Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 22h

Calling all faculty members! Learn strategies for writing strong, effective letters of recommendations ✉️🌟
Join us tomorrow Oct. 8, 3–4 p.m. CST for a special faculty edition featuring experts from McGovern Medical School and UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.
🔗 go.uth.edu/DBSREG2025

2

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 4d

Genetics and Epigenetics PhD candidate Richa Nayak is studying how “jumping genes” — ancient viral sequences hidden in our DNA — are regulated in adult stem cells. Her research is supported by the Charlene Kopchick Fellowship: https://loom.ly/KFkRDUk #WeAreGSBS #GeneticsEpigenetics

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 6d

How do Molecular and Translational Biology program students unwind? Last week’s fall retreat with Distinguished Faculty Awardee Vihang Narkar's keynote address, kickball, and more! Thank you student council: Stephen Farmer, Ester Lujan, Cara Biddle, Mirrah Bashir, and Sophia Huang! #WeAreGSBS

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 7d

Interested in cutting-edge biomedical research? Join us today for Discover Biomedicine, our weekly series designed for prospective students. Today's session features research spotlights from UTHealth Houston and MD Anderson faculty members.

Register at:
gsbs.uth.edu/admissions/recruitment-schedule

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 10d

We pawsed for our friends at Paws for Therapy this week. 🐾 They are so sweet! 🐶 We're grateful for their cheerful and comforting visit.♥️ #WeAreGSBS

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 11d

Hello! Bom dia! Vanakkam! This year’s International Student Association officers welcomed members with global flavors of ice cream this week. 🍦 Bhoomika Muruvekere Lakshmisha, Yueting Zhao, and Joshua Lindenberger are excited to bring more fun events to the GSBS community this year! 🎉 #WeAreGSBS

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 12d

In his research published in Cell Reports Medicine, and summarized in September's Paper of the Month: https://loom.ly/C96CPlU Molecular and Translational Biology Program PhD student Peyton High explored whether combining treatments combatted colorectal cancer more effectively. #cancerresearch

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 12d

Association of Minority Biomedical Researchers (AMBR) officers Sruthi Kannan, Tala Noun, Renee Rubiano, Kaylene Lu, Sohitri Mukherjee, and Bhargavi Brahmendra Barathi are off and running with this year’s programming, starting with their recent AMBRunch event to get to know members. 🙌 #WeAreGSBS

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 13d

Learn best practices for creating a compelling CV! Our Discover Biomedicine weekly virtual series through October (Wednesdays 3-4 p.m. CST) is designed with potential students in mind! Find registration, topics, and our recruitment schedule at gsbs.uth.edu/admissions/recruitment-schedule

2

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 14d

As our new students are one month in, experiencing the next phase of their academic journeys, not-so-new students in the Neuroscience program, Archit Gupta and Julia Langman, offer some advice for getting acclimated to graduate school, The Medical Center, and Houston! #WeAreGSBS

1 2

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 14d

Friday's Cancer Biology Program fall retreat brought students, faculty, and alumni together for community building during research talks, Shark Tank pitches, dinner, and more! See moments from the day at https://loom.ly/3RA_IEA Thanks to everyone who helped make it a great day! #WeAreGSBS

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 16d

Our elevator pitch series continues — with Neuroscience PhD candidate Madison Shyer. Listen to learn about her incredible research! 🔬Shyer won first place in the Graduate Student Research Day Post-Candidacy PhD Elevator Pitch Contest.👏 #WeAreGSBS #Neuroscience

1 3

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 21d

Mindfulness is key, according to first-year student Jazmine Grant, as she thinks about advice for new students starting their graduate school journeys! #WeAreGSBS

1 1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 21d

Considering graduate school? Our Discover Biomedicine virtual series through October (Wednesdays 3-4 p.m. CST) is designed for potential students! Find registration and topics at gsbs.uth.edu/admissions/recruitment-schedule as well as our recruitment events. Today’s session covers career guidance!

1 2

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 25d

Special Events Coordinator Leigh Robinson’s thoughtful planning and people-first approach help make MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences events memorable and meaningful. Learn why her role is so much more than logistics at https://loom.ly/a9kNTsI #WeAreGSBS

2

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 27d

We’re kicking off our elevator pitch series — created to share award winning pitches from Graduate Student Research Day — with Medical Physics PhD candidate Skylar Gay! He mentioned it was an honor to watch his peers present their incredible research. Now he’s sharing his research with everyone!

4

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · 27d

Looking for prep tools for applying to graduate school? Our Discover Biomedicine weekly virtual series (Wednesdays 3-4 p.m. CST) is designed with potential students in mind! Find registration and topics here https://loom.ly/cfQ8h1M as well as our recruitment schedule.

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Sep 6

Nothing says "welcome back" like ice cream! 🍦 Genetics and Epigenetics program leaders dished out sundaes (with the best toppings!) at this week’s first event of the year. #WeAreGSBS

4

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Sep 5

First-Generation student group officers Annette Machado, Yu-Sung Hsu, Chaitali Bhadiadra, Maria Torres Carrizalez, and Madison Shyer, brought students together this week for their first event of the year with science trivia, pizza, and plenty of brainpower!

3

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Sep 5

Cancer Biology PhD student Maliha Munir is using support from the Charlene Kopchick Fellowship to engineer immune cells that can withstand the harsh environments of solid tumors — bringing cancer immunotherapy closer to real treatments. Read more: https://loom.ly/bfdrQ-Y #WeAreGSBS #CancerResearch

3

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Sep 4

Congratulations to William (Bill) Plunkett, PhD, who recently retired as professor at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dawn Wolf-Taylor and Carolyn Agurcia-Parker (pictured) had the opportunity to work with him as a Graduate School faculty member, along with many grateful students!

2

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Aug 29

Graduate School administrative offices will be closed/offline on Monday, September 1, and will reopen Tuesday, September 2.

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Aug 29

🎶 Life begins with perfect timing. In Cell Reports, Genetics and Epigenetics graduate Han Bit Baek, PhD, uncovered how molecular signals shape early development. Baek's work is summarized by Cancer Biology student Shraddha Subramanian in August’s Paper of the Month https://loom.ly/gUATzoU

3

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Aug 27

Meet Communications Manager Shelli Manning, who leads strategic communications with a creative lens and a collaborative spirit at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Learn more about what inspires Manning: https://loom.ly/Os9PE_o

1

MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School @mda-uthgrad.bsky.social · Aug 26

Literally the first day for some, we caught up with new and existing students yesterday between classes to say hi, and all the best at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences! See more photos: loom.ly/v-6MAno ♥️ #WeAreGSBS

3