md phd programs in texas

Texas A&M University Catalogs

Doctor of medicine and doctor of philosophy combined degree program.

The School of Medicine offers a combined training program leading to both MD and PhD degrees. The purpose of this program is to provide research training for highly motivated medical students planning careers in academic medicine.

To accomplish this, our program integrates the studies and requirements for both the MD and PhD degrees, providing students with many opportunities to relate their study of clinical medicine with basic biomedical science. Such training produces medical scientists with unique insights into human disease processes.

The MD/PhD program typically requires seven to nine years to complete the combined degree requirements. The program is flexible in many ways and is designed to meet the individual educational needs of the student. Students entering the program are enrolled in the summer semester five weeks prior to medical school orientation. During this semester, students complete six credit hours of graduate research and, in consultation with the Program Director, a self-selected five-week rotation in a research lab. This rotation introduces students to the laboratories and potential research advisors.

Throughout the training, all MD/PhD students are required to participate in MSCI 620/920 (The Scientific Basis of Medicine). This course, which grew out of the MD/PhD Journal Club, reviews recent papers in the medical literature and utilizes a group setting to further develop critical analysis skills as well as facilitate interaction and dialogue between peers and MD/PhD trained faculty. In addition, students are encouraged to attend at least one research seminar per week to assist in identifying a major discipline area for graduate training.

Lastly, this program is dedicated to developing outstanding physician-scientists who excel in their field and are competitive at the national level. The curriculum is designed to meet the individual educational needs of students while promoting excellence. To this end, MD/PhD students have two options for completing their training:

Students follow the medical school curriculum and cover the basic medical sciences during their pre-clinical training period which extends through December of their second year. Next, students begin their PhD training. During this period, students:

• Complete a second research rotation;
• Select a PhD advisor;
• Finish required coursework, including electives in their specialized discipline area; and
• Finalize a meritorious research project and publish their work as well as write, and defend their dissertation.

After completing the PhD requirements, students finish their clinical clerkships and the fourth year of medical school.

Students complete medical school basic sciences courses and clinical clerkships prior to their PhD training. After completing their clinical clerkships, students complete a second research rotation and begin their formal PhD training:

• Complete coursework requirements including electives in their specialized discipline area; and
• Finalize a meritorious research project and publish their work as well as write and defend their dissertation.

Following their dissertation defense, students complete their fourth year of medical school. 

For both options the PhD and MD degrees are awarded after the requirements for both degrees have been fulfilled.

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee

Degree Plan

Transfer of credit, research proposal, preliminary examination, final examination/dissertation defense, dissertation, student’s advisory committee.

After receiving admission to graduate studies and enrolling, the student will consult with the head of his or her major or administrative department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty) concerning appointment of the chair of the advisory committee. The student’s advisory committee will consist of no fewer than four members of the graduate faculty representative of the student’s several fields of study and research, where the chair or co-chair must be from the student’s department (or intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), and at least one or more of the members must have an appointment to a department other than the student’s major department and at least one member must be a member of the MD/PhD Program Steering Committee. The outside member for a student in an interdisciplinary degree program must be from a department different from the chair of the student’s committee.

The chair, in consultation with the student, will select the remainder of the advisory committee. Only graduate faculty members located on Texas A&M University campuses may serve as chair of a student’s advisory committee. Other Texas A&M University graduate faculty members located off-campus may serve as a member or co-chair (but not chair), with a member as the chair.

If the chair of a student’s advisory committee voluntarily leaves the University and the student wants the chair to continue to serve in this role, the student is responsible for securing a current member of the University Graduate Faculty, from her/his academic program and located on the respective Texas A&M University campus, to serve as the co-chair of the committee. If the committee chair is on an approved leave of absence, s/he can remain as chair without a co-chair for up to one year with written approval of the Department Head or chair of the intercollegiate faculty. Extensions beyond the one year period can be granted with additional approval of the Dean.

The committee members’ signatures on the degree plan indicate their willingness to accept the responsibility for guiding and directing the entire academic program of the student and for initiating all academic actions concerning the student. Although individual committee members may be replaced by petition for valid reasons, a committee cannot resign en masse . The chair of the committee, who usually has immediate supervision of the student’s research and dissertation or record of study, has the responsibility for calling all meetings of the committee. The duties of the committee include responsibility for the proposed degree plan, the research proposal, the preliminary examination, the dissertation or record of study and the final examination. In addition, the committee, as a group and as individual members, is responsible for counseling the student on academic matters, and, in the case of academic deficiency, initiating recommendations to the Graduate and Professional School.

The student’s advisory committee will evaluate the student’s previous education and degree objectives. The committee, in consultation with the student, will develop a proposed degree plan and outline a research problem which, when completed, as indicated by the dissertation, will constitute the basic requirements for the degree. The degree plan must be filed with the Graduate and Professional School prior to the deadline imposed by the student’s college and no later than 90 days prior to the preliminary examination.

This proposed degree plan should be submitted through the online Document Processing Submission System located on the website https://ogsdpss.tamu.edu . A minimum of 64 hours is required on the degree plan for the Doctor of Philosophy for a student who has completed a master’s degree. A student who has completed a DDS/DMD, DVM or a MD at a U.S. institution is also required to complete a minimum of 64 hours. A student who has completed a baccalaureate degree but not a master’s degree will be required to complete a 96-hour degree plan. Completion of a DDS/DMD, DVM or MD degree at a foreign institution requires completion of a minimum of 96 hours for the Doctor of Philosophy. A field of study may be primarily in one department or in a combination of departments. A degree plan must carry a reasonable amount of 691 (Research).

Additional coursework may be added by petition to the approved degree plan by the student’s advisory committee if it is deemed necessary to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation. No changes can be made to the degree plan once the student’s Request for Final Examination or Request for Final Examination Exemption is approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

Approval to enroll in any professional course (900-level) should be obtained from the head of the department (or Chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable) in which the course will be offered before including such a course on a degree plan.

No credit may be obtained by correspondence study, by extension or for any course of fewer than three weeks duration.

For non-distance degree programs, no more than four courses may be taken by distance education without approval of GPS and no more than 50 percent of the non-research credit hours required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.

To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs. 

Courses for which transfer credits are sought must have been completed with a grade of B or greater and must be approved by the student’s advisory committee and the Graduate and Professional School. These courses must not have been used previously for another degree. Except for officially approved cooperative doctoral programs, credit for thesis or dissertation research or the equivalent is not transferable. Credit for “internship” coursework in any form is not transferable. Courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution. Credit for coursework taken by extension is not transferable. Coursework in which no formal grades are given or in which grades other than letter grades (A or B) are earned (for example, CR, P, S, U, H, etc.) is not accepted for transfer credit . Credit for coursework submitted for transfer from any college or university must be shown in semester credit hours, or equated to semester credit hours.

Courses used toward a degree at another institution may not be applied for graduate credit. If the course to be transferred was taken prior to the conferral of a degree at the transfer institution, a letter from the Registrar at that institution stating that the course was not applied for credit toward the degree must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

Grades for courses completed at other institutions are not included in computing the GPA. An official transcript from the university at which transfer courses are taken must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

The general field of research to be used for the dissertation should be agreed on by the student and the advisory committee at their first meeting, as a basis for selecting the proper courses to support the proposed research.

As soon thereafter as the research project can be outlined in reasonable detail, the dissertation research proposal should be completed. The research proposal should be approved at a meeting of the student’s advisory committee, at which time the feasibility of the proposed research and the adequacy of available facilities should be reviewed. The approved proposal, signed by all members of the student’s advisory committee, the head of the student’s major department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable), must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School at least 20 working days prior to the submission of the Request for the Final Examination.

Compliance issues must be addressed if a graduate student is performing research involving human subjects, animals, infectious biohazards and recombinant DNA. A student involved in these types of research should check with the Office of Research Compliance and Biosafety at (979) 458-1467 to address questions about all research compliance responsibilities. Additional information can also be obtained on the website http://rcb.tamu.edu .

Examination

The student’s major department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable) and his or her advisory committee may require qualifying, cumulative or other types of examinations at any time deemed desirable. These examinations are entirely at the discretion of the department and the student’s advisory committee.

The preliminary examination is required. The preliminary examination for a doctoral student shall be given no earlier than a date at which the student is within 6 credit hours of completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan (i.e., all coursework on the degree plan except 681, 684, 690, 691 and 692 courses). The student is strongly encouraged to complete the Preliminary Examination no later than the end of the semester following the completion of the formal coursework on the degree plan. The Graduate and Professional School must receive the results of the preliminary examination at least 14 weeks prior to the final examination date. The examination shall be oral and written unless otherwise recommended by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Graduate and Professional School. The written part of the examination will cover all fields of study included in the student’s degree plan. Each member of the advisory committee is responsible for administering a written examination in his or her particular field, unless he or she chooses to waive participation in this part of the examination. Two or more members of the advisory committee may give a joint written examination. One or more members may require a student to take a departmental or intercollegiate faculty examination to supplement or replace a written examination. Each written examination must be completed and reported as satisfactory to the chair of the advisory committee before the oral portion of the examination may be held. In case any written examination is reported unsatisfactory, the entire advisory committee must agree

• to proceed with the oral portion of the preliminary examination, or
• to adopt another course of action regarding the unsatisfactory written examination.

Prior to scheduling the preliminary examination with the other committee members, the committee chair will review with the student eligibility criteria, using the Preliminary Examination Checklist to ensure the student is ready for the examination. The following list of eligibility requirements applies.

• Student is registered at Texas A&M University for the semester or summer term during which any portion of the preliminary examination may fall. If the entire examination falls between semesters, then the student must be registered for the term immediately preceding the examination.
• An approved degree plan was on file with the Graduate and Professional School at least 90 days prior to the first written examination.
• Student’s cumulative GPA is at least 3.000.
• Student’s degree plan GPA is at least 3.000.
• All committee members have scheduled or waived the written portion and agreed to attend the oral portion of the examination or have found a substitute. Only one substitution is allowed and it cannot be for the committee chair.
• At the end of the semester in which the exam is given, there are no more than 6 hours of coursework remaining on the degree plan (except 681, 684, 690, 691 and 692). The head of the student’s department (or Chair of the Intercollegiate Faculty, if applicable) has the authority to approve a waiver of this criterion.
• The time span from the first written examination to the oral is no more than three weeks. (In cases of department-wide written examinations, this criterion is not applicable.) The head of the student’s department (or chair of the intercollegiate faculty, if applicable) has the authority to approve a waiver of this criterion.

Once all requirements are met, departments or interdisciplinary degree programs may announce the schedule of the written and oral parts of the examination.

Credit for the preliminary examination is not transferable. If a departmental or intercollegiate faculty examination is used as part of the written portion of the preliminary examination, it must be the last examination offered prior to the date scheduled for the preliminary examination. In the schedule of the written portion, all members of the student’s advisory committee are to be included.

Through the preliminary examination, the student’s advisory committee should satisfy itself that the student has demonstrated the following qualifications:

• a mastery of the subject matter of all fields in the program;
• an adequate knowledge of the literature in these fields and an ability to carry out bibliographical research.

In case a student is required to take, as a part of the written portion of a preliminary examination, an examination administered by a department or intercollegiate faculty, the department or intercollegiate faculty must:

• offer the examination at least once every six months. The departmental or interdisciplinary degree program examination should be announced at least 30 days prior to the scheduled examination date.
• assume the responsibility for marking the examination satisfactory or unsatisfactory, or otherwise graded, and in the case of unsatisfactory, stating specifically the reasons for such a mark.
• forward the marked examination to the chair of the student’s advisory committee within one week after the examination.

The chair of the student’s advisory committee is responsible for making all written examinations available to the members of the advisory committee at or before the oral portion of the examination. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissention is required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department or interdisciplinary degree program can have a stricter requirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs within a department or interdisciplinary program.

The chair of the advisory committee will promptly report the results of the Preliminary Examination to the Graduate and Professional School, using the Report of Doctoral Preliminary Examination form and the Preliminary Examination checklist. Both forms must have the appropriate signatures. These forms should be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School within 10 working days of the scheduled examination.

Exam results must be submitted with original signatures of only the committee members approved by the Graduate and Professional School. If an approved committee member substitution (1 only) has been made, his/her signature must also be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School. The original signature of the department head is also required for results for the preliminary examination.

After passing the required preliminary oral and written examinations for the doctoral degree, the student must complete the final examination for the degree within four calendar years. Otherwise, the student will be required to repeat the preliminary examination.

Upon approval of the student’s advisory committee, with no more than one member dissenting, and the approval by the Graduate and Professional School, a student who has failed the preliminary examination may be given one re-examination, when adequate time has been given to permit the student to address the inadequacies emerging from the first examination (normally six months). The student and the advisory committee should jointly negotiate a mutually acceptable date for this purpose.

A student must be registered at Texas A&M University for a minimum of one semester credit hour in the semester or summer term in which they will take any portion of the Preliminary Examination.

Steps for Completing the Preliminary Examination

The candidate for the doctoral degree must pass a final examination by deadline dates announced in the “Graduate and Professional School Calendar” each semester or summer term. The doctoral student is allowed only one opportunity to take the final examination. No student may be given a final examination unless his or her current official cumulative and degree plan GPAs are 3.000 or better and he or she has been admitted to candidacy. No unabsolved grades of D, F, or U for any course can be listed on the degree plan . To absolve a deficient grade, a student must repeat the course and achieve a grade of C or better. A student must have completed all coursework on his or her degree plan with the exception of 691 (Research) or 692 (Professional Study) hours. The student must be registered for all remaining hours; no hours remain to be taken on the degree plan. The preliminary examination results must have been submitted to the Graduate and Professional School 14 weeks prior to the date of the defense. The research proposal must have been submitted to the Graduate and Professional School 25 working days prior to the date of the final examination/defense. Any changes to the degree plan must be approved by the Graduate and Professional School prior to the approval of the final examination. The request to hold and announce the final examination must be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School a minimum of 10 working days in advance of the scheduled date. Examinations/Defenses that are not completed and reported as satisfactory to the Graduate and Professional School within 10 working days of the scheduled examination/defense date will be recorded as failures. The Graduate and Professional School must be notified in writing of any cancellation s.

The student’s advisory committee will conduct this examination. The final examination is not to be administered until the dissertation or record of study is available in substantially final form to the student’s advisory committee, and all concerned have had adequate time to review the document . Additionally, all English Language Proficiency requirements must be satisfied prior to scheduling the examination. Whereas the final examination may cover the broad field of the candidate’s training, it is presumed that the major portion of the time will be devoted to the dissertation and closely allied topics. Persons other than members of the graduate faculty may, with mutual consent of the candidate and the major professor, be invited to attend a final examination for an advanced degree. A positive vote by all members of the graduate committee with at most one dissension is required to pass a student on his or her exam. A department can have a stricter requirement provided there is consistency within all degree programs within a department. Upon completion of the questioning of the candidate, all visitors must excuse themselves from the proceedings.

The advisory committee will submit its recommendations on the appropriate Report of the Final Examination for Doctoral Candidates form to the Graduate and Professional School regarding acceptability of the candidate for the doctoral degree. A student must be registered in the University in the semester or summer term in which the final examination is taken.

Exam results must be submitted with original signatures of only the committee members approved by the Graduate and Professional School. If an approved committee member substitution (1 only) has been made, his/her signature must also be submitted to the Graduate and Professional School.

MD/PhD students must submit their final corrected and committee approved dissertation to the Graduate and Professional School no later than the published deadline during their last semester – after which both the MD and PhD degrees will be conferred.

Continuous Registration

Admission to candidacy, 99-hour cap on doctoral degrees, application for degree.

A student who enters the doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree must spend one academic year plus one semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. A student who holds master’s degree when he/she enters doctoral degree program must spend one academic year in resident study. One academic year may include two adjacent regular semesters or one regular semester and one adjacent 10-week summer semester. The third semester is not required to be adjacent to the one year. Enrollment for each semester must be a minimum of 9 credit hours each to satisfy the residence requirement.

To satisfy the residence requirement, the student must complete a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester or 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University for the required period. A student who enters a doctoral degree program with a baccalaureate degree may fulfill residence requirements in excess of one academic year (18 credit hours) by registration during summer sessions or by completion of a less-than-full course load (in this context a full course load is considered 9 credit hours per semester).

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, the student is required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of his/her employment to the Graduate and Professional School. An employee should submit verification of his/her employment at the time he/she submits the degree plan.

See  Residence Requirements .

Students in the combined PhD/MD program must clear their dissertation no later than 2 years after the final examination or within the 10 year time limit whichever occurs first.

A student in a program leading to a Doctor of Philosophy who has completed all coursework on his/her degree plan other than 691 (Research) are required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed. See  Continuous Registration Requirements .

To be admitted to candidacy for a doctoral degree, a student must have:

• completed all formal coursework on the degree plan with the exception of any remaining 681, 684, 690 and 691,
• a 3.0 Graduate GPA and a Degree Plan GPA of at least 3.0 with no grade lower than C in any course on the degree plan,
• passed the preliminary examination (written and oral portions),
• submitted an approved dissertation proposal,
• met the residence requirements.

The final examination will not be authorized for any doctoral student who has not been admitted to candidacy.

In Texas, public colleges and universities are funded by the state according to the number of students enrolled. In accordance with legislation passed by the Texas Legislature, the number of hours for which state universities may receive subvention funding at the doctoral rate for any individual is limited to 99 hours. Texas A&M and other universities will not receive subvention for hours in excess of the limit.

Institutions of higher education are allowed to charge the equivalent of non-resident tuition to a resident doctoral student who has enrolled in 100 or more semester credit hours of doctoral coursework.

Doctoral students at Texas A&M have seven years to complete their degree before being charged out-of-state tuition. A doctoral student who, after seven years of study, has accumulated 100 or more doctoral hours will be charged tuition at a rate equivalent to out-of-state tuition. Please note that the tuition increases will apply to Texas residents as well as students from other states and countries who are currently charged tuition at the resident rate. This includes those doctoral students who hold GAT, GANT, and GAR appointments or recipients of competitive fellowships who receive more than $1,000 per semester. Doctoral students who have not accumulated 100 hours after seven years of study are eligible to pay in-state tuition if otherwise eligible.

Doctoral students who exceed the credit limit will receive notification from the Graduate and Professional School during the semester in which they are enrolled and exceeding the limit in their current degree program. The notification will explain that the State of Texas does not provide funding for any additional hours in which a student is enrolled in excess of 99 hours. Texas A&M University will recover the lost funds by requiring students in excess of 99 hours to pay tuition at the non-funded, non-resident rate. This non-funded, non-resident tuition rate status will be updated for the following semester and in all subsequent semesters until receipt of a doctoral degree. Please see the  Tuition Calculator  at the non-resident rate for an example of potential charges.

The following majors are exempt from the 99-Hour Cap on Doctoral Degrees and have a limit of 130 doctoral hours:

• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Counseling Psychology
• Epidemiology and Environmental Health
• Genetics and Genomics
• Health Services Research
• Medical Sciences
• Microbiology
• Neurosciences (School of Medicine)
• Oral and Craniofacial Biomedical Sciences
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Public Health Sciences
• School Psychology

A student is required to possess a competent command of English. For English language proficiency requirements, see the Admissions section of this catalog. The doctoral (PhD) foreign language requirement at Texas A&M University is a departmental option, to be administered and monitored by the individual departments of academic instruction.

The MD and PhD degree are conferred in the same semester.

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the  Graduation  section.

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• M.D. / Ph.D. Program

M.D./Ph.D. Program

About the Program

The Medical Scientist Training Program at Baylor College of Medicine is designed for highly motivated students. The successful applicant should have both an excellent scholastic record and sustained potential in research. Exposure to both laboratory bench work and clinical care in private practice, academic medicine or emergency room experience is also highly recommended. The combined degree program, while emphasizing continuity between clinical and basic sciences curricula, provides training that can lead to significant scientific contributions in academic and corporate research, clinical practice or a combination of both. 

Research Opportunities

Students in the Medical Science Training Program may pursue their research under the auspices of any of the Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences programs as well as Rice University Bioengineering Graduate Program.

Equity and Inclusion Policies

Baylor College of Medicine is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all community members as a prerequisite to accomplishing our institutional mission and setting standards for excellence in training healthcare providers and biomedical scientists, promoting scientific innovation, and providing patient-centered care. View the  Equity and Inclusion Policy .

M.D./Ph.D. Program Student Articles

Our program students are often included in Baylor College of Medicine news for their noteworthy contributions in research. 

Venkata Soumith Jonnakuti

Duncan NRI team develops an award-winning new computational tool to study movement disorders

Marcus A. Florez

Too much of a good thing – persistent IFNγ depletes progenitor blood cells via BST2

Hannah Campbell

Decreased levels of a protein kinase leads to atrial fibrillation

Moez Dawood

Reference genome comparison finds exome variant discrepancies in 206 gene

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Doctor of Medicine / Doctor of Philosophy

If you are interested in a career in academic medicine as a physician scientist, this program may be ideal for you. It will prepare you to become a medical practitioner and faculty member at a university medical center where you will teach medical and graduate students, and, as a scientist, will be involved with biomedical research. After completion of the program, you will receive both the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees.

Application Procedures

Prospective students apply through the   Texas Medical & Dental Schools Application Services (TMDSAS) .  Once you have completed the primary application please complete the required   Secondary Application .  If you are ready to apply, please visit this page for more details.  

After a student has applied, the selection committees from both schools invite selected applicants for interviews. The M.D./Ph.D. interviews are coordinated through the School of Medicine Admissions Office. The interview is tailored to match the interests of the applicant and will include one or more faculty members from the M.D./Ph.D. operating committee and the GSBS Senior Associate Dean. Additional details of the review process are described in the program guidelines below. Previous research experience, publications and motivation will be key features in the evaluation.

Applicants to the M.D./Ph.D. program must meet both School of Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences admissions requirements, including the School of Medicine requirement to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. More information regarding School of Medicine admission requirements is available on their website .

M.D./Ph.D. Admission 

Students who have been admitted to the M.D./Ph.D. program begin graduate studies during the summer session preceding their first year of admission into the medical school curriculum. During the summer session, major emphasis is placed on introduction to research with the goal of selecting an advisor and a research problem to be developed as the student's Ph.D. dissertation research.

Enrollment pattern after acceptance into the program

  At the end of the second year   curriculum in the School of Medicine,   students in this program defer continuation in the medical school curriculum and devote full-time enrollment toward completion of requirements for the Ph.D. degree . Approximately three years is necessary to complete these requirements depending on the nature of the research problem.

School of Medicine

Office of Admissions

(806) 743 - 2297

[email protected]

MD-PhD Combined Degree Program

Welcome to the MD-PhD Combined Degree Program at UTMB. The program has been training physician-scientists since 1983. This training program utilizes an integrated educational approach that optimizes elements of medical school and graduate school curriculums to provide an outstanding training experience. Our training prepares students to excel in patient care and their research discipline of choice but, most importantly, to identify and bridge gaps between these to advance health care.

We invite you to navigate through these pages, to find out more about how the MD-PhD Combined Degree Curriculum takes advantage of the outstanding resources provided by our School of Medicine (the first medical school in Texas, founded in 1891), our Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences  and the School of Public and Population Health (home of PhD Programs in disciplines as diverse as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Population Health Sciences and Medical Humanities), and the many Institutes and Centers housed at UTMB (including the Aerospace Medicine Center, the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, the Center for Addiction Research and the Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, among many others).

Michael Laposata, MD, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Pathology University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston 301 University Blvd. Galveston, TX 77555-0419 Telephone: (409) 772-0090

Why a MD-PhD Career?

• Health Care
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Applying to MD-PhD Programs

New section.

Are you considering a MD-PhD program? Here the basics about applying to MD-PhD programs to help you get started.

The MD-PhD dual degree training prepares you for a career that is busy, challenging, and rewarding, and offers opportunities to do good for many people by advancing medical science, developing new diagnostics and treatments for diseases, and pushing back the boundaries of the unknown.

How do I know if a combined program is right for me?

MD-PhD programs are specifically designed for those who want to become physician-researchers, also known as physician-scientists. Graduates of MD-PhD programs often go on to become faculty members at medical schools, universities, and research institutes such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

MD-PhD program students are being prepared for careers in which they will spend most of their time doing research in addition to caring for patients. It is critical that applicants have a passion for doing both—most MD-PhD graduates feel strongly that they would not be fulfilled by only pursuing medicine or science.

How do I apply?

Nearly all MD-PhD programs participate in the application process via the American Medical College Application Service® (AMCAS®) . On the AMCAS application, students designate themselves as MD-PhD applicants and complete two additional essays: one related to why they are interested in MD-PhD training, and the other highlighting their significant research experiences.

What schools offer this type of program?

Nationwide, there are more than 90 MD-PhD programs affiliated with medical schools. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) supports Medical Scientist Training Programs or MSTPs. They currently provide training grants that partially support MD-PhD programs at 49 degree-granting institutions. You can see which schools offer MD-PhD degrees in the  Medical School Admission Requirements  profiles under “Combined Degrees and Special Programs.” You can also review  Individual MD-PhD Program Information for Prospective Applicants  for easy access to individual MD-PhD program websites.

How long does it take?

Students enter an integrated curriculum that typically takes seven to eight years to complete. During which time, they satisfy the full requirements for both the MD and the PhD degrees.

What kind of work can I do? How much time is spent as an MD? As a researcher?

According to a  study of MD-PhD program outcomes , nearly 80 percent of graduates are following career paths consistent with the goals of their training, including working as full-time faculty in academic medical centers or for the NIH, research institutes, industry, and federal agencies. Those in academia, spend between 50 and 80 percent of their time conducting research, though this can vary by specialty. Their research may be lab-based, translational, or clinical. The remaining time is often divided between clinical service, teaching, and administrative activities.

MD-PhD Application Timeline

AMCAS application opens:  May preceding the year of expected entry Applicants interviewed:  October–March Final decisions sent to applicants:  December–March Applicants revisit program(s) to decide where to matriculate:  March–April MD-PhD programs start:  June–August

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Information on how to become a research physician, also known as a physician-investigator or a physician-scientist.

A Personal Plea to Premeds

Trisha Kaundinya | January 13, 2021

When I was in college, I was in a premed “bubble” a lot of the time. I took many of my courses and labs alongside hundreds of other aspiring physicians. I would see the same people throughout my academic day, and sometimes even outside of the lecture hall. Because of this, I unintentionally overheard conversations […]

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Emergency medicine residency program.

If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. Refresh your screen to get the latest wait time. For the most accurate wait time, call the hospital.

Welcome to the Emergency Medicine Residency Program in South Texas

A message from Jamal Rahimi, MD, FACEP, FAAEM Program Director, Emergency Medicine Residency Program

Thank you for your interest in our Emergency Medicine Program. We are a new ACGME-accredited program in Hidalgo County in the beautiful Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Our program is designed to cultivate the next generation of emergency medicine physicians through a comprehensive and dynamic educational experience within South Texas Health System. South Texas GME Consortium has partnered with Texas A&M University as our academic affiliate to offer an exciting journey to becoming an emergency medicine physician. We hope you will join us in this exciting adventure.

Our faculty is dedicated to cultivating exceptional emergency medicine physicians while fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment. STHS GME Consortium and emergency medicine faculty are committed to empowering our residents to become compassionate, skilled and resilient healthcare professionals who will impact their communities and beyond.

Our Mission is to educate a diverse group of emergency medicine residents to attain the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to become master adaptive learners who focus on excellence in the delivery of safe, equitable, holistic, empathic, comprehensive, high-quality, affordable and high-value care to patients of all ages in an underserved community.

As a new emergency medicine program, residents will have the opportunity to partner with the faculty and develop a program they can be proud of years after graduation. With educational and research support from Texas A&M University, residents will also have the opportunity to pursue both clinical and bench research projects, and partner with other Texas A&M learners on collaborative projects.

South Texas Health System is the largest healthcare system in the Rio Grande Valley. We have four acute care hospitals and six freestanding emergency departments, which feed our training facilities with acutely ill and injured patients.

Residents can rotate through South Texas Health System McAllen , South Texas Health System Edinburg , and South Texas Health System Children’s , all of which are modern facilities equipped with advanced medical technology and patient care.

South Texas Health System McAllen (STHS McAllen), our primary training site, is home to a Level I Trauma Center, Comprehensive Stroke and Certified Chest Pain Center, with 28 licensed beds. Residents will spend the majority of their training time at STHS McAllen, which houses the Trauma ICU, Medical ICU, Anesthesia, Radiology, OB/GYN, Orthopedic and IM Admitting rotations. Located just off the main expressway running across the Rio Grande Valley, the facility receives a lot of EMS traffic, providing a high volume of trauma and medical patients. STHS McAllen is also located just nine miles from the international border; our residents will have the opportunity to be ambassadors of healthcare not only to our community but to immigrants from around the world.

South Texas Health System Edinburg (STHS Edinburg), one of the rotation sites, is home to our Community Emergency Medicine experience. STHS Edinburg is a Level IV Trauma Center, Primary Stroke Center and Certified Chest Pain Center, licensed with 20 beds. It’s the gateway to the newest addition to STHS’ facilities. The ED is located on the first floor of a new $104 million patient tower, which has an advanced ICU and medical units. STHS Edinburg is also home to three new hybrid radiology suites, allowing EM residents to work one-on-one with Interventional Radiologists to develop their skills.

South Texas Health System Children’s (STHS Children’s), located on the same campus as STHS Edinburg, is home to the region's first dedicated children’s hospital. The pediatric facility is an 86-bed hospital featuring the region’s largest pediatric emergency department (Peds ED), a Joint Commission-certified asthma program and a Pediatric ICU. Residents will spend several weeks each year at STHS Children’s in a longitudinal format to ensure each resident is exposed to the span of pediatric illness and injuries. Residents will spend one block during PGY-3 year in the Pediatric ICU to hone the management of critical pediatric populations.

Program Highlights:

• With 93,851 ED visits between the three rotation sites and 213,094 including the freestanding EDs, residents will have plenty of learning and patient care experiences.
• Experience at one of the busiest Trauma Centers in the Rio Grande Valley.
• Innovative and diverse curriculum designed to meet the needs of an ever-changing emergency medicine landscape.
• Faculty ready to meet the challenge of being “the new kids on the block” when it comes to EM residencies. Open to new ideas and suggestions from residents to shape the program.
• Helping to create ambassadors of healthcare to immigrants, many of whom have never had the opportunity to receive medical care.
• Partnering with Dr. Haywood Hall, PACE MD residents will also have an opportunity to experience global health from one of the pioneers on the topic.
• Located just 75 miles from South Padre Island, residents can visit a top vacation spot in Texas.
• McAllen International Airport has short flights to some great spots in Mexico that residents can enjoy, like Tulum, Cancun, and Cozumel, just to name a few. These destinations can be a relaxing option for a short getaway or enjoyed on one of the three vacation weeks offered each year.
• McAllen is also just a few hours drive from San Antonio, Corpus Christi or Houston.

We hope you will take the journey and allow us to mentor and train the next generation of emergency physicians. We want our graduates to be innovators in emergency medicine, and just as you help us shape the Emergency Medicine program at STHS, we want you to carry that experience in your careers and continue to shape emergency medicine for decades.

During the three years of residency training, our residents will become highly skilled at all facets of Emergency Medicine.

View Curriculum →

Salaries and Benefits

We offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision and other benefits.

View Salaries and Benefits →

Application Process

Apply through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) application process.

Apply Now →

Our program has the responsibility to promote and support a training culture where the residents’ well-being is prioritized.

Learn More About Our Wellness Program →

For more information about our Emergency Medicine Residency Program, please contact:

Roberta Reyes Administrative Director [email protected]

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nav = Genetics and Epigenetics

GENETICS & EPIGENETICS

Research in Genetic & Epigenetic labs is broadly focused on the fundamental genetic, epigenetic, and genomic mechanisms that control cell growth and differentiation, and that cause cancer and other human diseases.

Welcome to G&E!

The Genetics & Epigenetics (G&E) Program is a research-oriented PhD and MS program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The research in G&E labs is broadly focused on the fundamental genetic, epigenetic, and genomic mechanisms that control cell growth and differentiation, and that cause cancer and other human diseases. From basic science investigations to translational studies, G&E students and faculty are actively engaged in the pursuit of new scientific knowledge that could one day lead to clinical advances.

The Program aims to train students who are knowledgeable, critical, and productive independent scientists. We achieve this through cutting-edge research projects, classes, seminars, retreat, laboratory collaborations, social gatherings and career development activities.

G&E labs are located throughout the Texas Medical Center, including MD Anderson and UTHealth (McGovern Medical School, School of Public Health, School of Dentistry, and School of Biomedical Informatics). 

Image at right shows that, in inner mitochondria membrane, a lipophilic metabolite called ubiquinol (blue dots) is quenching lipid peroxides (which make inner mitochondria membrane “on fire”), and suppresses cell death called ferroptosis. From the lab of Boyi Gan, PhD. Mao, C., et al.  Nature 2021 . 

Welcome to the Genetics & Epigenetics Program!

As molecular biology and genomics have blurred the boundaries between biomedical graduate programs, our Genetics & Epigenetics (G&E) Program is distinguished by our fundamental research, all-round students, and committed faculty. We are proud of these core characteristics; they also help us to weather the uncertainties from the COVID-19 pandemic.

      As detailed on our website, the G&E Program tackles foundational questions in development and disease that can be grouped into five research areas: epigenetics, developmental genetics, human genetics, cancer genetics, and genome maintenance and repair. Using a diverse array of model organisms, such as fruit flies, worms, zebrafish, frogs, and mice, we are pinpointing key nodes of biology that become dysregulated in inherited or acquired abnormalities including cancer, and thus identifying potential diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to be further developed by biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

      Our Program of ~50 students is the Goldilocks size – small enough for individualized attention and large enough for vibrant academic and social interactions including retreats, symposia, and art shows. Our curriculum is designed and taught to hone skills in critical thinking, bioinformatics, and verbal and written communication. Numerous faculty-guided, student-led events help nurture organizational and leadership skills. As a result, having Genetics and Epigenetics on the diploma embodies well-balanced training.

      Our Program faculty are committed to spending their most precious commodity – time – to help students advance their intellectual and professional pursuits. A student’s success is inherently also their mentor’s, lab’s, program’s, and school’s success. This principle aligns with a fundamental motivation for any scientist to have an enduring legacy – both from their scientific discoveries and from mentoring the next generation of scholars.

      The pandemic shut down or delayed research and upended the work routine. However, despite the waves of cases, pandemic is temporary, whereas science is timeless. Social distancing does not mean social isolation. As scientists who are used to persevering and innovating, we are leveraging technology to bring people closer, as exemplified by the higher attendance of virtual thesis defenses, inclusion of international speakers in our science historical perspective series, and ease in joining virtual conferences at a lower cost and without the difficulties and expense of traveling.

      We have an invigorated commitment to improving our research community by recognizing individual needs and providing support and encouragement to ensure student wellness and success. A strong community is a foundation that empowers new perspectives and ideas to make science robust and innovative. Taken together, having Genetics and Epigenetics on the diploma embodies well-balanced training.

Francesca Cole, PhD, Program Director Rachel Miller, PhD, Program Co-Director

The G&E Program is broadly focused on the fundamental genetic, epigenetic, and genomic mechanisms that control cell growth and differentiation, and that cause cancer and other human diseases. From basic science investigations to translational studies, G&E students and faculty are actively engaged in the pursuit of new scientific knowledge that could one day lead to clinical advances. Below are the broad areas of research being performed in G&E Program labs.

Developmental Genetics

Human genetics, cancer genetics.

• Genome Maintenance & Repair

Nearly every cell in our body has the exact same genome, yet that DNA blueprint is interpreted differently in specific settings to create many different cell types. How is the same genetic code read so differently to generate this cellular diversity? How do defects in reading the code lead to pathologies?  

The answers to these questions are found in the study of epigenetics, which refers to heritable phenotypic changes that are not mediated by changes in DNA sequence but rather by alterations in genome organization.

DNA is highly compacted within the eukaryotic nucleus in the form of chromatin, which is built from repeating units of histone-DNA particles called nucleosomes.  Nucleosome placement, density, and higher order folding all impact accessibility of DNA sequences to transcription factors and regulatory proteins, thereby affecting patterns of gene expression.

Changes in chromatin structure control where, when and at what level genes are expressed during embryogenesis and after birth.  They also control cellular responses to environmental and physiological changes. Moreover, proper chromatin organization is crucial for maintenance of genome integrity. 

Epigenetic abnormalities are associated with loss of cell identity, genome instability, deregulated growth, and abnormal response to signal transduction pathways, thereby contributing to disease states.  

The G&E Program faculty are defining how epigenetic factors impact gene transcription, DNA recombination, DNA repair, and DNA replication in normal cells in order to understand how epigenetic abnormalities contribute to cancer development and progression. 

Since epigenetic changes are often reversible, our studies provide strong molecular frameworks for the development of new therapies targeting regulators of key epigenetic events such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, or expression of non-coding RNAs.

It is remarkable that a single cell, the fertilized egg, will consistently form an individual with differentiated tissues and organs, positioned correctly within the body. What are the genes that regulate these processes during embryogenesis? How do different cells and tissues interact to form functional organs and organ systems? Which genes when mutated lead to birth defects?

These types of questions can be answered by studying developmental genetics, which focuses on genes and genetic pathways that regulate embryological, postnatal, and regenerative processes.

In the G&E Program, numerous labs utilize genetic approaches in model organisms including Drosophila , C. elegans , Xenopus , zebrafish, and mouse, to study a variety of developmental processes.

These processes include cell fate and differentiation, inductive interactions between tissues, tissue morphogenesis and organogenesis, and stem cell biology and regeneration. A primary strength using these model systems is that these studies are predominantly carried out in vivo .

Interestingly, many of the genes used by the embryo during development are also deployed later in the adult organism to regulate physiological processes, including homeostasis, wound healing and regeneration. Thus, many of the G&E Program labs exploit these model systems to study genes involved in physiological processes that when altered lead to pathologies that mimic human diseases. Basic knowledge produced by developmental studies fuels translational and clinical research that one day will lead to disease therapies.

Why do some people have an increased lifetime risk for developing cancer or chronic conditions such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease? Is there a genetic explanation for the repeated occurrence of these conditions among members of the same family? What are the genetic variants inherited within families that can be detected and linked to these conditions?

The answers to these questions are found in the study of human genetics. Human genetics research has the primary goal of identifying the molecular basis of inherited disorders, elucidating the genetic and genomic basis of chronic conditions, as well as developing computational tools based on analytical methods to identify disease susceptibility loci and individuals at risk for developing disease.

Human genetics research involves utilizing a broad set of techniques and knowledge, including the basic principles of molecular biology, mendelian genetics and the latest genomic tools, including next-generation DNA sequencing and bioinformatics.

G&E Program faculty are identifying mutations and genetic variants that provide a molecular explanation of inherited human diseases. Understanding the molecular basis of human genetic diseases can lead to disease prevention and the development of treatments and cures.

Cancer is a genetic disease. Mutations that cause cancer alter fundamental cell behaviors, including growth, proliferation, and migration.  How do you identify genes that influence cancer formation and progression?

One way is to use human genetics to identify cancer-causing gene mutations that are inherited. Another way is to correlate genetic lesions found in sporadically occurring tumors. A powerful approach to identify and understand cancer-causing genes is to use model organisms.

In the G&E Program, these model organisms include the fruit fly ( Drosophila ), the nematode worm ( C. elegans ), zebrafish, and the mouse. These systems can be used for large-scale in vivo genetic screens to identify cancer-causing genes or candidate cancer-causing genes can be engineered to create models of human cancer. These powerful genetic systems have led to the identification of genetic pathways that regulate cell behaviors that when mutated lead to tumor formation and metastasis.

Human patients and families with genetic defects contribute to our studies and help inform our thinking as we ultimately hope that this knowledge can provide cures.

Genome Maintenance and Repair

The genome is constantly being challenged by internal and external forces that cause DNA damage. DNA damage results from both programmed cellular processes, such as those required for meiotic crossover and antibody diversity, and spontaneous damage, such as errors in DNA replication, the cellular generation of damage-inducing chemicals, exposure to irradiation or chemicals present in the environment.

Cells have developed many distinct ways to repair DNA damage, but not all DNA damage is properly repaired. Incorrectly repaired DNA damage can lead to genome rearrangements from point mutations to chromosome breaks or loss. Incorrectly repaired DNA can also lead to programmed cell death.

How do cells recognize, respond to and correctly repair DNA damage? How does improper repair influence genome stability? How does failure to repair lead to programmed cell death? How do cancer cells with genome damage bypass cell death?

Many G&E Program laboratories are uncovering how cells recognize and respond to DNA damage, with an emphasis on the genetic and epigenetic factors involved in these processes. G&E Program labs are defining the protein complexes and enzymatic activities that recognize and repair different types of DNA damage, while discovering signaling pathways induced to impose cell cycle checkpoints, to facilitate DNA repair, and to promote other cellular process such as programmed cell death. Ultimately these discoveries will lead to novel strategies for increasing the vulnerability of cancer cells to specific therapeutic strategies.

Click the text link below to see list of G&E faculty seeking students, along with one-page research summaries of many of the faculty. See research profiles of all G&E faculty via the GSBS G&E Faculty Directory . 

G&E Faculty Seeking Students

G&E Rotation Talks

Gne - faculty insight series, may 24 2024, g&e and immunology program spring career symposium.

van Hoof named 2023 Darlington Mentor awardee

Alumna Jovanka Gencel-Augusto, PhD, earns the UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship; offers insight into the pursuit of postdoc opportunities

Faculty members Piwnica-Worms, Richard Wood elected to National Academy of Sciences

Cole named 2022 Oldham faculty award recipient

Ahmed Emam, MS, publishes research on genomic instability in Nature Cell Biology

Activities and awards.

G&E Program Events - Each 2nd Thursday from 12:30 - 1:30 pm (each series will rotate)

G&E GEM Student Seminar Series.  Two students present their thesis research in 20-minute talks. Everyone welcome!

Easy Science Coffee Club.  This club offers a focus on presentation skills in a fun and easy way.  For students only.

G&E Faculty Insight Series . Informal dialog (without slides) with a faculty member about their career and how they have navigated scientific and career challenges. Everyone welcome!

2023 G&E EVENTS

G&E Annual Retreat : October 27-28, 2023 Camp Allen, Navasota, TX Keynote Speaker: John Rinn, PhD,  Leslie Orgel Professor of RNA Science., BioFrontiers Institute University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Biochemistry

G&E/Quantitative Sciences Summer Social: June 7th, 5 - 7 pm G&E Annual Spring Career Symposium : May 10th, 9 am - 5 pm G&E Spring Rotation Talks : May 8th at 2:30 pm and May 9th at 10 am G&E Winter Rotation Talks : March 9th and 10th at 2 pm G&E/Neuroscience Arts Showcase : February 15th, 3 - 5 pm G&E Lunar New Year Event: January 23rd, 4 - 6 pm G&E Fall Rotation Talks:  December 12th and 14th at 1 pm

2021 and 2022 G&E EVENTS

G&E Annual Retreat : November 4-5, 2022 G&E Annual Spring Career Symposium: May 20th, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm G&E Spring Rotation Talks:   May 11th and 12th at 1:00 pm

2021 - Present G&E Winter Rotation Talks: March 2nd and 3rd, at 1:30 pm G&E March GEM Student Seminar: Every 2nd Thursday of the Month

Annual Events

G&E 2021 Annual Retreat: October 22-23, 2021 G&E 2021 Spring Career Symposium: April 23, 2021:   Schedule and Information G&E and Neuroscience 2021 Arts Showcase:  January 27, 2021 .  More information and Exhibitor Program G&E 2021 Lunar New Year Event :   February 25, 2021 

2021 G&E Gem Student Seminar Series scientific and career challenges. 

July GEM: Malcolm Moses (Richard Behringer lab): "Identifying enhancers in sex determination" and Ruoyu Wang (Wenbo Li Lab): "Mapping m6A modification on nascent RNAs"

June GEM: Celine Kong (Jichao Chen lab): "Role of endothelial NTRK2 in respiratory virus-induced lung injury" and Jie Ye (Jianjun ZHang and Nicholas Navin labs): "The impact of subclonal diversity on clinical outcomes in localized NSCLS"

May GEM: Ahmed Emam (Bin Wang lab): "Investigating the role of Abro1 in DNA damage-induced immune response" and Archit Ghosh (Kunal Rai lab): "Disentangling hierarchical chromatin loops in melanoma metastasis"

April GEM: Jace Aloway (Richard Behringer lab): "ACVR1 signaling in sex determination" and Phuoc Nguyen (Wenbo Li lab): "Improving immune checkpoint therapy to breast cancer by targeting RNA binding protein"

March GEM: Ruth Barros De Paul (John Tainer lab): "Unveiling the role of G-quadruplex DNA and G4-22 in human genetics" and Jellisa Ewan (Ambro van Hoof lab): "Investigating the uncharted functions of the Dcp2 decapping enzyme"

February GEM: Amelie Albrecht (Xuetong Shen lab): "Actin tyrosine phosphorylation as a novel regulator of PI3K signaling" and Frederick Robinson (Giulio Draetta lab): "TP53 dependent adaptation to XPO1 inhibitor unmasks novel sequential drug combinations in colorectal cancer"

January GEM: Safia Essien (George Eisenhoffer lab): "Assessing the role of MIF in apoptosis-induced proliferation in zebrafish

G&E Rotation Talks

December, March and May annually

G&E G&E Faculty Insight Series (FIS)

June 2022: Momoko Yoshimoto, MD, PhD, Associate   Professor, Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, IMM, McGovern Medical School April 2022: Blaine Bartholomew, PhD,  Professor, Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, MD Anderson March 2022: Margarida Santos, PhD, Assistant Professor, Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, MD Anderson January 2022: Sharon Dent, PhD, Professor and Chair, Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, MD Anderson October 2021: Pierre McCrea, PhD, Professor, Genetics, MD Anderson May 2021:   Rachel Miller , PhD, Associate Professor, Pediatrics-Research, UTHealth April 2021 : Richard Wood, PhD, Professor, Epigenetics & Molecular Carcinogenesis, MD Anderson March 2021 : George   Eisenhoffer, PhD, Assistant Professor, Genetics, MD Anderson January 2021 : Michelle Hildebrandt, P:hD, Associate Professor, Lymphoma-Myeloma, MD Anderson

G&E Historical Perspectives in Science Lecture

July 2021 : Nathaniel Comfort, PhD, Johns Hopkins University February 2021: Nicole  Nelson, PhD, Univ. Wisconsin-Madison

Congratulations G&E Student Fellowship, Scholarship and Award Recipients! (partial list, 2020-2023)

Mary Adeyeye (Advisor, Xiangli Yang, PhD) Michael E. Kupferman, M.D. Fellowship. Dr. Kupferman, 2023-2024

Vahid Bahrambeigi (Advisor, Anirban Maitra, MBBS) Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2023 Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship, 2022-2023 renewal American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2022-2023 Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship, 2021-2022

Bhargavi Brahmendra Barathi (Advisor, Jason Huse, MD, PhD) 1st place Elevator Speech Competition, Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS & SMS, 1st Year - GSBS Student Research Day 2023

Ahmed Emam (Advisor, John Tainer, PhD) Steve Lasher and Janiece Longoria Graduate Student Research Award in Cancer Biology, 2023-2024

Shannon Erhardt (Advisor, Jun Wang, PhD) Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award, 2023-2024 2nd place, Oral Presentation Skills, Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS & SMS, 1st Year - GSBS Student Research Day 2022

Safia Essien (Advisor, George Eisenhoffer, PhD) American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2020-2021, 2021-2022 Tzu Chi Scholar, 2020

Melissa Frasca (Advisor, Francesca Cole, PhD) Linda M. Wells GSBS Outreach Award, 2023

Maria Gacha Garay (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD) R.W. Butcher Student Achievement Award, 2023-2024 Larry Deaven Ph.D. Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences, 2022-2023

Archit Ghosh (Advisor, Kunal Rai, PhD) Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2021

Dalia Hassan (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD) T.C. Hsu Memorial Scholarship, 2023-2024

Mo-Fan Huang (Advisor, Dung-Fang Lee, PhD) Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2024 Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship, 2023-2024 renewal The Antje Wuelfrath Gee and Harry Gee, Jr. Family Legacy Scholarship, 2022-2023 Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship, 2022-2023

Ericka Humphrey (Advisor, Yejing Ge, PhD) Wei Yu Family Endowed Scholarship, 2023-2024 Deans Excellence Scholarship - Renewal, 2022-2023

Celine Kong (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD) Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2023 Renewal

Rhiannon Morrissey (Advisor, Gigi Lozano, PhD) NIH F31 Fellowship, 2020-2023 American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2020

Nick Newkirk (Advisor, Swathi Arur, PhD) American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2023-2024 - Renewal American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2022-2023

Sreepradha Sridharan (Advisor, Michael Galko, PhD) American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2023-2024

Heather Tsong (Advisor, Andrea Stavoe, PhD) Investing in Student Futures Fellowship, 2022-2023 2nd place, Oral Presentation Skills, Post-Candidacy PhD - GSBS Student Research Day 2023

Llaran Turner (Advisor, George Eisenhoffer, PhD) American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2023-2024 1st place, Oral Presentation Skills, Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS & SMS, 1st Year - GSBS Student Research Day 2023

Mith V (Advisor, Gigi Lozano, PhD) Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Endowment Scholarship, 2023-2024 Dean’s Excellence Scholarship - Renewal, 2023-2024

Brandy Walker (Advisor, Rachel Miller, PhD) Gigli Family Endowed Scholarship, 2023-2024

Ruoyu Wang (Advisor, Wenbo Li, PhD) Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2023 Renewal Presidents' Research Excellence Award, 2022-2023 GSBS Presidents' Research Scholarship, 2022 John and Rebekah Harper Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences, 2022-2023 renewal John and Rebekah Harper Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences, 2021-2022

Hanghui Ye (Advisor, Nicholas Navin, PhD) Sowell-Huggins Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2023-2024 renewal Sowell-Huggins Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2022-2023 renewal Sowell-Huggins Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2021-2022

2023 G&E Student Service Award Recipients

Vahid Bahrambeigi Shannon Erhardt Majo Gacha Garay Dalia Hassan Ericka Humphrey Josh  Lindenberger Anna Miao Richa Nayak Nick Newkirk Sreeja Sridharan Heather Tsong Llaran Tuner

Communications

List of photos on back cover of 2021 G&E Newsletter

LIFE OUTSIDE OF LAB

First Row  (left to right) Momoko Yoshimoto, MD, PhD : Walking the Old faithful trail at Yellowstone National Park (Grotto Geyser) Bill Mattox, PhD : On the Sonoma County Coast, north of San Francisco Anna Miao: Crab lining in Galveston! We got up around 4AM, drove to Galveston and took ferry to fishing port. With a chicken leg and a net, we caught around 20 crabs ?! Richard Wood, PhD: Hiking in New Mexico with Geoff Stradling, 2021

Second Row (left to right) Dalia Hassan: This is my cat, Biso! Jace Aloway: My wife and I took our dog, Sasha, on a backpacking trip up Mt. Harvard of the Rocky Mountains. We spent a few days exploring the nearby towns before hitting the trail where we spent three days enjoying the beautiful sights Swathi Arur, PhD: Start of the hike from Lake Louise to the Tea House (which lies beyond the mountains visible in the backdrop) at Banff Peaches (cat on the left) and Luna (cat on the right) : Sreeja recently fostered kittens without a mother. She and her husband decided to keep Peaches, who is currently 4 months old! Keeping Peaches out of trouble is a full-time occupation. Their other cat, Luna, is not very impressed with Peaches.

Third Row (left to right) Archibald: Han Bit Baek’s precious fur baby! Celine Kong : Garba dance with friends! Richard Wood, PhD: Reserva Los Huemules, Patagonia, 2019 Melissa Frasca : With lab friends at Wildseed Farms to see wildflowers.

Fourth Row (left to right + ½ line down) Rachel Dittmar: Family portrait with Evan and Hattie Dittmar Sasha : I belong to Jace Aloway and his wife! Francesca Cole, PhD: Lemon Meringue with her daughter, Rowan Leia: I belong to Melissa Frasca! Sreeja Sridharan: At her wedding with husband, Jacob Rutherford Michelle Hildebrandt, PhD : “Our foal was born! ‘Stich’ will be my daughter's next show horse”

Fifth Row (left to right) Mango: Dr. Junwoo Lee and his wife adopted their dog, Mango. He sometimes breaks Junwoo’s action figures. Most recently, Mango broke Jedai Obiwan. Celine Kong : Ugly Sweaters Christmas Celebration with friends! Fernando Benavides, PhD : “I've been playing guitar almost all my life. This is a tribute band I am with now in Austin” Rosie: I belong to Dr. Francesca Cole and family!

G&E on Twitter:  https://twitter.com/UTGSBSGnE

G&e on facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/131236770777190/      , latest g&e students to win gsbs fellowships and scholarships .

Ericka Humphrey (Advisor, Yejing Ge, PhD): 2023-2024 UTHealthLeads MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate Student School Fellows Heather Tsong (Advisor, Andrea Stavoe, PhD): 2023-2024 UTHealthLeads MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate Student School Fellows Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang (Advisor, Dung-Fang Lee, PhD): Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2024 Mith V (Advisor, Gigi Lozano, PhD): Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Endowment Scholarship, 2023-2024 Mary Adeyeye (Advisor, Xiangli Yang, PhD) : Michael E. Kupferman, M.D. Fellowship. Dr. Kupferman, 2023-2024 Shannon Erhardt (Advisor, Jun Wang, PhD): Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award, 2023-2024 Brandy Walker (Advisor, Rachel Miller, PhD): Gigli Family Endowed Scholarship, 2023-2024 Dalia Hassan (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD:) T.C. Hsu Memorial Scholarship, 2023-2024 Ahmed Emam (Advisor, John Tainer, PhD): Steve Lasher and Janiece Longoria Graduate Student Research Award in Cancer Biology, 2023-2024 Majo Gacha Garay (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD): R.W. Butcher Student Achievement Award, 2023-2024 Ericka Humphrey  (Advisor, Yejing Ge, PhD) : Wei Yu Family Endowed Scholarship, 2023-2024 Heather Tsong (Advisor, Andrea Stavoe, PhD): 1 st Place Platform Talk - 2023 G&E Retreat Han Bit Baek (Advisor, Swathi Arur, PhD): 2 nd Place Platform Talk - 2023 G&E Retreat Llaran Turner (Advisor, George Eisenhoffer, PhD): People’s Choice Platform Talk - 2023 G&E Retreat Samantha Mota (Advisor, Michael Galko, PhD): 1 st Place Pre-Candidacy Poster (tie) - 2023 G&E Retreat Sseu-Pei Hwang (Advisor, Catherine Denicourt, PhD): 1 st Place Pre-Candidacy Poster (tie) - 2023 G&E Retreat Anna Miao (Advisor, Don Gibbons, PhD): 1 st Place Pre-Candidacy Poster (tie) - 2023 G&E Retreat Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang (Advisor, Dung-Fang Lee, PhD): 1 st Place Post-Candidacy Poster - 2023 G&E Retreat Majo Gacha Garay (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD): 2 nd Place Post-Candidacy Poster - 2023 G&E Retreat Guillaume Trusz (Advisor, Michael Curran, PhD): 1 st Place Pre-Candidacy Poster Flash Talk - 2023 G&E Retreat Jace Aloway (Advisor, Richard Behringer, PhD): 1 st Place Post-Candidacy Poster Flash Talk - 2023 G&E Retreat Melissa Frasca (Advisor, Francesca Cole, PhD):  Linda M. Wells GSBS Outreach Award, 2023 Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang (Advisor, Dung-Fang Lee, PhD): Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship, 2023-2024 renewal Hanghui Ye (Advisor, Nick Navin, PhD): Andrew Sowell - Wade Huggins Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2023-2024 renewal Llaran Turner (Advisor, George Eisenhoffer, PhD): 2023-2024 American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research Vahid Bahrambeigi (Advisor, Anirban Maitra, MBBS):  Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2023 Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang (Advisor, Dung-Fang Lee, PhD): The Antje Wuelfrath Gee and Harry Gee, Jr. Family Legacy Scholarship, 2022-2023 Celine Kong (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD): Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2023 Renewal Heather Tsong (Advisor, Andrea Stavoe, PhD): Investing in Student Futures Fellowship, 2022-2023 Ruoyu Wang (Advisor, Wenbo Li, PhD): Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellow, 2023 Renewal Ruoyu Wang (Advisor, Wenbo Li, PhD) : 2022-2023 Presidents' Research Excellence Award  Ruoyu Wang (Advisor, Wenbo Li, PhD) :  2022 GSBS Presidents' Research Scholarship Ericka Humphrey (Advisor, Yejing Ge, PhD) :2022-2023 Deans Excellence Scholarship - Renewal Hanghui Ye (Advisor, Nicholas Navin, PhD) : Sowell-Huggins Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2022-2023 renewal Ruoyu Wang (Advisor, Wenbo Li, PhD) : John and Rebekah Harper Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences, 2022-2023 renewal Vahid Bahrambeigi (Advisor, Anirban Maitra, MBBS) : Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship, 2022-2023 renewal Vahid Bahrambeigi (Advisor, Anirban Maitra, MBBS) : American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2022-2023 Maria Gacha Garay (Advisor, Jichao Chen, PhD) : Larry Deaven Ph.D. Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences, 2022-2023 Nick Newkirk (Advisor, Swathi Arur, PhD) : American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research, 2022-2023 Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang (Advisor, Dung-Fang Lee) : Rosalie B. Hite Fellowship, 2022-2023

See list of G&E student award recipients in ' Awards' section.

G&E GSBS Student Research Day 2023 Award Winners:

Llaran Turner ( Advisor, George Esienhoffer, PhD):  1st place, Oral Presentation Skills, Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS & SMS, 1st Year Bhargavi Brahmendra Barathi (Advisor, Jason Huse, MD, PhD): 1st place Elevator Speech Competition, Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS & SMS, 1st Year  Heather Tsong (Advisor, Andrea Stavoe, PhD): 2nd place, Oral Presentation Skills, Post-Candidacy PhD 

G&E GSBS Student Research Day 2022 Award Winners:

Shannon Erhardt (Advisor, Jun Wang, PhD):  2nd place, Oral Presentation Skills, Pre-Candidacy PhD, MS & SMS, 1st Year Raisa Reyes Castro (Advisor, Swathi Arur, PhD):  1st place, Poster Competitions, Post-Candidacy PhD

Boyi Gan Receives 2021 MD Anderson Faculty Achievement Award in Basic Research (August 2021)

Boyi Gan, PhD, G&E faculty member and Associate Professor, Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology at MD Anderson is the recipient of the  MD Anderson Dallas/Fort Worth Living Legend Faculty Achievement Award in Basic Research. His award will be presented at the Faculty Honors Convocation later this year.

David Johnson, PhD Receives 2021 Oldham Faculty Award (August 2021)

David Johnson, PhD , G&E faculty member and Professor, Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis at MD Anderson is the recipient of the 2021 D. Dudley and Judy White Oldham Faculty Award. As noted in the GSBS Essential: "The purpose of the award is to recognize an exceptional faculty member who consistently demonstrates excellence in service and leadership at the school". 

G&E Director Wins McGovern Teaching Award (July 2021)

Dr. Jichao Chen, G&E Director and Associate Professor of Pulmonary Medicine-Research at MD Anderson wins 2021 McGovern Award for Outstanding Teaching. This award recognizes excellence in teaching based on the educator’s knowledge of the subject, interest in/enthusiasm for teaching, interest in and understanding of students, responsiveness to student questions and encouragement of independent thinking, and accessibility to students. Each year, GSBS students nominate and vote for the winner. 

G&E Library

G&E offers a lending library located in Amy Carter’s office at GSBS. More than 40 books will be available for check-out. From biology textbooks, scientific resources and biographies, to R programming, writing guides, and personal productivity, you'll find a huge breadth of topics of interest to our graduate program community. See book list here .  

G&E Social Media

Francesca Cole, PhD G&E Program Director Associate Professor, Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis MD Anderson Cancer Center Office: South Campus Research Building, 3SCRB4.4109 Email: [email protected] | Tel: 832-750-7185

Rachel Miller, PhD G&E Program Co-Director Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School Office: MSE R414 Email: [email protected] | Tel: 713-500-6537

Amy Carter G&E Program Manager GSBS Office - BSRB S3.8332a Telephone: 713.745.0659 email: [email protected]