Tranel joined UI Health Care as a postdoctoral fellow in 1982, and he became a faculty member in neurology in 1986. He has served as associate dean since 2014. In this position, he has:
- Established a successful first-year umbrella PhD program—the Biomedical Science Program—which supports a common curriculum and laboratory rotations for students who then enter one of seven biomedical PhD sub-programs
- Facilitated the addition of two new biomedical PhD subprograms: Cancer Biology and Experimental Pathology
- Fostered cutting-edge best practices in graduate and postdoctoral education in biomedical research training through his work with the Research Training and Professional Development Group in the Carver College of Medicine
- Coordinated with the UI Graduate College to promote central institutional support for research postdoctoral students
- Doubled the Carver College of Medicine funding support of biomedical PhD students
- Built a highly engaged and effective leadership team, including Prabhat Goswami, PhD, Darren Hoffmann, PhD, Michael Geneser, Lisa Avelleyra, and Claire Rooney
Additionally, Tranel has served on more than 100 PhD committees—over 40 as chair or co-chair—and received the Carver College of Medicine’s 2024 Distinguished Mentor Award.