A heartfelt thank you to the Microbiology Undergraduate Student Association (MUSA) and the UIowa American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Student Chapter for organizing the recent panel discussion on federal research funding. Special thanks to Marla Shaffer from the ASM Student Chapter for moderating the event. We were fortunate to have insightful presentations from Drs. Li Wu, Rich Roller, and Michael Gebhardt.

The event took place on Monday, March 31, 2025. During the discussion, faculty members broke down the complexities of federal funding for biomedical research. They detailed how funding is distributed to universities, departments, and individual labs, and how it supports both research and education. The panel also explored potential changes to funding policies and their implications for the field of microbiology at Iowa and beyond.

The event saw a great turnout, with many undergraduate students, as well as a number of graduate students and postdocs in attendance.

Stay tuned for more events and opportunities to delve into the critical issues shaping the future of microbiology research!