Cathy Yea Won Sung, assistant professor in the Department of Biology, is the lead investigator on the project. She will aim to prevent permanent hearing loss caused by the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. Although highly effective at killing cancer cells, cisplatin can also damage healthy cells. This includes mechanosensory hair cells in the cochlea, which convert sound vibrations into electrical signals the brain can interpret. Once these hair cells die, they do not regenerate, leading to permanent hearing loss.

The University of Iowa has again been named a Fulbright Top Producing Institution among doctoral institutions for the U.S. Student Program. This is the 10th year Iowa has earned this prestigious honor from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Bowden’s research group will focus on designing and synthesizing sulfur and nitrogen-based polymers. Some of those combinations will be tested further as structures composed of more than 98% sulfur and nitrogen, which could yield better control over their chemical and physical properties.

Teresa Treat, professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, uses her multidisciplinary expertise to research ways to reduce harm in college settings.

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences Professor Jan Wessel has always been fascinated by the brain and how humans think. Now, he conducts his research in a collaborative approach unlike any other.

What you see isn't always what's there. Camouflage can make many physical objects invisible, but what about thoughts and ideas? CLAS' Isabel Muzzio shares her research in this podcast.

University of Iowa and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences biology professor John Manak received a Summer 2026 Interdisciplinary Research Grant from the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies to study Intellectual disability (ID). ID is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant limitations in learning, memory, and problem-solving as well as social interaction and communication. Using health databases and fruit fly genetic approaches, Dr. Manak will work with Dr. Benjamin Darbro from the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics to identify genes associated with ID. The project will be funded by a Laura Spelman Rockefeller grant.

If you're graduating this spring, the countdown is on! Use this checklist to stay on track with important deadlines and make sure you're ready to walk across the stage in May.

Nine faculty members will advance their creative works in film, photography, language and culture, music, or journalism this year thanks to funding from the Arts and Humanities Initiative (AHI).

Join the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in congratulating the 2026 Dare to Discover student and postdoc researchers, scholars, and creators from across CLAS.