MD Anderson-UTH Grad

What began as backyard curiosity has grown into a career in microbiology research. Microbiology and Infectious Diseases PhD student Melissa Martinez, who plans to graduate in May, is advancing research on the emerging fungal pathogen Candida auris, developing innovative approaches to better understand how it causes disease, and inform responses to this growing public health threat. Read her story to learn how her graduate experience has shaped her path in research and mentorship: loom.ly/apvzn0g @MIDatGSBS #InfectiousDiseases #FungalResearch #WeAreGSBS

This week, I visited @MDA_UTHGrad. A powerful town hall showed a strong commitment to advancing discovery. Touring labs and hearing inspiring chalk talks from PhD students were highlights. The future of this school, and the science it drives, is bright.

From the lab to global leadership — alum Alex Cogdill, PhD ’21, has built her career on focus, growth, and transferable skills. Now Head of Strategic Initiatives and Global Business Development at Daiichi Sankyo, she shares her insights on how to strengthen your foundation and build skills that will open doors. #GSBSalum #WeAreGSBS 🎥 Catch a few of her key points in this video!

We are proud to spotlight Medical Scientist Training Program student Euan Zhang — a recipient of The Cullen Trust for Higher Education Physician/Scientist Fellowship Program — as he pursues Alzheimer’s research and leans into his musical background to relax, and find ways to potentially leverage it as part of treatment for patients.

Congratulations, Ahmed! We enjoy working with you, and cheering for you during each marathon. 👏

We’re highlighting three new faculty members at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences! 👏 Meet Hemanth Mohan, PhD; Richard Cox, PhD; and Gohar Manzar, MD, PhD — assistant professors advancing research in neuroscience, diabetes, and oncology while mentoring the next generation of scientists. #WeAreGSBS 🔗 Read more: loom.ly/VLrNDfU

🧬 Discover Biomedicine Spring Edition continues! Join us on Wednesday, March 25, at 3 p.m. for an engaging session featuring Director of Curriculum and Faculty Development Wassim Chehab, PhD, along with alumni as they discuss the MS degree in biomedical sciences and explore its benefits. #DiscoverBiomedicine 🔗 Register now: go.uth.edu/DBSREG2_Spring…

February’s Paper of the Month features a new approach to training radiation oncology residents. Medical Physics PhD student Skylar Gay, a member of the lab of Laurence E. Court, PhD, developed an algorithm that generates realistic, suboptimal treatment plans — giving residents a safe, simulation-based way to practice identifying and correcting errors. Published in the Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics, the work expands clinical training opportunities and supports AI-enhanced radiotherapy education with global implications. 🔗 Read more: loom.ly/tG3WMGA #WeAreGSBS #MedicalPhysics #RadiationOncology

As new students are named Kopchick Fellows — one of the Graduate School’s awards supporting research and academic excellence — we are sharing a brief video series highlighting the individuals whose leadership, research, and generosity define the fellowship and the Kopchick Symposium. Our first video features Graduate School benefactors John J. Kopchick, PhD ’80, and Charlene Kopchick, along with keynote speaker Huda Zoghbi, MD, and Kopchick Fellow and Molecular and Translational Biology student Stephen Farmer. Together, they reflect on the fellowship’s impact, the importance of mentorship, and the responsibility to support the next generation of scientists. Supported by Kopchick funding, Farmer’s research in neurodegenerative disease continues to advance. In September, he will join the Huda Zoghbi Lab as a NINDS K00 Postdoctoral Fellow. Stay tuned for the next video in the series spotlighting additional Kopchick Fellows and their research journeys. #WeAreGSBS #KopchickFellows @MTBatGSBS @NeuroMDAUTH

🧬 This month’s T32 Seminar welcomed Cancer Biology alum Shelley Herbrich, PhD '20, Postdoctoral Fellow at the James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her research highlights the urgent need to improve therapies for children with leukemia — where cure rates have remained largely unchanged for more than a decade — and explores immunotherapy strategies that help the immune system better recognize and attack cancer cells. As part of our NIH-funded Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) T32 training program, seminars like Herbrich's connect trainees with leaders working at the forefront of clinical and translational science. #WeAreGSBS #TranslationalResearch #PediatricCancer #Immunotherapy #T32

Last week's 11th annual Art Showcase hosted by the Genetics and Epigenetics, and Neuroscience programs featured stunning paintings, a few performances, and more — a celebration of creativity within our scientific community. See more moments on our flickr album: loom.ly/9KpBJhw #WeAreGSBS @NeuroMDAUTH @UTGSBSGnE

The Graduate School community is proud to celebrate our Fall 2025 Common App Award recipients! 🎉 Help us congratulate the graduate students across our programs who earned scholarships, fellowships, and awards in recognition of their outstanding academic progress and dedication to their educational goals. 🙌 View the complete list at loom.ly/mtya1lc #WeAreGSBS

As our final week of visitation comes to a close this weekend, we want all potential students to know how much we enjoyed connecting to answer your questions and tell you more about our programs and opportunities. Thank you for visiting the Graduate School! For more about us visit gsbs.uth.edu. #WeAreGSBS

We’re proud to highlight alumna Sreeja Sridharan, PhD '24, whose research uncovered how insulin signaling influences chemotherapy-induced pain. She now serves as Genomics Core Manager at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Read more about her time at the Graduate School and beyond! #WeAreGSBS

Proud to see our student researchers Julianna Quinn and Shannon Erhardt collaborating with colleagues at @McGovernMed to advance research in congenital heart disease. Through cross-disciplinary teamwork, students are helping uncover the genetic and biological drivers of congenital heart defects. #WeAreGSBS @UTGSBSGnE

Creativity was in full bloom at Graduate Student Association's (GSA) Valentine's Paint Night on Tuesday! 🎨💗 Graduate Students gathered for an evening full of creativity, conversations, and connection. #WeAreGSBS #HeartMonth