Hoffmann, Ellermeier named to co-leadership positions for graduate and postdoctoral studies
UI Health Care leaders have appointed two Carver College of Medicine faculty members to serve in graduate and postdoctoral studies leadership positions that are crucial to recruiting top talent, strengthening education and professional development programs, and supporting PhD students and postdoctoral scholars across the college.
Darren Hoffmann, PhD, has been named associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies – admissions and educational development, and Craig Ellermeier, PhD, has been named associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies – research career development. Both appointments are effective Aug. 1, 2026.
The Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies supports a broad and growing educational mission within the Carver College of Medicine. After careful review, college leaders appointed two complementary positions to better align leadership responsibilities with the needs of graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty mentors, and training programs.
Hoffmann will focus primarily on admissions, recruitment, educational development, and core curriculum. Ellermeier will focus on research training, trainee mentorship, scientific leadership, research rotations, and career development programming for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
“Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars are central to our research, education, and discovery missions,” says Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, UI vice president for medical affairs and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine. “This leadership model gives us the opportunity to pair two highly respected faculty leaders with complementary expertise. Together, Dr. Hoffmann and Dr. Ellermeier will help strengthen the experience for trainees from recruitment through career development, while continuing to build the supportive, collaborative environment that distinguishes Iowa.”
Hoffmann has served as interim associate dean for graduate and postdoctoral studies since June 2025. He is an associate professor and vice chair for education in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. His work in the college has included leadership in biomedical sciences curriculum, graduate and postdoctoral teaching development, medical education scholarship, program evaluation, and mentoring. He also serves as curriculum director for the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program and associate director for education and evaluation for the Medical Scientist Training Program.
Ellermeier is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and director of graduate studies for the Microbiology Graduate Program. He has extensive experience mentoring graduate students, leading graduate admissions and curriculum efforts, and supporting trainees through research training, thesis committees, lab rotations, and externally funded research programs.
UI Health Care leaders began a national search for the role in June 2025 after former associate dean Dan Tranel, PhD, announced he would step down. Jamieson thanks members of the search committee — chaired by Kris DeMali, PhD, chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology — for their work in conducting the search and helping inform the final leadership structure.