UIowa Neuroscience Graduate Program

The Neuroscience Graduate Program is proud to congratulate Sara Mitchell, PhD, on the successful defense of her doctoral thesis, "Investigating coordinated neural activity of maternal behavior and stage with intersections of stress networks and experience."

Sara conducted her doctoral research in the laboratories of Hanna Stevens, MD, PhD, in the Department of Psychiatry, and Rainbo Hultman, PhD, in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics. Through her innovative research, Sara advanced our understanding of the neural networks that coordinate maternal behavior and how these circuits intersect with stress-related pathways and lived experience.

The successful completion of a doctoral degree represents years of dedication, perseverance, scientific curiosity, and scholarly achievement. Sara's accomplishment reflects her commitment to excellence in research and her meaningful contributions to the field of neuroscience.

Please join us in congratulating Sara on this significant milestone and wishing her continued success in the next chapter of her career.

Congratulations, Dr. Mitchell!

🎓 Congratulations to our 2025–2026 Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience thesis defense students!

This academic year, we had the privilege of celebrating an incredible group of students as they successfully defended their theses and reached this major milestone in their scientific journeys. Your hard work, perseverance, curiosity, and dedication to advancing neuroscience research have been truly inspiring.

Please join us in congratulating:
✨ Matt McGregor
✨ Amy Barry
✨ Brittany Todd
✨ Ben Kreitlow
✨ Angela Richardson
✨ Gage Liddiard
✨ Mallory Shin
✨ Hannah Stutt
✨ Ashby Martin
✨ Utsav Mukherjee
✨ Brooke Yeager
✨ Annie Rohl

We are so proud of all you have accomplished and are excited to see where your careers and discoveries lead next. Congratulations on earning this well-deserved achievement!

🎉 Congratulations to Annie Rohl, PhD! 🎉

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience is proud to announce that Annie Rohl, PhD, successfully presented and defended her thesis, “Activity in the Human Subthalamic Nucleus During Speech Production,” on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 marking an outstanding milestone in her doctoral training.

Conducted in the laboratories of Drs. Jeremy Greenlee, MD and Joel Berger, PhD, Annie’s research advances our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying speech production, with important implications for both basic neuroscience and clinical applications. Her work reflects a remarkable combination of scientific rigor, innovation, and dedication.

We extend our sincere congratulations to Annie on this significant achievement. Her accomplishments are a testament to her perseverance and passion for discovery, and we look forward to seeing the continued impact of her contributions to the field of neuroscience.

Congratulations to Brooke Yeager on the successful presentation and defense of her doctoral thesis in Neuroscience!

Brooke completed her graduate training in the laboratory of Dr. Nandakumar Narayanan in the Department of Neurology, where she conducted innovative research examining the neural mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. Her dissertation, “Functional network dynamics underlying cognitive impairments in Parkinson’s disease,” provides important insight into how large-scale brain network activity contributes to cognitive symptoms, expanding our understanding of the disease beyond its well-known motor features.

Through her work, Brooke has advanced the field’s knowledge of brain network dynamics and their role in neurodegenerative disease, helping to inform future directions for research and potential therapeutic strategies.

We commend Brooke for her dedication, perseverance, and scholarly excellence throughout her doctoral training. Her accomplishments reflect a strong commitment to advancing neuroscience research, and we are excited to see the impact she will make in her future endeavors.

Please join us in congratulating Brooke on this outstanding achievement!

Utsav Mukherjee, PhD, Successfully Defends Doctoral Thesis in Neuroscience

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience is proud to congratulate Utsav Mukherjee on the successful defense of his doctoral thesis on April 8, 2026.

Utsav’s dissertation, “Unraveling Novel Regulators of Hippocampal Long-Term Memory Consolidation,” represents a significant contribution to the field of neuroscience, advancing our understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie memory formation and persistence. His research highlights novel pathways involved in hippocampal function, offering valuable insight into the complex processes that support long-term memory.

Throughout his doctoral training, Utsav demonstrated a strong commitment to scientific excellence, thoughtful inquiry, and collaborative research. His work reflects not only technical rigor, but also a deep curiosity about the fundamental workings of the brain.

Utsav completed his graduate studies under the mentorship of Dr. Ted Abel, whose guidance and support helped shape this important body of work.

We extend our sincere congratulations to Dr. Mukherjee on this outstanding achievement and thank him for his contributions to the Neuroscience Program. We look forward to following his continued success in the years ahead.

Ashby Martin, PhD, Successfully Defends Dissertation in Neuroscience

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience is proud to announce that Ashby Martin, PhD, successfully completed his thesis seminar and doctoral defense on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Ashby’s dissertation, titled “Does the Use of a Speech Interpreter Affect Neuropsychological Assessment?”, explores an important and often underexamined factor in clinical and research settings. His work contributes valuable insight into how language access and interpretation may influence the accuracy and outcomes of neuropsychological evaluations—an area with significant implications for patient care, assessment equity, and cross-cultural research.

Throughout his graduate training, Ashby demonstrated a strong commitment to rigorous scientific inquiry and interdisciplinary collaboration. His research reflects both methodological precision and a deep awareness of real-world clinical challenges, embodying the mission of the program to advance impactful and translational neuroscience.

Ashby completed his doctoral work under the mentorship of Dr. Dan Tranel, whose guidance and expertise supported the development of this meaningful body of research.

We congratulate Dr. Martin on this outstanding achievement and thank him for his contributions to the program and the broader scientific community. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of his work in the years ahead and wish him every success in his future endeavors.