1. People

Serena Banu Gumusoglu, MSc, PhD

Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Science Research

Introduction

Dr. Gumusoglu directs the Molecular Investigation of Neuroscience, Development, and Obstetrics Lab (MINDFOL) at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Her research utilizes translational approaches to understand the mechanisms by which complications of pregnancy such as infection, stress, and diseases like preeclampsia influence offspring and peripartum brain risk. Ongoing work examines prenatal and peripartum brain programming by neuroimmune and endocrine factors in the placenta-brain axis such as extracellular vesicles and immune cells. The lab's goal is to improve the specificity and efficacy of gestational prevention, detection, and treatment measures for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism in kids, and psychiatric disorders such as peripartum depression in birthing people.

Current Positions

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa

Education

  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Iowa, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Iowa City, Iowa
  • PhD, Neuroscience, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
  • MSc, Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology, Yale University and University College London Bridge Program, London, United Kingdom
  • BS, Biology and Mind-Brain Studies, George Washington University, Washington DC

Graduate Program Affiliations

Center, Program and Institute Affiliations

Selected Publications

  • Gumusoglu SB, Stelzer IA. Pregnancy as an opportunity to explore brain-immune connections in mental health. Sci Adv. 2025 Mar 7;11(10):eadu8270. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adu8270. Epub 2025 Mar 5. PMID: 40043105; PMCID: PMC11881895. https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/sciadv.adu8270
  • Aimee Bertolli, Oday Halhouli, Yiming Liu-Martínez, Brianna Blaine, Ramasamy Thangavel, Qiang Zhang, Eric Emmons, Nandakumar S. Narayanan, Serena B Gumusoglu, Joel C. Geerling, Georgina M Aldridge. Renovating the Barnes maze for mouse models of Dementia with STARR FIELD: A 4-day protocol that probes learning rate, retention and cognitive flexibility. bioRxiv 2024.11.30.625516; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.30.625516 (PREPRINT)
  • Blocklinger KL, Gumusoglu SB, Kenney AS, Faudel AJ, Faro E, Brandt DS, Knosp B, Davis HA, Hunter SK, Santillan MK, Santillan DA. Depression in the time of COVID-19: Examination of prenatal and postpartum depression, rurality, and the impact of COVID-19. J Affect Disord. 2024 Oct 28;370:337-347. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.081. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39490676.
  • Gumusoglu SB. The role of the placenta-brain axis in psychoneuroimmune programming. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2024 Feb 6;36:100735. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100735. PMID: 38420039; PMCID: PMC10900837.
  • Gumusoglu, S., Noterman, M., Barr, J. (2022). A WINning approach: enhancing communication skills among biomedical doctoral students through small-group workshops. Higher Learning Research Communications, 12: 23-44.
  • Gumusoglu S, Meincke CR, Kiel M, Betz A, Nuckols V, DuBose L, Steidele J, Sweezer E, Santillan D, Stroud AK, Pierce GL, Santillan MK. Low indoleamine 2, 3 dioxygenase (IDO) activity is associated with psycho-obstetric risk. Pregnancy Hypertens. 2023 Dec 7;35:12-18. doi: 10.1016/j.preghy.2023.11.008. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38064980. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2210778923003768?via%3Dihub
  • Bailey SC, Agarwal N, Sleath B, Gumusoglu S, Wolf MS. Improving drug labeling and counseling for limited English proficient adults. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2011 Nov;22(4):1131-43. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2011.0145. PMID: 22080698.
  • Gumusoglu SB, Fine RS, Murray SJ, Bittle JL, Stevens HE. The role of IL-6 in neurodevelopment after prenatal stress. Brain Behav Immun. 2017 Oct;65:274-283. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.05.015. Epub 2017 May 22. PMID: 28546058; PMCID: PMC5537020.
  • Gumusoglu SB, Stevens HE. Maternal Inflammation and Neurodevelopmental Programming: A Review of Preclinical Outcomes and Implications for Translational Psychiatry. Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Jan 15;85(2):107-121. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.08.008. Epub 2018 Aug 27. PMID: 30318336.
  • Abbott PW, Gumusoglu SB, Bittle J, Beversdorf DQ, Stevens HE. Prenatal stress and genetic risk: How prenatal stress interacts with genetics to alter risk for psychiatric illness. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2018 Apr;90:9-21. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.01.019. Epub 2018 Feb 3. PMID: 29407514.