MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School

Read how alumna Kendra Carmon, PhD ’08, associate professor at the Graduate School, turned imagination into impact with the support of financial awards to study cell communication and drug discovery. She works with students in her lab to develop therapies to target and destroy cancer cells.

We're off to a smashing start to orientation week! We look forward to getting to know our students from everywhere who speak multiple languages, love to make Matcha, play piano, design clothes, are raising twins, a cat named Tigger, a rooster: RuPaul, and much more! #WeAreGSBS

From offsetting the cost of graduate school to affirming students’ dedication and resilience, Genetic Counseling Scholarships help future genetic counselors focus on what matters most. Join us in congratulating the recipients who received awards earlier this year!👏 https://loom.ly/85rJDnc

With support from the Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship, PhD student Peyton High is developing next-generation cancer therapies designed to precisely target tumor cells while sparing healthy tissues. Read how research, mentorship, and community have shaped his path: https://loom.ly/G2kJbpc #WeAreGSBS

What to Do When Your Job Search Stalls (opinion) Take these steps to get unstuck, Raquel Y. Salinas writes.

Facing a tight job market? Assistant Dean of Career and Alumni Engagement Raquel Ybanez Salinas, PhD offers practical advice in her latest column in Inside Higher Ed. She shares strategies for taking meaningful action and expanding your options.

The Genetics and Epigenetics Program rolled out the red carpet for their first annual Awards Night on July 24! 🎬✨From scientific fellowships to lighthearted honors, students and faculty came together to celebrate research excellence and community: https://loom.ly/Av0EL6A 👏🧬#WeAreGSBS

Lunch break! Our students came to the table for a summer luncheon this week. It's always great to connect and see as many faces as possible in one place! #WeAreGSBS

Learn how Genetics and Epigenetics student Sseu-Pei Hwang’s research enhances our understanding of RNA modifications linked to cancer development, opening new avenues for targeted therapies in July’s Paper of the Month: https://loom.ly/G19BQfQ #WeAreGSBS #CancerResearch

Our Community Outreach Group welcomed high school juniors and seniors to our Summer Biomedical Academy the last two days to explore our programs. Big thanks to our volunteers and student presenters for inspiring these future science and medical professionals! #WeAreGSBS #futurescientists

Named one of the Graduate School’s Kopchick Fellows earlier this year, we’re thrilled to spotlight Dounya Jalloul’s research on how the brain processes information and the impact this has on mental health. Congratulations, Dounya! Read her story at https://loom.ly/PJQnF3g. #WeAreGSBS #Neuroscience

Graduate Student Research Day 2025: celebrating scientific discovery

🎉Congratulations are in order for the winners of Graduate Student Research Day on June 26! See moments from the event and the winners declared by judges from their review of 77 students’ work for oral, poster, and elevator pitch competitions: loom.ly/VGcshNs — great work, everyone!👏 #WeAreGSBS

Have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday!

We’re grateful for Dr. John J. Kopchick’s generosity, encouraging our students’ innovative research! Kopchick Fellows had a great time catching up at his traditional breakfast and Kopchick Research Symposium planning meeting during his visit for Graduate Student Research Day last week! #WeAreGSBS

Graduate Student Research Day 2025 memories! #WeAreGSBS

Graduate Student Research Day 2025 is over — what a great day for connections and learning! Congratulations to our award-winning students!🎉Stay tuned for more moments from the day and specifics about awards.♥️🙌 #WeAreGSBS #GSRD2025

Students at Graduate Student Research Day gave their poster presentations and elevator pitches — tough job for faculty judges, who learned along with everyone else — they were all so good!👋🙌 Our keynote speaker Stanford Professor David A. Relman, MD, closed the day. Stay tuned to see winner photos!

🔬Graduate Student Research Day is on — the competitions are in progress! First, oral presentation competitors are taking the stage to convey their research and field questions from Graduate School peers and scientists in The Medical Center community. Great presentations, everyone!👋 #WeAreGSBS

All the best to our students competing in Graduate Student Research Day tomorrow! Looking forward to seeing your presentations and hearing from keynote speaker Stanford University Professor David A. Relman, MD. #WeAreGSBS #GSRD2025

It's a whirlwind of students in and out of Cooley Center today, prepping for our ninth annual Graduate Student Research Day (GSRD) — rehearsing for competitions that showcase their unique research. Best of luck to our students tomorrow! #WeAreGSBS #GSRD2025

Congratulations to our PhD students on this prestigious award!🙌Thanks to their outstanding mentors, and to The University of Texas System for its continued support with this fellowship opportunity established by former Regent Jess Hay to connect graduate education with timely, high-quality research.

It was a celebration!🎉Outgoing program directors William Margolin, PhD – Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, PhD – Immunology, were honored last week by students, faculty, and staff — thanks to them and Traver Hart, PhD – Quantitative Sciences, for supporting students!

Paper of the Month: Decoding cancer etiology with cellular reprogramming

Learn about the key advancements utilizing stem cell technology that could drive future cancer research and the development of therapies in our June “Paper of the Month” Decoding cancer etiology with cellular reprogramming: loom.ly/bxjXpj0 #WeAreGSBS #CancerResearch

Congratulations to Tae Jin Lee, PhD, on receiving nearly $250,000 from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to support groundbreaking work in glioblastoma multiforme — a form of brain cancer. Learn more about his research and the other CPRIT awards: loom.ly/_-WzSa0

2025 Distinguished Alumna: Molly S. Bray on science, mentorship, and change

🎉 Honoring Molly S. Bray, PhD ’98, our 2025 Distinguished Alumna! Bray returned to the Graduate School to share how mentorship, curiosity, and embracing change shaped her career — and why today’s graduates are uniquely prepared to lead. 👉 Read more about her inspiring message loom.ly/YGnbFdg

Students Stephen Farmer and Vicky Chuong Share Brain Research in the Swiss Alps

From Houston to the Swiss Alps 🏔️ — PhD students Stephen Farmer and Vicky Chuong recently returned from presenting their neuroscience research at the 2025 Gordon Research Conference in Switzerland. Read how they valued this unique opportunity for global collaboration in 🔬science.
#WeAreGSBS

Congratulations are in order for Vasanthi Jayaraman, PhD, recipient of the 2025 President’s Scholar Award for Excellence in Research! 👏 As a leader, mentor, and advocate, she continues to push science forward. Learn more: loom.ly/o6MAM-4 #Neuroscience #WeareGSBS #ResearchExcellence #Biochemistry

Fighting neglected diseases: Ryan Sloan advances schistosomiasis research with Kopchick Fellowship support

Learn how Microbiology & Infectious Diseases PhD student Ryan Sloan is using insights from stem cell biology to better understand schistosomes — the parasites behind the tropical disease schistosomiasis. With support from the Kopchick Fellowship, he’s exploring how these worms survive in the body.

Inspiring minds: A. Kyle Jones, PhD, named outstanding educator

👏Congratulations to A. Kyle Jones, PhD, recipient of the 2025 John P. McGovern Outstanding Teaching Award! Honored by Graduate School students, Jones exemplifies what it means to be both an educator and lifelong learner. Read more about his impact. #WeAreGSBS #TeachingExcellence #MedicalPhysics

Reaching higher: Lifelong passion for discovery thrives at MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School

Alumni Joan Jacob, PhD, shares how the impact of fellowship support helped to shape her journey at the Graduate School, leading to her postdoctoral research to improve immunotherapy treatments for children with cancer. Learn more about Jacob's journey. #WeAreGSBS

NIH grant helps support Genetics & Epigenetics student Heather Tsong’s brain research

Genetics & Epigenetics student Heather Tsong’s research on brain and neurodegeneration is supported partly by a National Institutes of Health grant awarded early this year. Learn about her research and how this award supports her interest in cellular neuroscience and human health at loom.ly/stRWjds.