor future health care professionals, expand global health awareness, and organize medical education opportunities. In these countries, he also arranges practical skills workshops on basic and advanced life support, neonatal resuscitation, management of obstetrical emergencies, endoscopy, minimally-invasive surgery, and the treatment and care of persons with liver disease and liver cancer. Dr. Roberts’ laboratory at the Mayo Clinic focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which liver and biliary cancers develop, grow, and spread, with the long-term goals of improving cancer diagnosis and providing physicians with targeted and personalized treatments with minimal side effects for their patients. Dr. Roberts is an excellent mentor to graduate and medical students, research fellows and residents, and in particular to under-represented minority students. In recognition of his sustained efforts, Dr. Roberts has been honored with the highest academic honor bestowed at Mayo Clinic, as well as with multiple accolades for his humanitarian activities.

Jean Robillard (2002)

74F–pediatrics

Dr. Robillard’s successful career includes breakthrough discoveries in fetal renal development, improving treatment for patients, and serving as past chair of the University of Michigan’s Department of Pediatrics and physician-in-chief for the university’s Mott Children’s Hospital.  In his position as Vice President for Medical Affairs at the University of Iowa he focuses on being a role model for young physicians.

James Scott (2008)

59BA, 62MD, 72R–obstetrics and gynecology

An international authority on recurrent miscarriage, pregnancy in transplant patients, and other immunology problems in obstetrics and gynecology, Dr. Scott has received numerous clinical, teaching, and research awards. He is the editor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, the premier journal of the specialty, and a professor and chair emeritus at the University of Utah.

Laura Shawver (2011)

79BS, 84PhD–pharmacology

An entrepreneur and cancer researcher driven by the biology of the disease and the individual needs of patients, Dr. Shawver has dedicated her life to the life sciences. In 2007, one year after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer herself and experiencing the lack of advancement in ovarian cancer treatment, she established The Clearity Foundation to provide ovarian cancer patients with access to molecular profiling that helps doctors find the right course of treatment for each particular case.

Robert Soper (2006)

52MD, 58R–surgery 

The father of pediatric surgery in Iowa, Dr. Soper was primarily responsible for bringing Pediatric Surgery to the UI Carver College of Medicine and is credited with pioneering a number of procedures to correct congenital anomalies in children. Nationally, Dr. Soper and his co-specialists organized the American Pediatric Surgery Association, which set about establishing certification standards in the field, and he was a founding member of the American Pediatric Surgical Association.

Robert Sparks (1998)

55BA, 57MD

In addition to his work as an educator, trainer, and researcher in addiction medicine, Dr. Sparks held numerous influential leadership positions including Dean of Tulane Medical School, VP of University of Nebraska, chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, President of the W. W. Kellog Foundation, and President and CEO of the California Medical Association Foundation. Through his work at the Kellog Foundation he especially demonstrated his dedication to educational opportunities for children and health care for underserved communities in the US.

Daret St. Clair (2020)

84PhD–radiation biology

Daret St. Clair has made significant contributions to the fields of free radical biology, redox, and cancer research and therapy. Her research findings include a novel strategy that could be exploited for either developing redox-active, antioxidant-based cancer prevention or sensitizing cancer cells to radiation- or chemotherapy-based treatments. St. Clair is a professor of toxicology and cancer biology at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine, where she holds the James Graham Brown Foundation Endowed Chair in Neuroscience and serves as the associate director for basic research at the Markey Cancer Center and co-director of the University of Kentucky Center for Cancer and Metabolism.

David Warner (2015)

82R–neurosurgery, 84R–anesthesiology

One of the world’s most respected authorities in the field of neuroanesthesiology, David Warner is a physician-scientist whose research interests have focused on the treatment and management of acute brain and spinal cord injury. As a faculty member in the University of Iowa Department of Anesthesia and, since 1994, at Duke University, Warner has led numerous multidisciplinary teams and employed a wide range of research tools in order to better understand the function of, and injury to, the central nervous system. He also has remained committed to professional service by mentoring dozens of medical students and postdoctoral fellows, serving on the editorial boards of premier journals in his field, and participating in multiple clinical and basic science organizations.

Michael Welsh (2014)

74MD, 77R–internal medicine

Is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator whose research has helped to define the molecular basis of cystic fibrosis and laid the foundation for new therapeutic and preventive strategies for this fatal disease. His work and collaborations have revolutionized the way people think about cystic fibrosis and have tremendous implications for the design of therapies to treat it. Welsh also directs the UI’s Cystic Fibrosis Research Center and the Pappajohn Biomedical Institute. During the course of his career, Welsh has provided outstanding training and mentoring to generations of UI students, fellows, and faculty, and he exemplifies the “bench-to-bedside” connection that aims to better the lives of individuals living with cystic fibrosis.

Wayne Yokoyama (2008)

81R, 85F–internal medicine

The world authority on natural killer cells and their molecular biology, Dr. Yokoyama has made fundamental discoveries on how these immune system cells protect us from infection and cancer and have allowed researchers to take natural killer cells from phenomenology to the molecular level, and into the mainstream of immunology. His professional positions include professor of Medicine and Pathology and Immunology and director of the Medical Scientist Training Program at Washington University in St. Louis.

Carol Aschenbrener (2008)

68MS, 75R–pathology

For over 30 years, Dr. Aschenbrener has contributed to medical education at every level; from teaching medical students and residents in pathology to making major creative contributions to faculty and leadership development. She has played a critical role in the development of Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), the nation’s only program focused on preparing senior women faculty to move into positions of institutional leadership, continues to serve as a career consultant for ELAM fellows, and one of her many noteworthy positions is serving as the Executive Vice President and Head of the Division of Medical Education for the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Larry Beaty (2014)

73MD

A Marshalltown, Iowa family physician specializing in geriatric care, has devoted most of his career to leadership roles in programs training UI medical students and family practice residents. He was instrumental in advancing the family practice residency program at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines, and he has helped develop the Des Moines Area Medical Education Consortium, which partners with the UI. Beaty established a new clinic in Marshalltown to care for an underserved geriatric population, and his influence and expertise extend to a number of leadership roles in the medical community, including his time as the original chair of the Iowa Medical Society Public Committee.

Dennis Boatman (2009)

62BA, 64MS, 66MD, 70R–urology

Originally from Bloomfield, Iowa, Dr. Boatman’s leadership of the largest capital campaign in UI Carver College of Medicine history helped construct the new Medical Education Research Facility and create endowments to support medical education, medical research, and medical student scholarships.  His extensive service leadership has helped guide numerous civic, education and community health interests to better serve his Iowa neighbors during and after his retirement from his private practice in Cedar Rapids, IA.

John Brinkman (2004)

59BA, 62MD

Holding a remarkable record of service to his practice, profession, community and alma mater, Dr. Brinkman’s noteworthy roles include leadership on The Iowa Medical Society, Iowa Foundation for Medical Care and Iowa Chapter of the American College of Physicians as well as numerous University of Iowa and College of Medicine boards and committees. His devotion to his patients, colleagues, and medical students in his role as clinical associate professor of internal medicine, have all been carried out with a true sense of compassion and a commitment to the betterment of health care in Iowa.

Richard Cameron (2000)

61BA, 65MD

Throughout his 30 year-career in the United States Army, Dr. Cameron served as a psychiatric clinician, teacher, combat soldier, and senior executive of medicine, and eventually earned the rank of Major General.  As Commanding General at the U.S. Army Health Services Command, he provided comprehensive health service to over 2.8 million beneficiaries in the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Panama, and Puerto Rico and guided the vision, direction, strategic quality planning, training, leader development, allocation of resources, and assessment of their performance. 

John Canady (2010)

83MD, 88MS, 88R–otolaryngology 

For nearly 20 years, Dr. Canady, Professor of Surgery and International Programs at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, has been applying his skills and knowledge performing volunteer surgery on childhood facial deformities including cleft lips and cleft palates. He has traveled extensively in Asia and South America serving those that would otherwise not have the opportunity to lead a normal life. 

Richard M. Caplan (2011)

51MA, 55MD

A pioneer in the field of medical humanities and an early advocate of medical ethics as a core curricular component, Dr. Caplan made lasting changes during his 21 years as associate dean of the University of Iowa Carver college of Medicine. In addition, he was a physician, teacher, and researcher in the Department of Dermatology and an administrative leader for continuing education.

Vincent Carstensen (2001)

39MD 

As a flight surgeon in WWII, a practicing physician in Waverly, IA for 50 years, chief of staff at Waverly Municipal Hospital for seven years, and staff member of Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Dr. Carstensen worked hard for the health of those around him. Despite being busy, he generously gave his time, effort, and contributions to his community and alma mater as a member of the board of trustees and board of directors for the Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community Foundation, member of the Waverly Airport Commission, accreditation chairman of the local Chamber of Commerce, charter member of the Waverly Economic Development Company, member of the University of Iowa’s President’s Club, and season football and basketball ticket holder for 50 years.

Roger I. Ceilley (2008)

71MD, 77R–dermatology

A pioneer in dermatology education, Dr. Ceilley has worked for more than two decades as a strong advocate combating skin cancer by raising awareness of sun safety in students from kindergarten through college. He is the past president of the American Academy of Dermatology, and co-authored the official American Academy of Dermatology Guidelines of Care for numerous skin conditions ranging from malignant melanoma to psoriasis.

Steven Craig (2017)

76BS, 79MD–internal medicine

With a passion for medical education and an unwavering commitment to health care administration, Dr. Steven Craig is leading the charge to teach the next generation of health care professionals in the state of Iowa.  As Executive Director of the Des Moines Area Medical Education Consortium—a non-profit corporation with exclusive academic affiliation with the University of Iowa—he coordinates the partnership between the University of Iowa’s undergraduate, graduate, and residency programs and five Des Moines health care member institutions. Dr. Craig also serves as an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Curriculum at the university’s regional campus in Des Moines. In these leadership roles, he continues to shape the face of medical education in today’s ever changing health care landscape and provide exciting educational opportunities Iowa’s students.

John Dagle (2020)

91MD, 91PhD–biochemistry, 95R–pediatrics, 97F–neonatology 

John Dagle epitomizes the role of a caring pediatrician, trusted colleague, and respected teacher and mentor. After completing a pediatric residency and neonatology fellowship at University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, Dagle joined the faculty of the UI Carver College of Medicine in 1998. In addition to his role as a professor in the neonatology division of the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, Dagle serves as co-director of the Iowa Statewide Perinatal Care Program. He also holds academic appointments in the Carver College of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and the Department of Epidemiology in the UI College of Public Health. Dagle has published over 70 peer-reviewed research articles and three book chapters, and he has received awards for excellence in both research and teaching.

Kathleen Digre (2019)

81MD, 85R–neurology, 87F–ophthalmology and visual science

Kathleen Digre is one of the premier neuro-ophthalmologists in the world. In 1999, Digre founded, and still directs, the Neuro-Ophthalmology Virtual Education Library (NOVEL) which houses the world’s definitive collection of neuro-ophthalmology education materials. She is currently Distinguished Professor of Neurology and Ophthalmology and Chief of the Division of Headache and Neuro-ophthalmology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, and Vice-Chair of Clinical Strategy in the Department of Neurology, University of Utah. Digre has received the Rosenblatt Prize, the University of Utah’s highest faculty honor, in recognition of career excellence in research, education, and administration, and she holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Zurich.  She is president of the American Headache Society.

Lawrence Dorr (2006)

65MS–pharmacology, 67MD

Known as a world leader in hip and joint replacement surgery, an innovative researcher, a caring teacher and a dedicated humanitarian, Dr. Dorr’s professional accomplishments are numerous and include serving as medical director of the Arthritis Institute at Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center and of the Dorr Institute for Arthritis Research and Education Foundation while also holding a clinical faculty appointment at the University of Southern California. In 1995, he founded Operation Walk, a non-profit organization of doctors, nurses, and physical therapists that volunteer to teach and perform joint replacement surgery in developing countries.

Nile Dusdieker (2002)

70BA, 70BM, 74MD

As an internist specializing in gastroenterology and a preceptor for UI residents, Dr. Dusdieker participates in clinical research in collaboration with UI faculty physicians as well as teaches UI internal medicine & obstetrics and gynecology residents at his group practice in Cedar Rapids. He is also known for his enormous contributions as a community leader in education, arts, and civics through service on several boards and societies.

Gene Gary-Williams (2006)

57CER, 58MA–physical therapy

Known as a mentor, educator, administrator, and distinguished scholar, Dr. Gary-Williams spent much of her career helping historically black colleges in the US and Caribbean create physical therapy programs in order to increase accessibility to health professions for diverse populations. She spent a year as a Fulbright Fellow in Nigeria and served as executive director of the National Society of Allied Health, a small organization mainly made up of historically black colleges and universities.

William Hamilton (2007)

43BA, 46MD, 51R–anesthesiology

A pioneering researcher, educator, leader and administrator who made an indelible mark on the specialty of Anesthesiology, Dr. Hamilton was the first chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Iowa and developed the nation's finest academic medicine department at the University of California - San Francisco. He has been recognized with many honors and awards, including the teaching award from the 1965 UI senior medical class, the Royal Society of Medicine Medal, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists Distinguished Service Award.

C. Edward Hartford (2019)

68R–surgery 

In 1968, there were only three burn treatment centers in the United States. Ed Hartford was a newly hired associate in surgery and was tasked with creating a fourth at the University of Iowa. He ultimately directed the Burn Treatment Center at UI Hospitals & Clinics for seven years, and in the process created the multidisciplinary approach that now characterizes modern burn care. Hartford’s papers on the impact of high intensity stress on the human psyche formed the basis of what came to be known as PTSD. When Hartford left Iowa in 1977, the burn treatment center he founded was treating approximately 100-115 patients per year. The University of Iowa still has the state’s only American Burn Association-verified Burn Center, due Hartford’s indefatigable efforts.

Alfred Healy (1998)

57MA, 63MD, 66R–pediatrics

Through his work as a pediatrics educator, administrator, and passionate and internationally respected advocate for the care and services for developmentally disabled people, Dr. Healy has touched the lives of many individuals in Iowa and around the world. He served as director of the UI University Hospital School (UHS) for 20 years, during which time he led the institution from providing mostly inpatient care for children with disabilities to enabling people of all ages to fully participate in life. 

Herman Hein (2004)

63MD, 66R–pediatrics

Recognized nationally and internationally for his work to improve the quality of health care for mothers and babies, Dr. Hein was a UI professor of pediatrics, served as clinical supervisor of the Newborn Nursery at the UI Hospital and Clinics from 1990-2001, and consulted for many years on maternal and child health for the Iowa Department of Public Health. He also developed the Iowa Statewide Prenatal Care Program that is credited with dramatically decreasing the neonatal morality rate, while literally ensuring quality care for every mother and baby born in an Iowa hospital.

Thin Thin Hlaing (2002)

61MS–biochemistry

Thanks to Dr. Hlaing and her colleagues, her native country Myanmar (formerly Burma) has now established biochemistry as a field of study.  Accomplished as an academician, researcher and administrator in all three of the country’s Institutes of Medicine, Dr. Hlaing has shown her commitment to her personal mission of training the future biochemists her country needs.

Sandra Horning (2009)

71BA, 75MD

Internationally acknowledged as one of the most distinguished clinical investigators working in the field of oncology today, Dr. Horning is a constant advocate for evidence-based oncologic care. She has helped establish the standards of care for patients with virtually all classifications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, been the lead investigator for several of the pivotal clinical trials that validated current lymphoma treatment, and is the past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 

Johan Hultin (2000)

51MS–microbiology, 53MD 

As a pathologist relentless in his efforts to decipher the mystery of the causative agent of the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918-19, Dr. Hultin undertook many independent research expeditions to remote areas once infected by the deadly virus to secure tissues from buried victims.  His work received coverage from the New York Times, Time, Discover, and the BBC television series “Horizon.”

Steven Jenison (1999)

81MD

Dr. Jenison is credited for the discovery and treatment for the viral agent Hantavirus that set him on a promising career track at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Moving forward, however, he chose to pursue a track focused on public health by taking the role of Medical Director of the HIV/AIDS/STD Bureau for the State Public Health Department in New Mexico—championing and advancing quality services and social support for HIV infected persons. 

Thomas E. Jessen (2014)

68MD

A family physician in Newton, Iowa, for 40 years, is a dedicated community supporter. He serves as the high school football team physician, attending every home and away game, and he volunteers at the Jasper County free medical clinic. He leads by example through his involvement with a variety of local organizations and is a well-respected and trusted figure in the Newton community. He goes above and beyond for his patients, and is readily available to help anyone in need. Jessen’s compassion for his patients and community members is unparalleled, and he has dedicated himself to serving others.

G. Patrick Kealey (2015)

66BA, 69MD, 75MS, 77R–surgery

Dr. Pat Kealey is truly “Iowa grown.” He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and medical degrees from the University of Iowa, where he also completed a surgery residency and clinical pharmacology fellowship. He has been a member of the UI Carver College of Medicine faculty since 1985 and has held an array of leadership positions within the UI Department of Surgery, including director of the Burn Unit and director of the Division of Trauma, Burns, and Critical Care. Throughout his career, Kealey has worked to standardize and improve trauma services for patients across the state and region, and he was key in guiding UI Hospitals and Clinics to attaining Level 1 Trauma Center status.

William Kridelbaugh (2003)

43BA, 45MD, 50R–surgery

Dedicating his career to ensuring the best possible environment for patient care, Dr. Kridelbaugh helped establish a voluntary mediation panel to hear malpractice complaints in New Mexico—resolving many issues before court appearances were necessary, and  served as a regent of the ACS national organization and as chair of several committees for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. He also participated in the local Albuquerque medical community as a staff member of Presbyterian Hospital and the Bernalillo County Indian Hospital, as well as a clinical faculty member at University of New Mexico.

Douglas Laube (2013)

70MD, 74R–obstetrics and gynecology, 78MA

As a skilled teacher and advocate for students, Dr. Laube has dedicated his career to advancing the rights and awareness of women’s health in the US and abroad. In addition to working closely with the U.S. government to reduce maternal mortality around the world, including teaching Afghan midwives safer obstetrical care, he has served as the president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), chairman of both the Physicians for Reproductive Health (PRH) and the Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI), and professor and chair of the University of Wisconsin Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Paul Laube (1999)

32BA, 36MD

Before opening his general surgery practice that he ran for over 30 years in his hometown of Dubuque, Dr. Laube spent six years as a medical missionary in Africa, India, and China. His compassion and medical leadership extended through board membership, volunteerism, and significant fundraising for the causes he deemed worthy including the University of Dubuque and his church, Bethany Home.

Gerald McGowan (2011)

63MD

After starting a practice in Sioux City, Dr. McGowan became the founding director of the Siouxland Medical Education Foundation’s Family Practice Residency Program which trains students and family medicine residents to practice in rural areas. Within three decades of its inception, the program has graduated more than 200 family physician residents, and nearly three-quarters of the program’s graduates have remained to serve the area and help train future generations of family physicians.

James A. Merchant (2013)

66MD 

An accomplished physician, scientist, academic executive, educator, and public policy advocate, James Merchant is the founder and head of several occupational and environmental health centers and research programs at the University of Iowa, and he also served as the founding dean of the UI College of Public Health. His commitment to public service is reflected in the numerous awards and honors he has received, including membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences.

Albert Mintzer (2016)

53BA, 56MD

Unwavering dedication to his patients and longstanding service to his profession have been hallmarks of Albert Mintzer’s professional life. Over the course of his 41-year career as an obstetrician-gynecologist in Des Moines, Mintzer delivered thousands of babies while also helping establish new standards in OB-GYN care. He was one of the first physicians in the state to routinely use ultrasound and other emerging tests and procedures that improved women’s health care. He also was an early advocate of prenatal education, natural childbirth methods, and allowing fathers into the delivery room. Mintzer retired from private practice in 2004; for the past decade he has served as a part-time instructor at the OB-GYN clinic at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines, working with medical students and residents.

Dale Morgan (1998)

51MD, 56R–anesthesiology 

Utilizing both his training as a clinical anesthesiologist and his penchant for fixing and maintaining medical equipment, Dr. Morgan has shared his knowledge and skills to physicians and patients in underdeveloped communities and countries including Nicaragua, Zambia, and the largest Native American reservation in the US.  In addition to his volunteerism, Dr. Morgan performed 34 years of clinical service in Cedar Rapids and continued to lend his services after his retirement in 1991. 

Dan Murphy (2010)

66BS, 70MD 

Devoting his life to treating the impoverished and underserved throughout the world, Dr. Murphy has worked in places like Mozambique, Laos, and Nicaragua to provide care where it is most needed. Driven by the need to make a difference, Dr. Murphy founded the Bairo Pite Clinic in East Timor when the government fell and violence against the native people was rampant. He treats more than 300 patients per day.

Willie Parker (2017)

90MD

Dr. Willie Parker is the epitome of a compassionate and judgment-free health care provider. As a respected obstetrician and gynecologist, he became increasingly concerned about restricted access to services and reproductive health disparities for underprivileged women across the country. Uncomfortable turning away patients who needed help, he began to advocate for abortion rights in 2009 and this cause has since become the focus of his career. Dr. Parker is the current Chair for Physicians for Reproductive Health, sits on the board of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and has joined the Center for Reproductive Rights to lobby for the Women’s Health Protection Act. He has testified on Capitol Hill articulating a respect for—and trust in— women that he felt was noticeably lacking. The groundbreaking bill aims to prohibit state laws that restrict access to abortion services for women. His ongoing fight for reproductive rights has also been featured in a prominent article in the New York Times. His forthcoming book, Life's Work, chronicling his journey and raising reproductive justice issues will be published in April 2017.

Marvin Frank Piburn (2004)

48MD

Working as a medical missionary, Dr. Piburn’s dedication and devotion to meeting the needs of people in poverty and plight few of us could image led him and his family to work in war-torn areas like Rhodesia and Vietnam for nearly 30 years. Upon returning to the US in 1982, Dr. Piburn and his wife helped open a free clinic in Wichita, Kansas that continues to operate today, and expand another in Hutchinson, Kansas.  

Allan Rashford (2012)

73MD

As a pastor and physician, Dr. Rashford has built a legacy of selfless and humble attention to the less fortunate—by establishing a private practice in a disadvantaged neighborhood of Charleston, S.C., helping found a hospice also in Charleston ,and joining the Medical University of South Carolina faculty. Driven to help those in need, he opened his home to mentor troubled youth, and with his wife has supported medical mission trips to Jamaica and South Africa.

Russell Rulon (2007)

60MS, 61PhD–physiology

A gifted educator and mentor who has had a significant impact on the careers of hundreds of health science careers throughout Iowa and the nations, Dr. Rulon was named an emeritus faculty at the Luther College where he served for more than 40 years.  As a testament to Rulon’s extraordinary contribution and commitment to Luther and his students, more than 900 alumni and friends pledged over $1 million dollars to establish the Russell R. Rulon Endowed Chair in Biology in 2000.

David Sack (2005)

74R–internal medicine

Best recognized as a teacher of young, developing country researchers, Dr. Sack is himself one of the world’s leading investigators in diarrheal disease research. Throughout his accomplished career, he has shared a deep, personal commitment to improving health conditions of people in the developing world, as is evidence by his work in international health, most notable in Bangladesh where he worked as Director of the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research.

Virginia Shepherd (2001)

70BS, 72MS, 75PhD–biochemistry

In addition to her positions as professor of pathology and medicine, associate professor of biochemistry, and research career scientist at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Shepherd has made an impressive impact through her work in spreading science literacy to K-12 students. She has established numerous outreach programs, workshops, camps, and CD-ROM programs that work to bring better understanding of genetics, immunology, neuroscience, and computers to both teachers and students across the country.

Clifford C. Smith (2005)

Known for his dedication and selflessness, Dr. Smith spent 41 years as a town doctor in MacGregor, Iowa—often making late night house calls, and even accepting livestock and produce as payment for his services. He was named the National Rural Health Association's Practitioner of the Year in 1998, and continued serving as medical director of the local nursing home after his retirement.

Bruce Spivey (2003)

59MD, 63R–ophthalmology, 64MS 

In the role of CEO, Dr. Spivey has helped institutions including American Academy of Ophthalmology, California Healthcare System, Columbia Cornell Network Physicians, and Columbia-Cornell Care, see the big picture. In addition to his administrative work, he was a practicing ophthalmologist until 1992 and after retirement held service leadership appointments on numerous local, national and international boards, foundations and specialty organizations. 

John Sunderbruch (2000)

34MD

Recognized for his more than 65 years of service to the medical profession, Dr. Sunderbruch helped his community through countless epidemics of smallpox, diphtheria, polio, measles, scarlet fever, and chickenpox.  His loyalty to his community throughout Iowa has saved the lives of many of its members.Dr. Sunderbruch also played a major role in the founding of the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care in 1971 and became the first President.  Since then, Dr. Sunderbruch has held every position in the IFMC executive office. 

Peter Wallace (2003)

69MD, 74R–pediatrics 

Dedicated to the health and wellbeing of children, Dr. Wallace advocates for their access to health, education, and nutrition on local, state, and national levels through committees, boards, and hours of service work. In addition to his administrative role as vice president of medical affairs at Mercy Iowa City, some of his appointments include elected member of the Iowa City school board, member of the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) board of directors, the American Academy of Pediatrics liaison to the National PTA, chair of the Iowa City Noon Rotary Club’s Community Service Committee.

Shawna Willey (2020)

82MD 

Shawna Willey has made great contributions in the field of breast surgery, most notably by pioneering a nipple-sparing technique for mastectomy that she has presented at meetings and conferences around the globe. Since graduating from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in 1982, Shawna Willey has spent her entire career in the Washington, D.C., area. She completed medical residency training in surgery at George Washington University Medical Center, and she currently serves as the Peterson Chair of Breast Cancer Research at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Fairfax, Virginia. Before that, she spent 17 years at Georgetown University. She served as president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons in 2008-2009 and is currently the chair of the society’s board.

Laverne Wintermeyer (2012)

43BM, 48MA, 61MD, 68R–pediatrics 

As state epidemiologist and medical director for 18 years, Dr. Wintermeyer dealt skillfully with situations particular to the state and those that were on a more national scale including hospital-acquired infections, HIV/AIDS policy development, and the emergence of new strains of infectious disease. He also helped to mobilize a broad team of experts to improve hospital infection control, and his investigation of a measles episode led to a new vaccination regimen endorsed by the nation’s pediatricians and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Paula Youngberg Arnell (2001)

64MD, 69R–pathology

A practicing anatomical and clinical pathologist; director of several laboratories; and chair and member of many state and local corporate, health, and nonprofit boards, Dr. Arnell is fully committed to community health. In addition to being actively engaged with state and local chapters of the American Cancer Society and acting trustee for Augustana College in her hometown Rock Island, IL, she also played a leading role in establishing the Quad Cities’ first dedicated mammography center and development of the Quad Cities’ first fine needle aspiration program.

Katharine J. Bar (2019)

02MD

Originally from Iowa City, Katharine Bar is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine and director of the Virology Core at the Penn Center for AIDS Research at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Her research focuses on the basic mechanisms of transmission, pathogenesis, and persistence in HIV and other chronic viral infections. As part of a research team, Bar led a trial to explore the potential of a novel monoclonal antibody to suppress the AIDS virus in a group of patients taken off standard antiviral drugs. The results of this research, published with Bar as first author in the New England Journal of Medicine in November 2016, indicate that combinations of neutralizing antibodies may be needed for long-term control of the virus.

Sara Brenner (2018)

06MD 

Technology has rapidly accelerated the pace of change in medicine, and Sara Brenner has positioned herself on the cutting edge. Brenner’s research focuses on developing nanomedicine applications, and on the health and safety of people and the environment as they relate to engineered nanomaterials. Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at dimensions of 1 to 100 nanometers, where unique biological, chemical, and physical properties emerge. As the first physician on faculty at the State University of New York (SUNY) Polytechnic Colleges of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE), she brings a distinctive perspective to the emerging opportunities and challenges in occupational and environmental health and safety.

Christopher Buresh (2013)

 01MD, 06R–emergency medicine

Shortly after graduation, the medical school friendship between Chris Buresh and Josh White grew into a partnership devoted to serving the people of Haiti through their launch of a primary care initiative for some of that country’s most remote populations—bringing continuity of care through recurring visits to the same villages in the mountains of Haiti. Following the earthquake of January 2010, Buresh and White set up a primitive field hospital and headed a team that saw more than 30,000 Haitian patients, performed over 800 surgeries, and delivered more than 250 babies. Their non-profit Community Health Initiative, Haiti, continues to strive to provide quality health care for the Haitian people.

Gerard Clancy (2005)

83BA, 88MD, 92R–psychiatry

Dedicated to meeting the needs of the community, Dr. Clancy established community outreach clinics and set up a mobile psychiatry team in Tulsa, Oklahoma after becoming dean and professor of psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Tulsa campus in 2001. Throughout his career he has received frequent honors for teaching and awards for community service.

Andrew Doan (2015)

02R–internal medicine, 05R–ophthalmology

Andrew Doan, assistant professor of surgery at Loma Linda University in California, has excelled in the field of ophthalmology as a surgeon, clinician, and teacher. Born in Saigon, Vietnam, and raised in Oregon, Doan completed an internal medicine internship and general clinical surgical ophthalmology residency at the University of Iowa. During that time, he co-founded and designed EyeRounds.org, an educational website now used by ophthalmologists all over the world to enhance their knowledge of the field. He was awarded the prestigious Heed Fellowship and was elected into the Society of Heed Fellows—a rare honor.

Robyn Domsic (2020)

96BS, 01MD

Robyn Domsic’s reputation in the study and treatment of scleroderma is well-deserved. Having published over 70 articles on the topic, with 12 articles since 2018, the Iowa City native has established herself as a prolific and respected expert in scleroderma. As a recipient of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Career Development Award, she developed and validated a clinical prediction for all-cause mortality for patients with early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis. She has garnered numerous competitive grants from the NIH and the U.S. Department of Defense as well as research support from medical foundations and pharmaceutical companies. Domsic serves as an associate professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the clinical director of the university’s scleroderma center, a position she’s held since 2015.

Timothy Holtz (2010)

91MD

Upholding the highest ideals of social justice and human dignity through his service as a physician, scientist, educator and health care activist, Dr. Holtz is a founding member of the non-governmental organization Doctors for Global Health. His professional positions include serving in the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Program as the Country Program Director in Bangkok, Thailand where he oversaw large clinical trials of pre-exposure prophylaxis of antiretrovirals among intravenous drug users, as well as upcoming microbicide HIV prevention trials.

Jay Horton (2007)

84BS, 88MD

A young, accomplished clinical investigator who has earned an international reputation in the field of nutrition and lipid metabolism, Dr. Horton has focused his work on the molecular mediators of steatosis, finding that primary transcriptional regulators of cholesterol metabolism are key regulators of fatty acid synthesis and composition in liver. He has received a number of honors and awards, including an Industry Research Scholar Award from the American Gastroenterology Association, American Heart Association Established Investigator, and PEW Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences.

Lauren Hughes (2016)

09MD

Lauren Hughes’ commitment to the care of the underserved is evident in the impressive list of activities and leadership positions she has compiled since earning her medical degree. In roles ranging from national president of the American Medical Student Association to her current membership on the board of directors of Family Medicine for America’s Health, she has maintained a national presence in efforts to expand access to high-quality primary care for vulnerable populations. As deputy secretary for health innovation for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, she now develops, coordinates, and leads statewide strategies to improve health and health care delivery for the state’s residents.

Katie Imborek (2017)

08MD, 11R–family medicine

In under a decade, Dr. Katie Imborek has been nationally recognized for pioneering work that has improved the lives and care of LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning) individuals. As a medical student at Iowa, she founded MEDIQS (MED Iowa’s Queer Students) to raise awareness of LQBTQ health care issues and provide a support network for students. Now a clinical assistant professor of family medicine, Dr. Imborek co-developed the university’s highly successful, comprehensive care LGBTQ Clinic at Iowa River Landing, which she continues to co-direct. In honor of the tremendous impact she has made throughout eastern Iowa, Dr. Imborek has received numerous teaching awards and was recognized as one of the Corridor Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Awardees. Currently, Dr. Imborek is championing a hospital wide policy outlining equal access to care for transgender patients, a Safe Zone project for health care providers, and is working with Iowa law students in the Rainbow Health Clinic to support the needs of transgender-identified individuals.

Judy Kersten (2004)

92R–anesthesiology

An international leader in anesthesiology research, Dr. Kersten serves on several editorial boards, reviews manuscripts for Anesthesiology, Circulation and the American Journal of Physiology, was appointed chair of study section on myocardial ischemia and metabolism, and earned election to the prestigious and highly selective Association of University Anesthesiologists. She is also passionate about mentoring the next generation of physicians and faculty as a professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Susan Nayfield (2016)

72MS, 74MD

For more than 35 years, Susan Nayfield has achieved distinction as a clinician, researcher, epidemiologist, program director, and administrative leader. At the Medical College of Virginia, Nayfield established her expertise in hematology, oncology, and cancer control and prevention. Nayfield spent 20 years at the National Institutes of Health—including program director of the National Cancer Institute’s Epidemiology and Genetics Research Program and later as chief of the geriatrics branch of the Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology Program at the National Institute on Aging. Since 2010, Nayfield has been a faculty member and chief of the clinical research division in the Department of Aging and Geriatric Research at the University of Florida College of Medicine, where she continues to inform and strengthen the field of research on aging-related issues.

Andrew Nugent (2014)

96MD

Chair and department executive officer of emergency medicine at the UI Carver College of Medicine, was instrumental in establishing the department just 10 years ago and creating Iowa’s only emergency medicine residency program, which has trained many of the emergency physicians practicing at hospitals across his native Iowa. Nugent became the UI’s first emergency medicine-trained, board-certified emergency physician, and under his leadership, emergency medicine now competes with the primary care specialties as one of the top career choices of graduating medical students at Iowa. Nugent has also served as a co-investigator in a number of research studies, with topics ranging from stroke to smoking cessation.

Virend Somers (2006)

91R, 93F–internal medicine

Recognized as one of the world’s premier researchers and clinicians in the area of human cardiovascular regulation and sleep research, Dr. Somers, a Mayo Foundation Clinical Investigator, worked to understand why people die during sleep. He was an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and the Association of University Cardiologists and delivered lectures to some of the most distinguished medical audiences in the world including the World Congress of Cardiology in Sydney, the Belgian Faculties of Medicine in Brussels, and the World Congress on Sleep Apnea in Helsinki.

Kenneth Staley (2013)

04MD

As director for biodefense policy at the White House Homeland Security Council, Dr. Staley was a principal contributor to the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza and led the development and execution of the implementation plan that translated the strategy into specific actions, deliverables, and metrics to guide the nation’s preparedness. This first-of-its-kind implementation plan ultimately helped the U.S. government and the nation be better prepared for the influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 virus in 2009, and his effectiveness led to his appointment as acting deputy assistant secretary of state for counter-proliferation at the U.S. Department of State.

Douglas Van Daele (2016)

91BSE, 96MD, 97R–surgery, 99F, 03R–otolaryngology

In nearly three decades associated with the University of Iowa, Douglas Van Daele has emerged as a respected voice in conversations surrounding innovations in health care delivery. His appointments to vice dean for clinical affairs in the UI Carver College of Medicine and executive director of UI Physicians, the state’s largest multispecialty group practice, came as he developed an international reputation in teaching, research, and clinical excellence in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery. He played a crucial role in the institutional transition to electronic health records, enhancing care coordination, and outcomes research across patient populations. As part of the nation’s first class to earn board certification in clinical informatics, he has positioned UI Health Care as a leader in data-driven practice.

Colin West (2014)

95MS, 99MD/PhD–biostatistics

Associate professor of biostatistics and medicine at Mayo Clinic, strives to improve patient care by promoting physician well-being through groundbreaking research that studies quality of life, burnout, empathy, and other markers of personal well-being and distress among medical students, residents, and practicing physicians. His work not only significantly impacts those practicing medicine, but ultimately the care being given to patients, as well. In addition to his research, West is also a respected member of the general internal medicine staff at Mayo Clinic. He has shaped a new field of study and has established himself as a “triple threat” with resounding success in patient care, education, and research.

Joshua White (2013)

01MD 

Shortly after graduation, the medical school friendship between Chris Buresh and Josh White grew into a partnership devoted to serving the people of Haiti through their launch of a primary care initiative for some of that country’s most remote populations—bringing continuity of care through recurring visits to the same villages in the mountains of Haiti. Following the earthquake of January 2010, Buresh and White set up a primitive field hospital and headed a team that saw more than 30,000 Haitian patients, performed over 800 surgeries, and delivered more than 250 babies. Their non-profit Community Health Initiative, Haiti, continues to strive to provide quality health care for the Haitian people.

Brian R. Wolf (2020)

02R–orthopedic surgery, 06MS

Brian R. Wolf has earned international recognition for his expertise in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, particularly disorders of the shoulder, elbow, and knee. He serves as professor and vice chair of finance and academic affairs in the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation. He also is director of UI Sports Medicine and the head team physician for the UI football, women’s basketball, baseball, and swimming teams. He is a longtime member of the National Institutes of Health-funded Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network research group, which studies predictors of outcomes following ACL, shoulder, and rotator cuff surgeries. Wolf, who holds the John and Kim Callaghan Endowed Chair, has twice won the prestigious Charles A. Neer Award from the American Shoulder and Elbow Society. 

Patricia Winokur (2018)

88R, 91F–internal medicine

As executive dean of the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Patricia Winokur plays a key leadership role in leading efforts that shape the academic medicine mission of research, education, and patient care. Over the course of her distinguished career, she has served the college and university as interim associate dean for research, associate dean for clinical and translational science, and as a board member for the UI Research Foundation. A nationally recognized leader in the field of infectious diseases, Winokur created the UI Vaccine and Evaluation Unit, one of the leading vaccine research programs in the country and one of only nine in the nation funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Robert Kelch (2006)

With a deep commitment to academic medicine as an administrator and physician-scientist, Dr. Kelch was instrumental in moving the UI Carver College of Medicine into the 21st century. As Dean of the college from 1994-2003, Kelch led the effort to revitalize the UI's health sciences campus and directed the development of a superior medical education program by re-thinking the traditional approach to medical school curriculum. 

R. Wayne Richey (1998)

As executive director of the Iowa State Board of Regents, Mr. Richey played a key role in advancing the College of Medicine’s efforts to improve facilities, programs, and research. Under his tenure, the College of Medicine opened many doors to educational, clinical, and research facilities that augmented the research and clinical activities of faculty and students of the College. Richey also acted as an ally in gaining the Board of Regents' support for the construction of the new Medical Education and Biomedical Research Facility.

Sahai Family (2010)

As students, alumni, community-based faculty and loyal advocates, the Sahai family has supported the University of Iowa and the College of Medicine for decades, championing Iowa on many different levels including educating future physicians, philanthropic efforts to give Iowa a true home for medical education, and demonstrating their commitment to primary care specialties. Their dedication to health care is as evident in their family genes as in their generous spirit, with three generations working in different fields of medicine. 

Dr. Joseph Walder (2017)

A passionate researcher, visionary, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Dr. Joseph Walder continues to make an indelible mark on the University of Iowa and the world through exciting breakthroughs in biology and medicine.  In 1987, Dr. Walder founded Integrated DNA Technologies, Inc. (IDT), with manufacturing headquarters located in Coralville, Iowa. Today, IDT is a global company with sites in California, Illinois, Belgium, Singapore, Australia, Japan and Korea. IDT is the world leader in delivering genomic solutions for the life sciences market in the areas of academic research, medical diagnostics, biotechnology, agriculture, and pharmaceutical development. IDT has developed proprietary technologies for genomics applications such as next generation sequencing, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, qPCR, and RNA interference. Through its GMP services, IDT manufactures products used in diagnostic tests for cancer and most inherited and infectious diseases. IDT’s products enable scientists to discover new drugs and develop new treatment models tailored to the specific needs of individual patients. In 2013, Dr. Walder and his company chose to generously give back to the university through a game-changing $1 million gift to UI Health Care that will create a space in the neonatal intensive care unit where parents can bond with their older children while their premature newborns are in the hospital.

Kenneth Yerington (1999)

58BSC 

Serving as Director of Financial Management and Control for the UIHC, Mr. Yerington helped lead the institution through dramatic changes and reforms to health care financial management, and a large share of the success of the University of Iowa’s Health Sciences Center is due to the financial guidance he provided. Throughout his tenure he served on numerous UIHC, U of I, and State of Iowa health care and finance committees, and later in his career became an adjunct assistant professor for the Graduate Program in Hospital and Health Administration.

J. Kevin Dorsey (2018)

81R, 83F–internal medicine 

The word “doctor” is derived from the Latin word docere, which means “to teach.” For several decades, J. Kevin Dorsey has been committed to educational improvements, with notable accomplishments in care practices and community service as well as in academic medicine. Dorsey has served in key roles in academic medicine since completing his residency and fellowship at the University of Iowa, including as dean and provost of the Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine, from which he retired in 2015. He currently maintains a teaching position at the SIU medical school and serves as acting chief of the rheumatology division. Students and faculty have recognized him with many citations and awards for his sustaining and remarkable instructional contributions.