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[Note: This material is copyright by The Daily Iowan, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of The Daily Iowan.]

Jack Cameron, the former laboratory associate director, and Jim Gill, the former zoonotic-disease specialist, no longer work for the UI. Cameron's last day was Jan. 4, and Gill's was Thursday.

Gill said his and Cameron's terminations "might have a link" to Gilchrist's, who was terminated Oct. 3 by UI interim President Gary Fethke for reportedly being "too passionate" about her job as the director of the state's public-health lab.

Gilchrist has since sued Fethke and Meredith Hay, the UI vice president for Research, for wrongful termination.

"The timing shows there's an inferred relation," Gilchrist said on Thursday about her former colleagues' dismissals.

But despite his situation, Gill - who had researched diseases that spread from animals to humans for the Hygienic Lab - remained optimistic Thursday.

"No matter what, there's always a silver lining," he said. "Sometimes it's small, but it's OK."

Christopher Atchison, the interim director of the lab, said he notified Gill in October that his position would be eliminated on Feb. 1 because of a lack of money.

"I respect the new administration when it says it was nothing I did wrong," Gill said, adding he was surprised when Atchison told him about the dearth of funds.

The interim director declined to elaborate on Cameron's dismissal because Cameron - who was put on leave the same day Gilchrist was fired - was not "actively working" when Atchison began his tenure.

Cameron did not return calls Thursday seeking comment.

Gilchrist said when she heard about Cameron and Gill's looming departure, she became concerned about the two men, as well as the health of Iowans.

"You lose three of the top-end people out of a modestly sized organization, and you lose a great deal of collective wisdom," she said. "That's taking away a lot of the institution's memory."

And it seems the institution is taking a new direction, Gill said. Laboratory officials aren't thinking about the future and are eliminating proactive positions such as Gill's, which included ongoing research of possible pandemics, Gill said.

But he added that losing his position at the UI won't affect his feelings about his area of work.

"I enjoy research and taking care of patients," he said, adding he will focus on his job as an independent contractor for the Emergency Practice Associates, where he fills in when needed at area emergency rooms.

Gilchrist said the recent terminations will hurt the Hygienic Lab.

"Whenever you lose any single individual from an organization like that, you lose wisdom," she said. "There's a cost to that."