The U.S. maternal mortality rate continues to climb to unprecedented numbers, highlighting a critical gap in the global understanding of maternal health and the pressing need for new, early interventions. With prevention as a top priority, University of Iowa Health Care researchers have gained momentum on identifying early markers and risk factors that can help identify high-risk pregnancies and guide timely interventions. Donna Santillan, PhD, and Mark Santillan, MD (09F,16PhD), are leading this effort through the UI Women’s Health Tissue Repository.

Beth Newell, assistant professor of pediatrics–critical care in the UI Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, is working to improve outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in her clinical care practice, which she couples with research on how immune cells in the brain respond to a TBI and impact long-term recovery.