@UIowaNeuro Notes is a monthly communication from the director of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute

This fall, the Iowa Neuroscience Institute will host our fourth research workshop, this one focused on Stem Cell and Neurodevelopment. Our goal with these workshops is to build research communities and highlight areas of focus within the institute, creating an opportunity to connect with fundamental and clinical researchers from around the country and the world.

When Mark Niciu and Aislinn Williams initially proposed this workshop, they were seeking to bring together people who are at the forefront of stem cell neuroscience with a small group of investigators here at Iowa using patient derived stem cells to study very early neurodevelopment. The pandemic interrupted our workshop schedule and pushed this topic to 2024. In the intervening years, our Iowa group has grown through faculty recruitment, and we joined the national network of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRC). The Hawk-IDDRC is co-sponsoring the workshop.

The relationships Mark and Aislinn have built among the members of the stem cell work group within the network of IDDRCs provided a natural pool of colleagues to invite as speakers and participants. Our close connections within the Big Ten Neuroscience group are also highlighted, with invited speakers coming from the University of Wisconsin and Purdue University among others.

In addition to showcasing the breadth and strength of neuroscience at Iowa, these workshops offer a unique opportunity for our trainees to build their networks. It is an intentionally small meeting, which means that the opportunity is there to meet and having meaningful discussions with leaders in the field. Aislinn notes that these are the types of conversations that “can change a person’s career.”

We build in some social time and group meals to strengthen the connections. A senior scientist might feel more approachable once you’ve shared a meal or gone bowling together.

We hope that many of our INI community will register and participate in the workshop and that you’ll share the opportunity with your contacts around the country. We all will benefit from neuroscientists coming to Iowa to experience our collaborative environment returning home to share their experiences with their colleagues and trainees.

Ted

August 2024