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Genetics Cluster Initiative

Genetics transcends departments, colleges and disciplines and generates both needs and services in the basic sciences, health care, bioethics, law, bioinformatics and communications.

>1400

Education event attendees

Career Day

> 50 %

Acceptance rate to graduate programs

Mentorship for Prospective Students in Genetic Counseling

Interns 2013-2023

49

Summer interns

Internship Program in Genetic Counseling and Bioinformatics

Applying to Genetic Counseling Graduate Programs

Recent Publications

Maternal α-cypermethrin and permethrin exert differential effects on fetal growth, placental morphology, and fetal neurodevelopment in mice

Sunday, June 15, 2025
Benjamin A Elser
Pyrethroid insecticides represent a broad class of chemicals used widely in agriculture and household applications. Human studies show mixed effects of maternal pyrethroid exposure on fetal growth and neurodevelopment. Assessment of shared pyrethroid metabolites as a biomarker for exposure obscures effects of specific chemicals within this broader class. To better characterize pyrethroid effects on fetal development, we investigated maternal exposure to permethrin, a type I pyrethroid, and...

The impact of PCR duplication on RNAseq data generated using NovaSeq 6000, NovaSeq X, AVITI, and G4 sequencers

Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Natalia Zajac
CONCLUSIONS: Data generated with each of the four sequencing platforms presents similar associations between starting material amount and the number of PCR cycles on PCR duplicates, a similar number of detected genes, and comparable gene expression profiles.

MixOmics Integration of Biological Datasets Identifies Highly Correlated Variables of COVID-19 Severity

Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Noa C Harriott
Despite several years passing since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, challenges remain in understanding the factors that can predict the severity of COVID-19 disease and complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection. While many large-scale multi-omic datasets have been published, integration of these datasets has the potential to substantially increase the biological insight gained, allowing a more complex comprehension of the disease pathogenesis. Such insight may improve our ability to predict...

Maternal α-cypermethrin and permethrin exert differential effects on fetal growth, placental morphology, and fetal neurodevelopment in mice

Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Benjamin A Elser
Pyrethroid insecticides represent a broad class of chemicals used widely in agriculture and household applications. Human studies show mixed effects of maternal pyrethroid exposure on fetal growth and neurodevelopment. Assessment of shared pyrethroid metabolites as a biomarker for exposure obscures effects of specific chemicals within this broader class. To better characterize pyrethroid effects on fetal development, we investigated maternal exposure to permethrin, a type I pyrethroid, and...

Ceramide-induced FGF13 impairs systemic metabolic health

Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Jamal Naderi
Ceramide accumulation impairs adipocytes' ability to efficiently store and utilize nutrients, leading to energy and glucose homeostasis deterioration. Using a comparative transcriptomic screen, we identified the non-canonical, non-secreted fibroblast growth factor FGF13 as a ceramide-regulated factor that impairs adipocyte function. Obesity robustly induces FGF13 expression in adipose tissue in mice and humans and is positively associated with glycemic indices of type 2 diabetes. Pharmacological...

Events

TriNetX Basic Training

Thursday, June 26, 2025 9:00am to 10:00am
Virtual
This training will provide an in-depth look at TriNetX and show you how to use the tool. We will go through building a study, searching for a specific population, and finally what information you can gather from the specific cohort. We will also discuss next steps on getting data extracted for research. After this training you will have a thorough understanding of how to use TriNetX and what the process is to get data extracted for research studies. Register by clicking the virtual event link...

Internal Medicine Grand Rounds 6/26/2025

Thursday, June 26, 2025 12:00pm to 1:00pm
General Hospital
"Toxicology Grand Rounds,"by Daniel McCabe, MD (Emergency Medicine)
Antimicrobial Stewardship Series: Antimicrobial Stewardship in Dental Practice: Principles and Practice promotional image

Antimicrobial Stewardship Series: Antimicrobial Stewardship in Dental Practice: Principles and Practice

Friday, June 27, 2025 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Virtual
Iowa Statewide Antimicrobial Stewardship Initiative – a partnership between Iowa Health and Human Services and UI College of Pharmacy in conjunction with the UI Carver College of Medicine Department of Continuing Education present the following seminar by Karen Baker, MS:"Antimicrobial Stewardship Series: Antimicrobial Stewardship in Dental Practice: Principles and Practice"Continuing education available.