MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School

🧬Discover Biomedicine Spring Edition continues! Join us 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.
🔗 Register now: go.uth.edu/DBSREG2_Spring_26

February’s Paper of the Month highlights a new way to train radiation oncology residents. Medical Physics PhD student Skylar Gay developed an algorithm that creates realistic, suboptimal treatment plans — helping residents safely practice identifying and correcting errors.🔗 https://loom.ly/tG3WMGA

As new Kopchick Fellows are named, we are sharing a brief series highlighting the leadership and impact of the fellowship. Our first features the Kopchicks, Huda Zoghbi, MD, and Fellow, Stephen Farmer, whose neurodegenerative disease research continues this fall in the Huda Zoghbi Lab. More to come.

Our recent T32 Seminar featured Cancer Biology alum Shelley Herbrich, PhD '20, whose work advances immunotherapy strategies to improve outcomes for children with leukemia. These seminars connect trainees with leaders in clinical and translational science. #WeAreGSBS #TranslationalResearch #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: https://loom.ly/9KpBJhw #WeAreGSBS

Congratulations to our Fall 2025 Common App Award recipients! 🎉 We're proud to celebrate students across our programs who earned scholarships, fellowships, and awards for their outstanding academic progress and dedication. 🙌 View the list and video here: https://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.

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 to learn more about her journey! #WeAreGSBS

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

Excitement is building for today’s 11th annual Arts Showcase, where the Genetics and Epigenetics, and Neuroscience communities will reveal their artistic creations. We look forward to seeing this year's art and performances! See some of last year's entries on our flickr: https://loom.ly/p4Ps_DE

Pet therapy, coloring, yoga, and healthy food filled our hearts this week! Thanks to our First-Generation Student Group for organizing three days of wellness events for our students and community. ❤️ #WeAreGSBS #HeartMonth

💗 The First-Generation Student Group is sharing the love this Valentine’s week with wellness events focused on heart, body, and mind. Today’s yoga session, led by Genetics and Epigenetics student Charmelle Williams, helped students connect and recharge. More from coloring + pet therapy coming soon!

Our Graduate School community welcomed 44 applicants this week. Listen to what our student ringleaders have to say about their own experiences as they guide potential students during their visit. Welcome all — we’re happy you are considering us! For more about us visit gsbs.uth.edu.
#WeAreGSBS

🎉 Congratulations to the Fall 2025 Common App award Recipients! Graduate students across our programs earned scholarships, fellowships, and awards for outstanding academic progress and dedication. We are proud to celebrate all of our award recipients. Read more here: https://loom.ly/mtya1lc

📚 The Association of Minority Biomedical Researchers (AMBR) kicked off its first Book Club on Friday with a thoughtful discussion of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" — connecting science, ethics, and the human stories behind discovery. 📖 Stay tuned for their next book selection! #WeAreGSBS

Alum Audrey Nath, MD, PhD ’12, had a great time speaking with students about nontraditional career paths and telemedicine at last week’s UTHealth Houston Mentorship Night. Graduate School alumni mentors Morayo Adebiyi Uchendu, PhD ’18, and Chris Friedrich, MD, PhD ’86, also participated. #WeAreGSBS

In Duke Graduate School’s Alumni Profile series, Assistant Dean of Career and Alumni Engagement Raquel Ybañez Salinas, PhD, shares how her scientific training shapes her approach to career development — empowering graduate students to thrive beyond the lab. 🔗 Read more: https://loom.ly/zLutc8o

Welcome potential students! During week 1 of visitation we’ve been talking with visitors from all over the U.S., with some traveling from international destinations. Thank you for considering the Graduate School. #WeAreGSBS

Good to see students across several of our programs join Dean Aballay over lunch to discuss several important topics.

A new study published in Science Advances, led by UTHealth Houston researchers maps gene disruptions in sporadic early onset Alzheimer’s disease across key brain regions. Graduate School-affiliated authors include faculty Zhongming Zhao, PhD. Read more: https://loom.ly/d6ubLvk

How do infections persist despite antibiotics and routine catheter care?
🔬 New research from Microbiology and Infectious Diseases PhD candidate Jesus Duran-Ramirez shows that Staphylococcus aureus can persist during long-term urinary catheterization. 🔗 https://loom.ly/cSJxDEs

⏰Don't miss out — Discover Biomedicine Spring Edition tomorrow! Join us for an interactive session from Cherilynn Shadding, PhD, Associate Dean of Graduate Education, and current students as they share tips for graduate admissions interviews. 🔗 Register now: go.uth.edu/DBSREG2_Spring_26

The Graduate School honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — we are closed today in observance of MLK Jr. Day. The offices will reopen Tuesday, January 20. For assistance during this time, please contact talk2gsbs@uth.tmc.edu.

(Photo courtesy of Black Heritage Society)

Medical Physics PhD student Collin Harlan is using his NIH F31 fellowship to improve how we track cancer immunotherapy in pediatric patients’ lungs. Learn how the funding process shaped his research and career goals:
🔗 https://loom.ly/TmufAAo
#GSBSResearch #MedicalPhysics #CancerResearch

Upcoming defense not published in The Essential: MS Public Seminar: Victoria Quaicoe | Thursday, January 15, 2026, 2:00 – 4:30 p.m. | UTHealth Houston, McGovern Medical School, MSB 2.135.

🧬Discover Biomedicine is back — Spring Edition! Join us on Wednesday, January 21, at 3 p.m. to hear from Cherilynn Shadding, PhD, Associate Dean of Graduate Education, and current graduate students as they share tips for graduate admissions interviews. 🔗 Register now: go.uth.edu/DBSREG2_Spring_26

We’re excited to introduce the 2026 Center of Clinical and Translational Sciences T32 Cohort! 🎉 Join us in celebrating our new trainees and returning scholars — the next generation of clinical and translational science leaders at UTHealth Houston and partner institutions. 🔗 https://loom.ly/RyMEVfQ

We’re proud to highlight new work from Dean Aballay's lab, published in Science Advances.

Wishing everyone the best 2026! We’re proud of all we accomplished together in 2025, and look forward to creating new memories and celebrating many more discoveries, connections, and milestones in the year ahead.

Explore some of our 2025 highlights: https://loom.ly/whpeOrA

#WeAreGSBS

From faculty development workshops through the Graduate School and Gulf Coast Consortia — to practical advice and tools to support mentoring relationships — the latest issue of Faculty Catalyst offers empowering advice and tools for mentoring success. 🔗 gsbs.uth.edu/faculty/faculty-development