| | At a moment of significant change for higher education and federally funded research, CLAS faculty continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and creativity. In this issue, we highlight their compelling work, recognize ongoing achievements, and share resources to support research efforts across every area of the college.
We hope you enjoy exploring the stories and insights in this issue—and as always, please feel free to reach out if I can be a resource.
Joshua Weiner
Associate Dean for Research and Infrastructure
Professor of Biology
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | | | | Amid major shifts in the national research funding landscape, CLAS faculty and staff sustained strong proposal activity in FY25. Their efforts supported continued progress in research, scholarship, and creative work across the college. | | | The NIH grant will fund a new centralized facility for the University of Iowa’s Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank, boosting its capacity and modernizing its antibody production and research infrastructure. | | | | Faculty across CLAS are engaged in fascinating work. Bin Z. He, Garrett J. Morris, Sarah Minor and Anny-Dominique Curtius answer a few of our questions in this feature. | | | Isabel Muzzio, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, wants to answer how memories are stored, whether they can modified, and what sustains them over time. | | | | As the University of Iowa looks toward celebrating the 100-year anniversary of its Religious Studies department in 2026, DEO and Associate Professor of the department, Paul Dilley, stands at the intersection of tradition and innovation. | | | Following the success of the TRACERS spacecraft launch, Department of Physics and Astronomy faculty members are anticipating the development of the innovative Iowa Spaceflight Laboratory. | | | | An interdisciplinary team including CLAS faculty is launching a research collaboration to better understand how social isolation and disrupted sleep patterns contribute to reliance on AI chatbots—and how these interactions may pose risks to mental health. | | | CLAS biologist Andrew Forbes’ lab, with a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation, is revealing the unknown ecological world of parasitic wasps. | | | | Explore a wide range of internal and external grant opportunities—many with fast-approaching deadlines; the CLAS Grant Support Office maintains the list and is ready to assist with questions or support. | | | Despite a slowdown in new federal awards and renewals, funding momentum is building again, and CLAS remains on track for a strong year—congratulations to our faculty on their latest successes! Check out the grants awarded in November and December of 2025. | | | |
