On May 24, 2022, Fraternal Order of Eagles members joined the University of Iowa President, College of Medicine Executive Dean, faculty, staff, and students for an investiture ceremony honoring three Carver of College of Medicine faculty.
The investiture celebrated faculty appointments to endowed chairs established by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Dr. Sue Bodine was conferred the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center Chair. Dr. Bodine is a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. Her research centers on the study of the neuromuscular system and its response and adaptation to stressors, including obesity, diabetes, and aging. Her laboratory is working to identify the mechanisms responsible for muscle atrophy and determine strategies for preventing atrophy and accelerating muscle recovery.
The Verna Funke Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center Chair was bestowed on Dr. Ayotunde Dokun who is an associate professor and director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Internal Medicine. He performs research on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and diabetes-associated peripheral arterial disease, with the goal of preventing diabetes-related limb amputations.
Finally, the E. Dale Abel Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center Chair was given to Dr. Kamal Rahmouni who is a professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology and interim co-director of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center. The work in Dr. Rahmouni’s laboratory is focused on the neurobiology of metabolism, energy homeostasis, and cardiovascular function as relates to obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. The goal of his research is to identify the neuroanatomical and molecular pathways involved in the regulation of metabolic, autonomic, and cardiovascular functions.
A reception followed the ceremony outside of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, located in the Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building.