Our Scientists
Background and Purpose
The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (OGPS) was created in 2014, under the leadership of an Associate Dean in the Carver College of Medicine (CCOM), Daniel Tranel, PhD. Its mission is to oversee graduate (PhD) and postdoctoral training in the biomedical sciences in the CCOM. The approximately 300 PhD students and approximately 200 postdoctoral scholars in CCOM faculty laboratories comprise the workforce that drives biomedical science productivity and extramural research funding.
Award-Winning Faculty
President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence
Darren Hoffmann is an Associate Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology in the Carver College of Medicine and a multiple-award winning teacher in the medical and dental programs. Dr. Hoffmann conducts research in the areas of anatomy education and graduate student development. His early work in virtual anatomy led to the development of several widely used anatomy applications and scholarly research into how these types of resources are used in health professions education. For over a decade, Hoffmann has led a program for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars called “Transforming Your Research into Teaching” where trainees from across the US and Canada learn the basics of curriculum design and build college-level courses based on their dissertation research. He currently serves as Curriculum Director for the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and Associate Director for Education for the Iowa Medical Scientist Training Program.
Distinguished Mentor Award
The Daryl and Nancy Granner Distinguished Mentor Award honors an outstanding mentor of the Carver College of Medicine.
Awardees are distinguished faculty whose mentees have gone on to distinguished careers of their own. Awardees are also known for their collegiality, dedication to their profession, and the advancement of our institutions.
"A Professor in the Department of Neurology, Dr. Tranel has an outstanding record of selflessly mentoring students, post-doctoral trainees, and faculty. He is also nationally and internationally recognized for his pioneering research in neuropsychology."
Training and Professional Development
A major focus of our graduate programs is preparing students and making them competitive for both traditional career outcomes (e.g., independent scientist positions at research-intensive institutions), and other career outcomes where PhD training is vital (e.g., teaching positions at liberal arts colleges and universities, research positions in biotechnology and industry, administrative positions in government, and media positions). In conjunction with the Office of UI Grad Success, the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies provides professional development and career skills training across the biomedical programs, to ensure that students acquire appropriate skill sets to compete at the next level.
Important Dates
Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation Week - April 7-11
