Source: Iowa Cancer Registry
The University of Iowa Research Development Office and Implementation Science Center are sponsoring a three-day Ideas Lab on Reducing Iowa’s Cancer Risk through Novel Collaborations on January 12-14, 2026. This in-person event will be hosted at the Terry Trueblood Park Lodge.
January 12-14, 2026; Terry Trueblood Park Lodge
Submit your application by Friday, October 31 at 5pm.
Overview
Iowa has the second highest age-adjusted rate of newly diagnosed cancers and is one of only two states whose rate of new cancer diagnoses is rising. The reasons for these unenviably high rankings are multiple and complex leading to uncertainty when seeking ways to reduce cancer risk. Contributing to this uncertainty, behavioral and environmental risk factors intersect each Iowans’ genetic make-up. Advancements in genomics and precision medicine coupled with the increased rate of cancer diagnoses in Iowa result in the need for novel multidisciplinary approaches to reducing cancer risk.
Ideas Lab Objective
The objective of this Ideas Lab is to develop novel and exciting proposals for interdisciplinary research that will generate (a) strategies for integrating precision medicine with other risk factors to prevent and treat cancer in Iowa and (b) implementation processes to increase the likelihood of adoption of these strategies. These priorities should consider the unique risk factors in Iowa and the rurality of the state in developing research questions that can reduce the rate of newly diagnosed cancers and improve the effectiveness of treatment.
Academic Disciplines
We are soliciting applications from participants in a broad range of academic disciplines, including:
- Precision Medicine
- Genetics
- Clinical cancer care
- Cancer research (including epidemiology, bioinformatics, prevention, risk factors, and other areas)
- Health economics
- Ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) researchers
- Behavioral and social scientists
- Data analytics/informatics/artificial intelligence
- Environmental science
- Agriculture
- Public health
- Public policy
- And beyond…
Call to Action: Apply to be an Ideas Lab Fellow
Approximately 30 participants will be selected to be an Ideas Lab Fellow. Prioritization for acceptance will be based on disciplinary diversity and responses to the application questions.
Note: Not all applicants will be accepted to participate in the Ideas Lab; however, there will be opportunities to connect following the Ideas Lab as one of the goals of this activity is to build community across and beyond the University of Iowa.
Complete the Application by October 31 @ 5pm
Application questions include:
- Please provide a brief summary of your professional background. (150 words)
- NOTE: if you are selected, this information will be shared with other participants.
- How do you see your expertise and interests contributing to realizing the goal of this workshop? (150 words)
- Briefly describe your experience with teamwork and collaboration, what strengths you can bring to a team, and how this experience will contribute to the Ideas Lab. (150 words)
- How would you explain your area of interest to individuals with different expertise to your own? How do you hope that participating in this workshop will help you? (150 words)
Eligibility Criteria
All faculty and staff members for whom research and scholarship are assigned as one of their primary job responsibilities and have at least 50% university appointment during the academic year at one of the three Regents Universities are eligible to apply.
Please note, participation requires committing to all three days of the Ideas Lab.
Timeline
Submit Ideas Lab Fellow Application
On or before October 31
Ideas Lab Fellows Announced
Week of November 17
Ideas Lab
January 12-14, 2026
Participate in an Onramp Talk
Onramp talks are hourlong sessions including background information on the challenge followed by ideating and networking between attendees. In our sessions, we’ll discuss the goals of the Ideas Lab and background information such as: a) why is this important, b) what’s been tried to date, c) why we are stuck in finding solutions, and d) why your participation is vital. Following a brief presentation, we’ll invite attendees to begin discussing how their different disciplinary backgrounds may help generate novel strategies for reducing cancer risk.
Session 1
Wednesday, October 15 @ 10am-11am
College of Public Health Building (CPHB)
Session 2
Thursday, October 16 @ 9am-10am
University Capitol Centre (UCC)
Join us for one or both of the sessions to meet your colleagues and start exploring solutions.
The RDO will send a calendar invtiation after registration with the room number.
The Ideas Lab Concept
An Ideas Lab is an intensive, interactive, and free-thinking workshop on a particular topic, involving up to thirty diverse participants. It aims to stimulate connections and ideas that will lead to ground-breaking interdisciplinary research projects designed to reduce cancer risks and improve treatment effectiveness. Participants will be expected to engage constructively in dialogue with each other, the facilitators, and the Director and Mentors to develop collaborative research proposals.
Our Ideas Lab, facilitated by Knowinnovation, will run over three days (January 12-14, 2026). The approach of the Ideas Lab is not to discuss ideas that are already well developed. Rather, the goal is to bring individuals from different disciplines together to interact and engage in free-thinking on first principles, to learn from one another and create an integrated vision for future research projects. It is expected that the sharing of these ideas would be encouraged within the Ideas Lab, but their confidentiality would be respected outside the Ideas Lab.
The Ideas Lab will be led by a Director whose role will be to assist in defining the topics and aid in facilitating discussions at the event. The Director will be joined by a small number of Mentors. The Director and Mentors will encourage new ideas by asking questions, highlighting ideas that seem exciting, and making connections – both between participants and to the wider body of knowledge. They will also act as “real time” peer reviewers throughout the Ideas Lab process, providing a function analogous to that of a peer review panel.
Following the Ideas Lab
The Research Development Office will coordinate the initial meetings of interdisciplinary teams that have formed. We will also share insights from the Ideas Lab with the broader UI campus community and beyond to connect and expand existing and new networks of researchers.
Engage with Potential Funding Opportunities
The Research Development Office will also provide guidance on possible funding sources, including both internal sources (e.g., the University of Iowa P3 Program in Support of Strategic Initiatives; OVPR Large Grant Development Opportunity) and external sources (e.g., NIH, PCORI, DOD, NSF, cancer foundations).
Pivot-RP Funding Opportunities
Review a Precision Medicine/Genetics and Cancer Pivot search containing federal and private funding sources. This search will update in real time with new opportunities as they become available. Save the search to receive weekly emails highlighting new opportunities.
OVPR Large Grant Development Opportunity
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) requests applications for the Large Grant Development Opportunity to enable interdisciplinary research teams to pursue and win large-scale interdisciplinary research grants such as program project grants or center grants (e.g., NIH U and P grants; NSF STC and ERC).
Priority areas include:
- Involve researchers in multiple colleges, departments, and units.
- Are interdisciplinary and propose fresh, innovative ideas.
- Focus on the university’s Distinctive Collaborative Opportunities: brain sciences and mental health; cancer research and patient care; and writing and communication.
- Focus on topics of priority to our state and/or country, such as rural health.
- Will lead to a grant award of $7 million or greater over several years.
- Develop new collaborations across campus units.
This opportunity includes 3 phases: Phase 1 (team and idea development; <$10k), Phase 2 (pilot research; team and idea refinement; <$250k), and Phase 3 (grant submission; <$60k). Applications for all three phases will be accepted annually starting on Jan. 31 of 2026 through 2029.
The Ideas Lab Organizing Committee
- Amy Colbert (Event Director; Professor, Management and Entrepreneurship)
- Heather Reisinger (Professor, Internal Medicine; Director, Implementation Science Center)
- James Blum (Associate Professor, Anesthesia; Chief Health Information Officer, UIHC)
- Azeez Butali (Professor, Oral Pathology, Radiology, & Medicine)
- Colleen Campbell (Clinical Associate Professor, Internal Medicine; Assistant Director, Iowa Institute of Human Genetics)
- Mary Charlton (Professor, Epidemiology; Director, Iowa Cancer Registry)
- Drew Kitchen (Professor and DEO, Anthropology)
- Anya Prince (Professor, Law)
Questions?
For more information, contact Aaron Kline at the Research Development Office: vpr-rdo@uiowa.edu.
Sponsored by:
Research Development Office (RDO) and Implementation Science Center (ISC)
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Research Development Office in advance at 319-335-2119 or vpr-rdo@uiowa.edu