Chad Grueter 140x200
Chad Grueter, PhD
Vice Chair for Research

The Department of Medicine has a long tradition of conducting rigorous and groundbreaking biomedical and clinical research. We foster a departmental culture that prizes scientific pursuit and a deep commitment to nurturing physician scientists. Nearly half our faculty engages in research in a wide variety of areas that includes diabetes, lymphoma, inflammation, viral pathogenesis, bio-defense, epithelial biology, gene therapy, vascular and myocardial biology, antibiotic resistance, clinical trials, and health services research. We invite you to explore these pages to learn more about the exciting discoveries continually being made in Internal Medicine.

Recent Publications

Explore this robust database provided by Iowa Research Online (ORI)

Research Resources

Department contacts, website design, and department and University resources.

Research Day

Our annual research event with internal and external presenters and a poster session!

Internal Medicine Affiliated Training Grants

The following training grants are currently active in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa:

Training Grants

Program in Hematology: Molecular and Cell Biology Blood Cells

Program Director: Steven Lentz, MD, PhD

Project Number: T32 HL007344

Title: Program in Hematology: Molecular & Cell Biology of Blood Cells

Center Goals: This training program has as its primary objective to prepare young scientific investigators for productive careers in academic hematology. There is a particular need to expand the number of scientists and physician-scientists trained in research in the field of hematology because of its direct relevance to some of the most common human medical conditions, including abnormalities of immune cells, vascular diseases, disorders of blood clotting, and cancers of blood cells.

About the Fellowship: The program has as its primary objective to prepare MD, MD/PhD, and PhD postdoctoral fellows for productive careers as academic scientists and physician-scientists. The focus of training supported by this grant remains within the scientific discipline of hematology. An evolving feature of the training program is an expanded emphasis to provide training opportunities in translational research. The training will be carried out in an enriched environment of active basic and clinical investigation at an institution that emphasizes the career development and collaborative science.

The specific objectives are:

  1. To identify and recruit outstanding postdoctoral trainees, inclusive of gender, ethnicity and culture, who wish to obtain comprehensive knowledge of the principles and techniques of basic and translational research related to hematology, blood cells, vascular biology, coagulation, or hematological malignancies;
  2. To attract highly motivated scientists and physician-scientists and provide them with comprehensive instruction in the design and implementation of high quality research projects, including participation in cross-disciplinary research teams;
  3. To train physician-scientists for academic careers in hematology and related scientific disciplines and prepare them for successful transition to independent investigators; and
  4. To expose talented PhD scientists to the field of hematology and train them for careers as independent investigators.

Since the last renewal, the training program has undergone a transition to an expanded leadership team and several new initiatives have been instituted. These include the establishment of mentoring committees and individualized development plans for all trainees, an expanded emphasis to provide didactic and mentored training opportunities in translational science, and the implementation of several new strategies to improve community among trainees. The rich training environment provided by the diverse faculty, extensive laboratory, clinical, and core facilities, and strong institutional support should ensure continued success in attracting and preparing highly qualified postdoctoral trainees for careers in academic hematology.

For more information contact Dr. Steven Lentz

Research Training in Infectious Diseases

Program Director: Jack Stapleton, MD

Project Number: T32 AI007343

Title: Research Training In Infectious Diseases 

Center Goals: Human suffering due to infectious diseases is widespread, both due to the constant endemic diseases and emerging infectious diseases that can reach epidemic proportions. This program is designed to train biomedical and physician biomedical scientists in the most recent advances in basic and epidemiological sciences, in order to prepare them for productive career in all aspects of Infectious Diseases research.

About the Fellowship: The program, whose research emphasis is on the interface between human host and microbial (bacterial and viral) pathogens, provides an intense mentored research experience for MD and PhD postdoctoral trainees in infectious diseases. This occurs in conjunction with an individualized curriculum of didactic courses, seminars and journal clubs designed to encourage substantive interactions between MDs and PhDs. A short- term 3-month research experience for medical students is also offered. Most faculty are drawn from 1 basic science and 2 clinical departments, as well as 2 interdisciplinary PhD programs. Collaboration among program faculty is high. Research facilities are superb.

The scientific program centers around three major areas:

  1. Host Defense, emphasizing innate immunity;
  2. Bacterial Pathogenesis; and
  3. Viral Pathogenesis.

Faculty are divided into: 1) full members; and 2) associate members; on the basis of their extramural research support and their experience both as an independent investigator and research mentor. Primary research mentors come from faculty meeting the criteria for full membership. An important aspect of the 3-year research experience for MD postdoctoral trainees with minimal prior research experience is an intensive exposure to a broad spectrum of graduate level basic science courses. All postdoctoral trainees establish a Research Advisory Committee. All trainees attend a research conference, as well as a seminar/ journal club designed to encourage cross-fertilization of ideas and scientific approaches between clinical medicine and basic science. They will interact with outstanding visiting scientists, attend scientific meetings, learn scientific writing and grant preparation skills, and complete a course in research and biomedical ethics. A recruitment program for minority trainees is in place and is being further expanded. In summary, this proposal requests continuation of an ongoing training program with an excellent training record which will provide a coordinated and integrated training experience for postdoctoral MD and PhD trainees in infectious diseases research related to the microbial pathogenesis of bacterial and viral infections of humans

For more information contact: Dr. Jack Stapleton or Dr. Lee-Ann H. Allen.

Training in Mechanisms of Parasitism

Program Director: Mary Wilson, MD

Project Number: T32 AI007511

Title: Training in Mechanisms of Parasitism

Principal Investigators: Mary E. Wilson, MD, and Patrick M. Schlievert, PhD

For additional information, see this page.

Goals of the Training Plan: This proposal is based upon the hypothesis that the mechanisms through which pathogenic microbes invade and elicit disease in mammalian hosts, and responses of the host to these microbial pathogens, will share common features between microbes from different phyla, i.e., protozoa, helminths, bacteria, and viruses. A corollary is that the same technology can be applied to investigations of microbial virulence/host responses to different pathogens. As such, an integrated approach to these host-parasite interactions will enhance progress in each individual field. Our experience through this training program has shown that not only is it beneficial to foster these interactions at the level of the principal investigator, but that interactions promoted at the trainee level also “trickle up” for the benefit of the mentors.

According to the above hypotheses and observations, the goals of the program are: (1) to foster collaborations among scientists and trainees with expertise in complementary disciplines; (2) to encourage trainees to take advantage of the expertise of faculty members in diverse fields; (3) to ensure that trainees are well informed of new advances in technology and their applications to biological questions; (4) to foster interactions among graduate students, PhD postdoctoral fellows, and MD fellows in different laboratories; and (5) to carefully monitor the progress of trainees so that their learning and productivity are maximized.

About the Fellowship:

  • Funded since 1996.
  • Currently supporting three predoctoral students (combined M.D./Ph.D. or Ph.D. only) and four postdoctoral fellows.
  • Trainees participate in:
    • Seminars
    • Journal clubs
    • Annual retreat
    • Career development
    • Grant-writing
    • Graduate courses
    • Bench research
  • Major contributing departments and programs:
    • Microbiology and Immunology
    • Internal Medicine
    • Pediatrics
    • Epidemiology
    • Biomedical Engineering
    • Inflammation Program
  • Applications are requested in April of each year and new trainees are appointed on August 1. 

For more information about the grant and information on how to apply contact: Angie Robertson (angie-robertson@uiowa.edu).

*Eligibility

Support provided for predoctoral students (PhD or MD/PhD) and postdoctoral scholars. Trainee appointments must meet the eligibility requirements set by the funding organization, be mentored by a faculty member/preceptor participating in the training program, and be chosen through the individual training program’s selection process.

Research News

University of Iowa physician–scientist receives prestigious Lasker Award
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Michael J. Welsh, MD honored with prestigious Lasker Award for fundamental cystic fibrosis discoveries that helped create life-saving therapies.
Welsh receives Yergin-New International Prize for Biomedical Research
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai has awarded its prestigious 2025 Yergin-New International Prize for Biomedical Research to Michael J. Welsh, MD, professor in Pulmonary, Critical Care, & Occupational Medicine, recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to cystic fibrosis (CF) research.
Song and Wang discover junctophilin-2’s vital role in heart repair after injury
Monday, August 18, 2025
Researchers uncovered a surprising player in the repair process: a protein called junctophilin-2 (Jph2).
UI research identifies promising new target for treating rare, aggressive childhood cancer
Friday, August 15, 2025
A new study, led by Eric Taylor, PhD and Rebecca Dodd, PhD, delving into the genetic drivers of a rare and aggressive childhood cancer called Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor (MPNST) has revealed metabolic frailties in the cancer cells that might be exploited to improved treatments for patients.
Goldar, Sifuentes spot evaluation gap in cardiac care
Friday, August 8, 2025
In a retrospective study featured in JACC: Advances, researchers identified an alarming national trend: providers infrequently test younger patients with CHB for cardiac sarcoidosis, despite American Heart Association guidelines recommending CS screening in such cases.
Taiwo links metabolic liver disease to type 1 diabetes
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Adeyinka Taiwo, MBBS, MSc, FRCP, clinical assistant professor in Endocrinology and Metabolism, has published novel research laying the foundation for continued study of T1D comorbidity with the nation’s most common chronic liver disease.
UI researchers receive grant to study rare airway disease: primary ciliary dyskinesia
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
University of Iowa researchers have received a significant grant to study primary ciliary dyskinesia, a rare airway disease, aiming to advance understanding and treatment options for affected patients. This funding will support innovative research efforts to improve patient outcomes.
Chaurasia Lab deepens work in metabolic disease target
Tuesday, May 6, 2025
The Chaurasia Lab, led by Bhagirath Chaurasia, MSc, PhD, assistant professor in the Division of Endocrinology & Metabolism, has continued to explore emerging targets to reduce obesity and treat metabolic conditions. Their recent publication, “Ceramide-induced FGF13 impairs systemic metabolic health,” appears in Cell Metabolism and contributes to the group’s history of groundbreaking research in the field.
Four Internal Medicine faculty honored during 2025 Celebration of Excellence
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
In recognition of its tradition of exemplary scholarly activity, the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (CCOM) held its annual Celebration of Excellence in Research, Scholarship, Teaching, and Service on Monday, adding faculty with appointments in the Department of Internal Medicine to its Wall of Scholarship, naming Impact Scholars, and presenting Faculty Awards.
Boudreau combines heart disease research projects under new NIH R35
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Ryan Boudreau, PhD, associate professor in cardiovascular medicine has received a seven-year, $7.6M R35 NHLBI Emerging Investigator Award (EIA) to support a comprehensive research program examining the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying heart disease, the global leading cause of death.

Investigators and Research Groups

Visit laboratory websites in the following specialty categories:


 

New Funding Awards

May-June 2025
New Federal Awards
Quanhathai KaewpoowatUS Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources & Services Administration
3 years
OP Early Intervention Serices with Respect to HIV Disease
Other Awards
Naomi FeiHenlius USA Inc.
3 years
HLX22 (Recombinant Humanized Anti-HER2 Monoclonal Antibody Injection) in Combination with Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy (XELOX) versus Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy (XELOX) with or without Pembrolizumab for the First Line Treatment of Locally Advanced or Metastatic Gastroesophageal Junction and Gastric Cancer
Spyridon FortisGlaxoSmithKline, LLC
3 years
Anti-TSLP Antibody (GSK5784283) in Adults aged 18 to 75 years of age with Uncontrolled Asthma
Muhammad FurqanBioNTech SE
3 years
BNT327 in combination with chemotherapy and other investigational agents in first-line non-small cell lung cancer
Alan GundersonGigaGen Inc
3 years
GIGA-2339 Administered as a Single Ascending Dose and Multiple Ascending Doses in Participants with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection
Tomohiro TanakaBluejay Therapeutics, Inc.
3 years
BJT-778 vs Delayed Treatment for the Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis Delta Infection (AZURE-1)
Hanna ZembrzuskaZura BioTibulizumab in Adults  with Systemic Sclerosis
Douglas LauxOncoResponse
3 years
Optimizing Delivery of Prime Editors to Repair the CFTR F508del Mutation
Mohamad MokademNovo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
3 years
Testing peripheral nervous system as mediators of the metabolic effects of Monlunabant
Eric MouCorvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
3 years
Soquelitinib versus physician's choice standard of care (SOC) treatment (selected single agents) in participants with relapsed/refractory (R/R) peripheral T-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), follicular helper T-cell lymphomas (FHTCLs), or systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (sALCL).
Sneha PhadkeBeOne Medicines USA, Inc.
4 years
BGB-21447 (Bcl-2i) Combinations for Patients With HR+/HER2- Metastatic Breast Cancer
Hira ShaikhAstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
3 years
GC012F, a Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) Therapy Targeting CD19 andB-cell Maturation Antigen (BCMA) in Subjects with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma

Job Opportunities