Top Researchers
Top Neuroscience Researchers at University of Iowa for 2026
Research at the University of Iowa spans a wide range of Neuroscience, from brain stimulation and cognitive function to stroke, sensory systems, and autonomic regulation. Looking across the last year, the institution’s output reflects both clinical and basic science questions, with work that connects neural circuits to patient care and experimental models.
Below, you’ll find a snapshot of several researchers whose recent publications help show how this community is approaching neuroscience from multiple angles. Their work highlights active areas of inquiry and the breadth of expertise represented across the university.
Featured Researchers
Aaron D. Boes
Aaron D. Boes at the University of Iowa has focused on cognitive neuroscience, neurology, and imaging, with recent work on brain networks, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and lesion-related dystonia.
Activity over the last year: 13 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
- A human brain network linked to restoration of consciousness after deep brain stimulation (Jul 2025)
- Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex TMS evokes responses in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex: Intracranial EEG evidence from two human cases (Jun 2025)
- Network Localization of Pediatric Lesion‐Induced Dystonia (Mar 2025)
Gordon F. Buchanan
Gordon F. Buchanan at the University of Iowa has worked across psychiatry and mental health, cellular and molecular neuroscience, and cognitive neuroscience, including studies of SUDEP, seizure-related death, and hypothalamic neurons.
Activity over the last year: 12 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
- Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) Summit: Recommendations and priorities for clinical action, awareness, public health and epidemiology, and basic science (Aug 2025)
- Seizure‐related death exhibits a circadian rhythm independent of seizure timing or sleep in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome (Jun 2025)
- Parabrachial Foxp2-expressing neurons are necessary for sustaining core body temperature in the cold (Jul 2025)
Jacob Oleson
Jacob Oleson at the University of Iowa has recent publications spanning cognitive neuroscience, sensory systems, and educational psychology, with attention to cochlear implants, hearing preservation, and hearing aid outcomes.
Activity over the last year: 14 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
Nicholas T. Trapp
Nicholas T. Trapp at the University of Iowa has centered recent work on neurology, cognitive neuroscience, and anesthesiology and pain medicine, including studies of TMS, coil orientation, and clinical training in brain stimulation.
Activity over the last year: 11 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
- Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex TMS evokes responses in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex: Intracranial EEG evidence from two human cases (Jun 2025)
- A new angle on transcranial magnetic stimulation coil orientation: A targeted narrative review (Jan 2025)
- Towards accredited clinical training in brain stimulation: Proceedings from the brain stimulation subspecialty summits (Feb 2025)
Anil K. Chauhan
Anil K. Chauhan at the University of Iowa has published on immunology and hematology in stroke-related research, including multicenter preclinical work on uric acid cerebroprotection, VWF-ADAMTS13 imbalance, and fasudil.
Activity over the last year: 9 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
- Uric Acid Stroke Cerebroprotection Transcended Sex, Age, and Comorbidities in a Multicenter Preclinical Trial (Mar 2025)
- Imbalanced VWF-ADAMTS13 axis contributes to the detrimental impact of a preceding respiratory tract infection on stroke (Jan 2025)
- Multicenter SPAN Trial of Fasudil in Ischemic Stroke (May 2025)
Kamal Rahmouni
Kamal Rahmouni at the University of Iowa has explored endocrine and autonomic systems, physiology, and genetics, with recent studies on obesity-linked autonomic dysfunction, energy balance, and vagal sensory neuropathy.
Activity over the last year: 7 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
- Loss of melanocortin receptor accessory protein 2 in melanocortin-4 receptor neurons protect from obesity-associated autonomic and cardiovascular dysfunctions (Apr 2025)
- Diet-dependent modulation of energy balance by CB1 signaling in peripheral sensory neurons (Jul 2025)
- RYGB induces vagal sensory neuropathy characterized by altered Glp1r expression and enhanced exendin-4 responsiveness in male mice (Dec 2025)
Rakesh B. Patel
Rakesh B. Patel at the University of Iowa has recent work in neurology, organic chemistry, and epidemiology, including studies of stroke cerebroprotection, infection-related vascular effects, and the SPAN trial of fasudil.
Activity over the last year: 8 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
- Uric Acid Stroke Cerebroprotection Transcended Sex, Age, and Comorbidities in a Multicenter Preclinical Trial (Mar 2025)
- Imbalanced VWF-ADAMTS13 axis contributes to the detrimental impact of a preceding respiratory tract infection on stroke (Jan 2025)
- Multicenter SPAN Trial of Fasudil in Ischemic Stroke (May 2025)
Nandakumar S. Narayanan
Nandakumar S. Narayanan at the University of Iowa has focused on cognitive neuroscience, neurology, and cellular and molecular neuroscience, with publications on subthalamic stimulation, interval timing, and prefrontal temporal encoding.
Activity over the last year: 5 indexed journal articles.
Top publications:
What University of Iowa's Neuroscience Community Is Working On
Across the University of Iowa’s recent neuroscience output, cognitive neuroscience and neurology appear most often, suggesting a community deeply engaged in understanding how brain circuits shape behavior, decision-making, and disease. Cellular and molecular neuroscience adds a mechanistic layer, while imaging, psychiatry, sensory systems, and autonomic biology broaden the picture. Together, these subfields point to active work that connects neural function with clinical translation, especially in brain stimulation, stroke, hearing, and the physiology of energy balance.- Cognitive Neuroscience - seen across 5 of the featured researchers
- Neurology - seen across 4 of the featured researchers
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience - seen across 2 of the featured researchers
- Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging - seen across 1 of the featured researchers
- Psychiatry and Mental health - seen across 1 of the featured researchers
The recent work coming out of the University of Iowa shows a field moving across scales, methods, and clinical contexts. If you want to keep exploring related research, browse more of the institution’s neuroscience output and use Resub to help streamline literature discovery, manuscript formatting, and submission prep for your own projects.
Top researchers use tools to scale their productivity and impact. Try Livewrite for free today.