Durga Udayakumar

Today, we honor the life, legacy and enduring vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King’s unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and love continues to inspire us to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Sometimes I hear people say that you have to be extroverted or charismatic to be a good leader. I disagree. Think about the leaders you respect. There’s a good chance there are some quiet or introverted people on that list. There are many different ways to be a great leader.

Here's the thing. We have **NO IDEA** how to pick good graduate students. I served on admission committees for 10+ years, and chaired a few, and what I learned is that all the spreadsheets of grades and test scores and recommendations and essays and publications and interview rubrics are just an elaborate ruse to pretend we know what we're doing when we simply don't. Many of the most highly ranked applicants to our "top" program flamed out quickly, and tons of the students we summarily rejected have turned into amazing scientists. But in the name of creating meritocratic seeming rankings that are more about creating a workforce than great scientists (a system that anyone paying attention knows is bullshit), we've created a homogenous process adopted by nearly all institutions that has stamped out the one thing we should be striving for - given our lack of any clear understanding of what leads to success - a wide range of difference talents and experiences.

Would you prefer to lead a lab alone or together with a science buddy? How interesting would be a research institute where joint labs are the standard?!

#DiscoverBMB | We are the unsung heroes of our time, the explorers of life at the most fundamental levels. Our work is a testament to the power of human curiosity, innovation, and the unrelenting pursuit of knowledge. asbmb.org/membership

Because skin cancer is less common on Black skin, people with unusual skin growths may need to strongly advocate for themselves, especially if a doctor has little experience with darker skin. If a growth changes or seems suspicious, connect with a doctor.

Congrats to Maria, Natascha, and Hussein @UTSW_Radiology and other postdoctoral fellows for winning the Spring travel award! @amadhuran @EMDavenport_PhD and Jaewon Yang Labs.

GOOD NEWS: Concordant with US data collected by @AmericanCancer, this is yet MORE real world evidence that HPV vaccination saves lives! HPV vaccine study finds zero cases of cervical cancer among women vaccinated before age 14 statnews.com/2024/01/25/hpv… via @statnews

I wrote down my rules on how to Science. I hope you find it useful!

Humility and confidence are not mutually exclusive and great leaders have both. Humility to know what they don’t know and confidence to ask questions and rely on others. Humility to know that they’re not perfect and confidence to admit their mistakes and to grow and improve.

"Life is short, beautiful and cruel. … We hope for Ceci to positively impact the world, and this fund is one way she will be able to do that." - @NiuSanford Read more about UTSW physicians Nina & Ethan's endowment in their youngest daughter's honor: bit.ly/rememberingCeci

Strong relationships don’t need agreement. They need alignment. Agreement is having identical opinions. Alignment is having shared values. Agreement is taking the same path. Alignment is heading in the same direction. Closeness is a matter of commitment, not consensus.

@jenheemstra I'm going through all the three right now.. thank you for this positive note!

On the tougher days in this job, I need to remind myself that: -the self-doubt means I have ambitious career goals -the failure means I'm taking risks and trying something new -the frustration means I care and I'm passionate about my work

@CarlosArteagaMD @ASIPath @QingZhangLab Congrats @QingZhangLab

Dr. Qing Zhang, our Chief Scientific Officer for the Breast Cancer Program, was awarded the 2024 @ASIPath Outstanding Investigator Award. His research on cancer cell adaptation in low-oxygen conditions is paving the way for potential therapeutic breakthroughs. @QingZhangLab

@kenwestover @UTSWNews @UTSW_RadOnc Great platform! Congratulations @kenwestover and team.

We're excited about our new paper - measuring kinase activity using high-throughput mass spectrometry. This technique is great for inhibitor work - fast, label-free, and sensitive. Eager to expand the assay panel and collaborate! @UTSWNews, @UTSW_RadOnc cell.com/cell-reports-p…

Photo of the day: Rowing Mom Wins Nobel row2k.com/potd/10-3-2023…

#UTSW graduate Christine Chen, M.D., and a team of 19 volunteers created a sea life mural for Parkland burn unit's pediatric patients. The mural features 150 sea creatures and aims to provide a calming environment. Discover the immersive paintings. bit.ly/3PAHU7F

@RofskyMD @SABImaging Congratulations!

I feel very fortunate to be recognized by @SABImaging and am humbled to share this honor with Isaac, my good friend and esteemed colleague.

@UTSWNews @UTSW_Pathology @ASIPath Congratulations @QingZhangLab

Recognized for his excellence in experimental pathology research, Qing Zhang, Ph.D., @UTSW_Pathology associate professor, is the recipient of the 2024 @ASIPath Outstanding Investigator Award. Learn more about Dr. Zhang's research in analyzing cancer cells. bit.ly/45cyIvC