UD Department of Natural & Applied Sciences

06/01/2026

While interning at UD Wolter Woods & Prairies, student Paige Manning spotted more than just ticks—she made history. Manning identified the first Lone Star tick discovered by UD researchers in Dubuque County and the first Gulf Coast tick in Clayton County. These discoveries highlight how changing environments bring new species into our region.

“We wouldn’t know about these two ‘new’ ticks in the area if it wasn’t for Paige! Truly," said Kelly Grussendorf, head of the UD Department of Natural & Applied Sciences and professor of biology who has researched ticks and tick-borne diseases in Eastern Iowa for eight years.

🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/UDTickDiscovery

06/01/2026

A prestigious fellowship carrying a $36,000 stipend over three years—and benefiting rural communities across Iowa—the McElroy Trust has been awarded to alumna Paige Manning (C’25).

Her bachelor of science and double major in biology and medical science set her on a path of research and discovery through her fellowships at UD. As she pursues her doctor of philosophy in ecology and evolutionary biology at Texas A&M University, Manning continues her journey in advancing research and exploration.

🌱: bit.ly/UDMcElroyTrust26

05/01/2026

04/10/2026

🌎 It was great to see so many members of our community come together at UD for the 2026 Climate Action Festival! Thank you to DMASWA and collegiate members of the Dubuque Colleges Sustainability Coalition who organized the event, to our community partners who shared their amazing work, to Big Blue Sky for sharing their amazing music, UD Dining Services for the low-waste/great-taste food, and Sustainable Dubuque for their support!

03/30/2026

Two ways we’re giving back to the Earth and our community 🌿💙

Earth Advocates Spartans rolled up their sleeves for a highway cleanup at the stretch adopted over 20 years ago—showing our continued commitment to keeping our environment clean and thriving.

At the same time, we’re helping spark the next generation of scientists! This month, Department of Natural and Applied Science partnered with the Iowa Waste Exchange to donate gently used microscopes to an eastern Iowa K–12 school science program and a Head Start STEM 🔬 program, encouraging hands-on learning and early scientific curiosity.

03/17/2026

In the News: innovative, collaborative research with DNAS Faculty, Dr. Adam Kleinschmit!

A team of researchers, including a University of Dubuque professor, found scorpion venom could be used to develop new antibiotics.
https://www.kcrg.com/2026/03/13/venom-medicine-iowa-professor-says-scorpions-could-unlock-new-antibiotics/

03/02/2026

Hands-on experience and research opportunities are at the heart of what we do. Because we know students are at the center of the learning experience, we view research as a powerful way to expand their education beyond the classroom.

Spartans often participate in more than one research experience throughout their college careers, and alum Joey Wohlers (C’24, MM’25) is proof of that. Joey completed multiple research projects during his time as a student. His most recent project, conducted in summer 2025, was titled “E. coli in Dubuque’s Waters.” 🦠 🧫

"The connection with the community helped me with this E. coli project and several other research projects I did as a student. Through this connection, students are able to do research that benefits the community and the people who call Dubuque home." Joey.

Spartans of UD | bit.ly/UD-JoeyWohlers

02/10/2026

Venom isn’t sterile, and one of our faculty helped prove it 🦂.

Professor of Biology Adam Kleinschmit, PhD, was part of a collaborative research team that published groundbreaking findings in PLOS One, challenging the long-held belief that animal venom is sterile. Using high-throughput DNA sequencing and advanced bioinformatics, the team discovered diverse bacterial communities living directly inside scorpion venom.

This research reframes venom as a microbial ecosystem and opens exciting possibilities for new antibiotics and bioactive compounds inspired by life thriving in extreme environments.
We are proud to see faculty pushing the boundaries of science and creating impactful research opportunities for students.

🔬: bit.ly/UDScorpionResearch

01/06/2026

senior biology major Matthew Peterson took first place in the undergraduate poster competition at the 85th annual Meeting of the North Central Branch of the Society for Microbiology with his work; “Characterizing the Composition and Diversity of Aeolian Dust-Associated Microbial Communities Deposited on Alpine Snowpack.”

His research explored how dust storms can carry bacteria thousands of miles before depositing them on alpine snowpack — revealing surprising microbial travelers along the way.

"Our research looked into four dust storms in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado from 2019. We used meteorological data to attempt to trace the storms' paths to find an emission region, then we compared the bacterial genetic data found in the dust transported with those storms and compared it to bacteria genetic data from the snow that was present prior to the storms.” – Matthew Peterson

⏩️ bit.ly/UDStudentPlacesFirstUndergraduatePoster

01/06/2026

Join DNAS and UD Wolter Woods & Prairies in welcoming scientists from across the US to the University of Dubuque as they share their research with our community!