Dr. McCarthy is a clinical psychologist working primarily in the area of addiction. His research focuses on a broad range of factors that can influence how people make decisions about use of alcohol and other substances, or about engaging in risk taking behavior while intoxicated, such as drunk driving. Ongoing projects include laboratory and EMA methods testing the effect of alcohol on decision making. He also has an interest in racial differences in addiction risk processes. Lab website

Dr. Gumusoglu directs the Molecular Investigation of Neuroscience, Development, and Obstetrics Lab (MINDFOL) at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Her research utilizes translational approaches to understand the mechanisms by which complications of pregnancy such as infection, stress, and diseases like preeclampsia influence offspring and peripartum brain risk. Ongoing work examines prenatal and peripartum brain programming by neuroimmune and endocrine factors in the placenta-brain axis such as extracellular vesicles and immune cells. The lab's goal is to improve the specificity and efficacy of gestational prevention, detection, and treatment measures for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism in kids, and psychiatric disorders such as peripartum depression in birthing people.

Peg Nopoulos is a Professor of Psychiatry, Pediatrics and Neurology and the Chair and Departmental Executive Officer of Psychiatry.

Dr. Nopoulos’ research focuses on the study of the brain and behavior. This is done using state of the art neuroimaging techniques, specifically Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Dr. Nopoulos is interested in aspects of understanding normal healthy brains such as differences in brain structure and function between the sexes, as well as understanding how the brain changes with development through adolescence. In regard to the study of disease, her lab has investigated differences in brain structure and function a wide variety of conditions, including: craniofacial disorders such as clefts of the lip and/or palate, Huntington’s Disease and Juvenile-onset Huntington’s Disease, prematurity in infants, and Myotonic Dystrophy type 1.  Dr. Nopoulos has served as Vice Chair for Research for the Department of Psychiatry since 2011. Dr. Nopoulos will talk about her research and career path, with a student-led round-table to follow.

Dr. Sluka's laboratory studies the peripheral and central mechanisms of chronic musculoskeletal pain. These studies primarily involve the use of animal models of muscle pain developed and characterized in Dr. Sluka's laboratory. Current projects are aimed at deciphering the role of descending facilitation from the medulla in initiating and maintaining chronic muscle pain. These studies are examining the neurotransmitters and receptors that mediate the hyperalgesia associated with musculoskeletal pain using behavioral pharmacology, immunohistochemistry, and in vivo microdialysis. Dr. Sluka will talk about her research and career path, with a student-led round-table to follow.

Heather Widmayer from Scientific Editing and Research Communication Core will discuss the essentials of effective grant writing for graduate students. Presentation will be followed by an interactive portion.