Discovering what's possible. 🔬 That's what the Summer Biomedical Academy is all about. Hosted by our Community Outreach Group, high school students experienced hands-on experiments, lab tours, career exploration, and guidance on preparing for futures in biomedical sciences earlier this week. ✨

Every defense tells a story of perseverance, discovery, and growth. 🎓✨ We're proud to celebrate the Graduate School students who have recently defended their thesis or dissertation. Join us in congratulating these outstanding scholars, and stay tuned for more defenses! 🌟 #WeAreGSBS

What inspires a scientist? Sometimes it starts with a single hands-on experience. As Summer Biomedical Academy approaches, hear why the GSBS Community Outreach Group leaders are committed to introducing K–12 students to biomedical science. 🎥 Learn how they are making science more accessible.

Congrats to Senior Academic Advisor Kehinde (Kenny) Ogunseye, PhD, on being named a UTHealth Houston Staff Recognition Spotlight Award honoree! 👏 Presented by the University Classified Staff Council, the award recognizes exceptional staff who exemplify care, commitment, integrity, and knowledge.

Congrats to the Summer 2026 Peer Review Challenge winners!🎉 Launched in Spring 2026, the challenge helps students strengthen research proposals through peer feedback before submitting to external funders. Each winner will receive a $5,000 Excellence in Grantsmanship Award upon proposal submission.

🔬 Last week’s Graduate Student Research Day celebrated outstanding student research through competitions, and an inspiring keynote address from Vanderbilt University Professor Erin Calipari, PhD. Congratulations to our award winners! 🔗 View winners and event highlights: https://loom.ly/MDSVDH4

🔬 We're enjoying Graduate Student Research Day! Students shared their innovative research through oral and poster presentations, and the elevator pitches in just 90 seconds. Our keynote speaker is now on stage! 👏 Watch out for an update about our winners.

It's Graduate Student Research Day eve, and students are prepared for faculty judges to review their presentations and elevator pitches. We look forward to celebrating your work.🙌 Good luck, all! See event details: https://gsbs.uth.edu/gsbs-events/gsrd

🎓 Congrats to our 2026 Distinguished Alumna, Yolanda (Yoli) Sanchez, PhD '93. From a defining moment in graduate school to leading the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sanchez reflects on the discoveries, resilience, and leadership that shaped her journey. 🔗 loom.ly/jDz-3R4

Looking for insights about the growth of AI in life sciences? Here's a conversation our community might enjoy: the first episode of Corner with Wenyi, featuring guests discussing resilience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the evolving role of AI in science. 🎥 https://loom.ly/nIV_Hyo

The Graduate School administrative offices will be closed Friday, July 3, 2026, in observance of Independence Day. Offices will reopen Monday, July 6. For assistance during this time, please contact talk2gsbs@uth.tmc.edu.

Communications Assistant Lauren Nguyen helps tell the stories that inform, engage, and connect the Graduate School community. Learn more about work and her journey to the UT MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. 🔗 https://loom.ly/vUDPlFM #WeAreGSBS

🔬 Through the GSBS Community Outreach Group, students partner with schools, museums, and community organizations across Houston to make biomedical science engaging and accessible for all. Hear why outreach has become one of the most rewarding parts of the officers' graduate school experience!

Celebrate Discovery 🧬 At "GSRD" students present the research driving tomorrow's biomedical breakthroughs. The day also features keynote speaker Erin Calipari, PhD, along with opportunities to connect with students, faculty, and colleagues. Learn more and register: https://loom.ly/rr6veUo

How do chromosomes find their matching partners and exchange genetic information during reproduction? Recent graduate Melissa Frasca, PhD, helped answer that question by uncovering the protein MutSgamma acts earlier in the meiosis than previously thought. 🔗 loom.ly/oFZzP8k @francescacole.bsky.social

Graduate School students and other trainees from the T32 Clinical and Translational Training Program translated complex research for a broader audience at the UTHealth Houston Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences T1-T4 in 3 (Minutes) Translational Challenge. 🔗 https://loom.ly/lNwvHos

The Graduate School administrative offices will be closed Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of Juneteenth. Offices will reopen Monday, June 22. For assistance during this time, please contact talk2gsbs@uth.tmc.edu.

Kopchick Fellow and Genetics and Epigenetics PhD student Richa Nayak studies how repetitive DNA sequences — including remnants of ancient viruses — are regulated in stem cells and how their disruption may contribute to diseases like cancer. 🎥 Learn more about her graduate school experience.

Celebrating leadership, mentorship, and service. 🎉 Thank you to our outgoing program directors for their contributions to the Graduate School. We're also excited to welcome new program directors as they step into new leadership roles. We appreciate all who helps strengthen our academic community!👏

🧠 Neuroscience students and faculty gathered at POST Houston for their Spring Retreat to share research, build connections, and explore new ideas. Highlights included a keynote from Jim Ray, PhD, on Alzheimer's therapies, student-led workshops, research scholarship talks, and alumni networking.

As Director of Student Affairs and Admissions, Elvis Parada helps welcome future students while supporting orientation, student organizations, and many of the programs that help build a vibrant Graduate School community. Learn more:🔗gsbs.uth.edu/news/story/meet-the-staff-elvis-parada

Highlights from a day of single-cell analysis! 🧬 The Association of Science Communication and Quantitative Sciences program recently partnered with 10x Genomics to host a beginner-friendly workshop where students, postdocs, and researchers experienced single-cell RNA sequencing discussions.

🎉 Congratulations to Kristin Eckel-Mahan, PhD, recipient of the 2026 John P. McGovern Award for Outstanding Teaching! She was recognized by students for creating a classroom where they are challenged to think critically, ask questions, and grow as scientists. 🔗 https://loom.ly/jXCO1qQ

In this episode of Beyond the CV, Alejandro Aballay, PhD, dean of @MDA_UTHGrad, reflects on the curiosity that first drew him to science, the resilience required in research, and what it means to prepare the next generation of scientists. 🎥 go.uth.edu/BeyondAballay

🧬 Congratulations to Genetics and Epigenetics student Mackenzie Wienke, who received a Poster Presentation Award at the 20th International p53 Workshop in Toronto, connecting her with experts in cancer therapy. Wienke's research in the Ishak Lab explores p53's role in ovarian cancer. #WeAreGSBS

Congratulations to UTHealth Houston researchers on receiving more than $6M in CPRIT funding, including Graduate School faculty member Qingyun “Jim” Liu, PhD, whose renewed award supports advancing large-molecule cancer therapeutics toward clinical testing and patient care. #CancerResearch

UTHealth Houston@uthealthhouston.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Three UTHealth Houston researchers received more than $6M in CPRIT funding to advance cancer research, treatment and prevention. The projects support training future researchers, developing next-generation therapies and studying a novel treatment approach. go.uth.edu/CPRIT6M

The Graduate School honors the service and sacrifice of those remembered on Memorial Day — our administrative offices will be closed Monday, May 25, 2026. The offices will reopen Tuesday, May 26. For assistance during this time, please contact talk2gsbs@uth.tmc.edu.

Cancer Biology PhD student Kaylene Lu is leading in the lab and beyond. She is advancing glioblastoma research — one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer — while reflecting on her growth as a leader at The Graduate School. 🎥 Watch to learn more about Lu's research and PhD experience.

A day years in the making. 🎓 We’re still smiling about last week’s UT MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences commencement ceremony celebrating the Class of 2026. Congratulations again! 📽️Hear from a few graduates, and see some of our memories: https://loom.ly/2qdFBkQ

Congratulations to UT MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences students Shannon Erhardt, MS, and Kaylene Lu on receiving this award! 👏 This scholarship recognizes students at UTHealth Houston schools who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement to their field.