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Nazish Jeffery ’21M (PhD) On Responding to Rejection and Her Path to Science Policy

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Listen on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube Music.

Nazish Jeffery, a 2021 graduate of our Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program, has charted her career path at the intersection of science and policy. Currently serving as the Bioeconomy Policy Manager at the Federation of American Scientists in Washington D.C., Nazish is a local native from Henrietta who has now successfully transitioned from graduate trainee to a vital role in science policy.

She bridges the gap between scientific research, policy formulation, and implementation, drawing on her experiences to address challenges within the scientific community and advocate for policies that promote innovation and support the scientific ecosystem.

Her prior role as a scientist in process development at Bluebird Bio in Cambridge, Mass. enriched her understanding of commercial and operational challenges in scientific research and solidified her passion for integrating science with policy to effect meaningful change.

Nazish's progression from graduate student to science policy highlights the importance of exploring interdisciplinary fields and being proactive in career development. Venturing into industry after her PhD, her role as a process development scientist broadened her insight into the business side of science. Her journey exemplifies the power of intentional career planning, the necessity of adaptability when facing professional challenges, and the crucial role of effective communication in advancing science and benefiting society.

Key Takeaways

Explore Interdisciplinary Fields: Embrace the merging of your interests to forge a distinct career path. Nazish's discovery of science policy—a field that marries her passion for science with her interest in policy—underscores the significance of delving into interdisciplinary areas that resonate with your personal and professional goals.

Network and Engage: Forge connections within and beyond your academic environment. Actively seek opportunities to understand various career paths and nurture mentorships and support networks that foster your growth. Nazish attributes her success in pursuing alternative career paths to the encouragement and support from her mentors.

Adapt and Be Resilient: Prepare to navigate and surmount the hurdles inherent in competitive arenas. Rejections can test your self-perception and determination. Nazish's experiences of facing challenges along her journey stress the need for resilience, flexibility, and the readiness to seize new opportunities when they present themselves.

Develop Your Skills Strategically: Cultivate a diverse skill set that is relevant across multiple roles. Nazish's progression from academia to industry, and subsequently to policy work, illustrates the importance of versatile skills like communication, program management, and an understanding of industry intricacies.

Communicate Effectively: Develop your prowess in articulating complex scientific ideas to varied audiences. Proficiency in communication is vital not only in science policy but also in any profession that requires making your work comprehensible to those without a scientific background.

Top Quotes

  1. [05:02] "I really do love science, but I like the translation of science a little bit more. It kind of pushed me into pursuing what my passion was, which was science policy."
  2. [05:44] "We're bridge builders between communities, especially for people working in academia and industry in the sciences, helping them voice the challenges they're facing on a day-to-day basis in their field, and potentially helping them figure out ways that government can step in and help alleviate those problems, provide more funding, or provide more opportunities for innovation."
  3. [17:29] "It's all about how you market your skillset. There's a lot of research and it's really scientific, but there are many other things we're learning along the way that apply to many different jobs."
  4. [29:19] "The best thing you can do is talk about your science to people who don't know science. If you want to grow your communication skills and better understand your own work, the best way to do it is to try to explain it to someone who doesn't know any science at all."

Connect with Nazish on LinkedIn.

The New Issue of Opportunities to Explore is Out Now!

Monday, March 18, 2024

Read the March 25-March 29, 2024 Issue

Ian Krout ’22M (PhD) on Honing Your Skills Beyond Research

Monday, February 26, 2024

Listen on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube Music.
 

Ian Krout, a 2022 graduate of our Toxicology Ph.D. program, currently serves as a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University School of Medicine and an assistant professor at Kennesaw State University.

In this episode, he discusses his current role as a bench scientist, primarily focusing on sequencing and data analysis, contributing to research investigating how pesticide exposure may interact with the gut microbiome to influence the progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

Reflecting on his academic career, Krout explains how he discovered the Toxicology program at the University of Rochester and why he chose it for his graduate training, highlighting the program's focus on collaboration, interdisciplinary work, and professional development. He also shares his experience in finding the right postdoctoral opportunity, emphasizing the importance of setting goals, seeking feedback from committee members, and exploring research that aligns with one's interests.

Krout offers advice to graduate students, encouraging them to maximize their educational experiences by leveraging available resources and embracing opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Key Takeaways

Intentionality in Career Planning: Take a deliberate approach to identifying and applying for postdoctoral opportunities. Setting clear goals and aligning them with your career aspirations helps you prioritize programs that offer meaningful advancement opportunities.

Utilizing Resources: Use the resources available at academic institutions; from career talks and workshops to faculty committees, you can gain valuable insights and personalized feedback on potential career paths.

Networking and Collaboration: Engage with your peers and faculty members in the academic community. Prioritize a collaborative environment and foster connections and partnerships with those around you. Be proactive in your engagement and take the initiative to maximize your learning and networking opportunities.

Reflective Practice: Introspection is crucial for your academic development and personal growth. Seize opportunities to develop and hone your skills beyond research so you can adapt to new roles and responsibilities, becoming a more well-rounded scientist.

Living in the Moment: Remember to appreciate the present while focusing on future goals. Enjoy your academic journey by finding a work-life balance that allows you to approach your studies enjoyably and sustainably. Value your holistic development as both a person and a scientist.

Key Quotes

  1. 06:56: "...the Toxicology program...being really unique and opposed to the other programs that I looked at and the fact that they focused on collaboration and interdisciplinary work as opposed to competition and sort of trapping yourself in one discipline, which I found with a lot of the other graduate schools I looked at. And so with that focus on collaboration, it made the program really welcoming and it made it so that interdisciplinary work could occur between labs, between graduate students even.
     
  2. 08:38: " I made it a point to try to take advantage of any career professional development opportunities that came my way. And a lot of that happened through myHub with Eric Vaughn and Elaine Smolock at the Writing Center. I participated in a number of career talks and professional development workshops that really allowed me to see the breadth of opportunities that were available for PhDs and hone in my own career aspirations. So utilizing all of these things made me just a more well-rounded scientist, not only because professionally I looked better, but I was taking the skills that I learned in things such as leadership and management workshops back to the bench."
     
  3. 09:00: "I also took part in the science communication group Thinkers and Drinkers, where we were able to focus on how do we communicate our science to individuals outside of the scientific field. So, not only was I doing the research, but I was working on how to communicate that research to others to make it so that my Ph.D. was not only at the bench but was also interactive with translating that research to individuals who are the constituency of the research that we're completing."
     
  4. 13:09: "Knowing what my goals were and knowing what I wanted to achieve in the next three and next five years really made it so that I could sort through my options as next steps and find something that fit my role."
     
  5. 21:08: “Don’t be afraid to reach out to people like Eric and Elaine. If you have an idea or you have something you need help with, they're amazing and more than willing to help. … reach out, get involved, do as much as you can."

Research Update from Steve Dewhurst

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Dear colleagues,  

Twice a year—in February and in March—the Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) at the School of Medicine Dentistry (SMD) hosts "Discover UR SMD Weekend" for applicants to our PhD programs. The event provides an opportunity both to showcase research at the Medical Center, and to reflect on what makes UR a special place.

Highlights of SMD’s research activities in 2023 include a total of $265 million in research funding, and some 382 newly funded clinical trials (315 of them industry-supported)—underscoring the impact of the CTSI’s Office of Clinical Research, which is led by newly recruited director, Ashlee Lang. A related highlight is the growth of cancer-related funding at the Wilmot Cancer Institute to a record high of $30.3 million, including $13.1 million in support from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

While funding is essential for the conduct of research, it is not what makes SMD special. Our special sauce, to use a signature phrase of one of my favorite people at UR, lies in the combination of our unique resources, our institutional culture, and above all, our people.

In that regard, new SMD Dean and URMC CEO, David Linehan, sets the tone. I’m excited that my new boss is an accomplished physician-scientist with a two-decade history of continuous research support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). But, I’m even more excited that—in the words of my colleague, Calvin Cole (assistant professor of Surgery)"he is a very caring individual" who "leads with his heart." If you haven’t already, check out Dr. Linehan’s message to all of our learners.

One of the best parts of Discover UR SMD Weekends are the dinners that faculty members host in their homes. Nathan Smith, associate dean for Equity and Inclusion in Research and Research Education regularly gathers students and faculty in his home because "it creates an environment that is warm and inviting, making it easier for visiting students, current students, and faculty to connect with one another." That experience was borne out in the words of one applicant who emailed Nate to say that "I was genuinely impressed by the sense of camaraderie and inclusivity within the program's group. The conversations I had with faculty and fellow applicants left me with a strong sense of community and belonging."

Finally, Discover UR SMD Weekends also provide an opportunity to put the spotlight on our amazing learners. A few examples include:

Steve Dewhurst, PhD 
Vice Dean for Research, SMD 
Vice President for Research, UR   

* To report a concern about improper or unethical behavior, please call the Integrity Hotline at (585) 756-8888. You may also report concerns online.

2023 SMD Research in Review
Download: Highlights of SMD’s Research Activities in 2023

Kaisha Gonzalez (‘12) on Being a Multidisciplinary Thinker

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Listen on Spotify, Apple or YouTube Music.

In this episode, we speak with Kaisha Gonzalez, PhD, a 2012 alum of the Microbiology and Immunology program, who has carved a niche for herself in the biotech diagnostics landscape.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Gonzalez is now a Senior Principal Scientist for Scientific Affairs at DiaSorin Molecular, LLC. Her work is essential in designing and producing in-vitro diagnostic reagents, contributing significantly to the fight against infectious diseases and advancing genetic testing.

Based in the Washington, D.C. area, her work bridges crucial gaps between research and development, marketing, and sales teams, ensuring that scientific developments are effectively integrated with customer needs and business strategies.

With a nod to the formative impact of a PhD, Dr. Gonzalez highlights that it’s not a guarantee of success but rather a key to unlocking opportunities by cultivating essential skills such as public speaking and writing. She champions the concept of a multidisciplinary mindset, suggesting that versatility is a valuable asset in the scientific industry. Additionally, Dr. Gonzalez encourages established professionals to mentor the next generation and recognizes the importance of fostering potential within the community, reminding us of the enduring influence of encouragement and support on a person's career trajectory.

Key Takeaways

Focus on Skills: Pursue a PhD not just for the title but for the diverse set of skills it imparts, from critical thinking to public speaking, which are assets beyond academia.

Embrace Versatility: Careers in science can be multifaceted, involving collaboration across various company departments and direct customer interaction. Be prepared to wear many hats. The interplay between research, development, marketing, and sales is where scientific innovation meets real-world application.

Never Stop Learning: The scientific field requires a commitment to ongoing education; science is ever-evolving, with new challenges and discoveries around every corner.

Cultivate a Multidisciplinary Mindset: Specialization is important, but breadth of knowledge can set you apart in any industry. Avoid the narrowing of expertise too much during graduate studies.

Mentorship and Potential: Recognizing potential in others and providing mentorship is critical for career development in any field. Lift others by recognizing and nurturing their talents.

Top Quotes

[19:11] “I did have this fork in the road where I did apply for a postdoc, and then I applied for this DNA analyst job, which is completely different. And I could just be more comfortable and go into that postdoc, which in all honestly was going to be like a revolving door for me...I was not going to gain new skills. So I decided to get outside of my comfort zone and choose the forensic [job] because I know if I go to this side, I’m going to learn new skills.”
 

[37:06] "You can be an expert of one single thing, but you can be actually an expert of many things. So when it comes to industry, that actually resonates very well, especially for the job that I do. I need to be an expert of many things in order to educate, create awareness, be helpful to my fellow internal teams.”
 

[38:15] "Look for the potential in others and actually pull it out. I think I would not be here if someone didn't see the potential. From the teacher who said You can be a really good scientist...and from my colleague who saw some potential in me during training and said Well, you could be really good in industry."

Trainees and Faculty Honored at 2023 GEPA Awards

Wednesday, November 8, 2023

2022

2022
David Figlio speaks during the GEPA during the GEPA Awards and Philosophy Meeting

SMD’s Office for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs held their annual GEPA Awards and Philosophy Meeting on October 30, 2023. With SMD and Medical Center leadership in attendance, trainees and faculty were recognized for their outstanding work in research and mentoring.

University of Rochester Provost David Figlio acknowledged the crucial role the GEPA community plays in helping URMC reach its vision of being a preeminent biomedical research institution.

“Our learners and postdocs are the lifeblood of our research enterprise. You’re here to get an education, but you give the University so much in return,” he said.

Below is the full list of GEPA awardees.

Award

Awardee(s)

Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull University Fellowship Akhil Bandreddi
Caio Tabata Fukushima
Provost’s Fellowship Dylan Fredrick
Raegan Myers
Eli Sun
Graduate Alumni Fellowship Award Aiesha Anchan
Merritt and Marjorie Cleveland Fellowship Amelia Hines
J. Newell Stannard Graduate Student Scholarship Carl Berggren
Irving L. Spar Fellowship Award Nicole Popp
URSMD Meliora Scholarship   Catherine Caballero
Wyatt Fales
Gladys Leitch
Emily Sorensen 
Outstanding Student Mentor Award Linh Le
Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Equity and Inclusion Emily Quarato
Leon L. Miller Graduate Fellowship in Biophysics Nino Kalandadze
Melville A. Hare Award for Excellence in Teaching Sebastian Bosch
Karli Sutton
Melville A. Hare Award for Excellence in Research Michael Lutz, PhD
Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentor Award Michael Isei, PhD
Outstanding Postdoctoral Researcher Award Vikas Arige, PhD
Postdoctoral Appointee Award for Excellence in Equity and Inclusion Jahaira Capellan, PhD
Outstanding Graduate Program Director Award Joshua C. Munger
Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher Award Marissa E. Sobolewski, PhD
Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award Kirsi Järvinen-Seppo, MD, PhD
Outstanding T32 Program Director Award Patricia M. White PhD & Craig Morrell, DVM, PhD
Jacques Robert, PhD & Tim R. Mosmann, PhD
Graduate Student Society Advocacy Award Nathan A. Smith, MS, PhD,
Graduate Student Society Mentoring Award Anna Majewska, PhD
Graduate Student Society Recognition Award Odyssey Harrington

 

Meet Our Next Generation of Researchers and Health Professionals

Monday, November 6, 2023

infographic of 2023 graduate students

David Simon (’07) on Making Unique Mistakes

Tuesday, October 31, 2023


Listen on YouTube music.

David Simon, PhD, a graduate of our Microbiology and Immunology program, offers an inspiring journey from academia to real-world impact in the latest episode of The Next Step. Completing his PhD in 2007, David's early career saw him delve into postdoctoral research, but a transformative realization at the NIH drove him to think beyond the bench.

David’s contributions came to the forefront during the COVID-19 pandemic when he led teams at the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) for Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine distribution, earning a presidential commendation in 2021.

As prospective grad students consider their paths, David's trajectory serves as a testament to the possibilities beyond traditional academia. His roles at the Department of Defense and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) emphasize opportunities to apply academic learning to critical real-world challenges.

His recent transition to the startup world further showcases the diverse avenues available to trainees.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Leverage the Problem-Solving Skills Acquired During Education: Having a PhD is not just about the specific field of study but about the analytical and problem-solving skills you've developed. It's about "how can you think about problems" as a scientist and adapt to new situations. So, irrespective of your specialization, always highlight your ability to approach and solve problems critically and innovatively.

Embrace Your Strengths and Work on Your Weaknesses: It's essential to acknowledge areas where you might not naturally excel and consciously work towards improving them. At the same time, lean into your strengths and make them central to your professional identity.

Learn to Collaborate: Graduate school will introduce you to diverse groups of people with differing opinions. Embrace this diversity and learn how to work harmoniously with everyone. It's essential to understand how to disagree without being disagreeable. The key is to foster an environment of discussion, debate, and, sometimes, dissension but always in a productive manner.

Acknowledge Others: As you progress in your career and possibly receive accolades or recognitions, always remember the contributions of those who supported you. Whether it's a team or a mentor, their input is invaluable, and recognizing their efforts promotes a healthy professional environment. Remember that individual accomplishments are often the result of collective efforts.

Always Ask Questions: Don't hesitate to ask questions when in doubt. There's a good chance someone else in the room might have the same question but is hesitant to voice it. Speaking up and seeking clarity is essential, both in an educational setting and in life. Remember, there's no harm in seeking understanding.

Seek Mentorship from Fellow PhDs: Seek guidance from fellow PhD holders. They've been through similar journeys and can provide advice, support, and insights based on their experiences. It's a mutual understanding, as many have felt the same uncertainties and challenges.

Bonus Advice - Make Unique Mistakes: David recalls a piece of advice from his mentor, John Frelinger: always strive to make unique mistakes. This concept encourages growth, innovation, and learning from one's experiences, which is pivotal for both personal and professional development.

TOP QUOTES

1. [03:21] “PhDs in my experience love helping other PhDs. I mean, if you go on to grad school, you want to help other people who are coming out of grad school, because my experience has always been nobody knows necessarily what they're going to do or what is available to be done…”

2. [09:10] "It's how can you think about problems in general as a scientist and have basic information and understanding and how to, more importantly, how to learn.”

3. [11:26] "... It might be 30 years, 40 years, or what people consider impossible. And I bring it to now, how can I put together the right team with the right technology to revolutionize…what is going on in science?"

4. [20:22] "I think that is also an important thing, how to learn, how to work with all kinds of people. I mean, in grad school, you will meet all kinds of people and often you agree with them, you disagree with them, or you don't like talking to them…those people are all going to be in your crew, in your life. So, you might as well get used to it.”

5. [30:23] “If you want ideas about what to do or how to break into something, just reach out. It's okay. We all have felt that way. We all felt lost at some point. And so, we always need the other PhDs to help us."

SMD GEPA Welcomes New Director of Learner Life and Wellness

Monday, October 30, 2023

Dr. SHarma
Amber Rivera, Director
of Learner Life and Wellness

SMD’s Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) office is pleased to welcome Amber Rivera as the new Director of Learner Life and Wellness. Amber brings over 15 years of experience in counseling, social work, and higher education, with a focus on mental wellness and supporting marginalized communities.

In her new role, Amber will be responsible for developing new wellness programming for our trainees as well as organizing events like orientation, commencement, and the GEPA awards.

She joins us from the Rochester Educational Opportunity Center at SUNY Brockport, where she counseled high school students
and those from marginalized communities in setting up their academic foundations and goals so they
could pursue opportunities in higher education.

Amber believes that a feeling of connection is essential for mental wellness, and she’s committed to developing programs and initiatives that will help our learners not only successfully transition to graduate school but thrive while they’re here.

“When we're talking about mental wellness, connection and belonging are a real focus of mine. It's hard to be successful in any endeavor when you don't feel that you belong or when it's not an inclusive environment for you,” she says. “I want to make sure that everyone feels like they have a place here.”

Dr. SHarma
May the 4th celebrations
at the Rivera house.

Outside of work, Amber spends most of her time with her husband and three children. They love the Strong Museum of Play, and they all share a love for Star Wars.

“My kids have more anticipation for May the 4th than some of the major holidays,” Amber said. “We have a whole day planned out with movies, games, and food.”
 

 If you see her on campus, be sure to say ‘hello’ — or better yet, ‘May the force be with you.’

Monique Mendes (’20) Talks Authenticity, Diverse Experiences, and Continuous Learning

Friday, October 6, 2023

Listen on YouTube music.

Meet Monique Mendes, Ph.D.: a passionate neuroscientist and advocate for underrepresented voices in the world of science. From delving into adult stroke studies as an undergrad to neonatal stroke questions and hemorrhagic stroke approaches, her diverse research projects have equipped her with a multi-faceted perspective.

Monique is currently a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University. She received her doctorate from our Neuroscience Graduate Program in 2020, making her the first black woman to receive a Ph.D. in neuroscience at the University of Rochester, something that comes with rewards as well as challenges.

In this episode of The Next Step podcast, she talks about the responsibility that comes with being the first.

She also emphasizes the importance of research experience over GPAs when considering graduate admissions, suggesting that hands-on involvement and diverse research exposure are invaluable.

Monique fondly recalls her attendance at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS), an event that not only boosted her confidence but also offered unparalleled networking opportunities. She met mentors, presented her work for the first time, and gained insightful feedback that shaped her further studies.

Later transitioning from the East Coast to the West Coast, Monique faced the challenges of cultural shifts, institutional differences, and balancing the demands of postdoc life.

Despite these challenges, her key takeaway for upcoming scientists is to be unapologetically genuine. In spaces often dominated by mainstream voices, Monique believes in the power and relief of being true to oneself.

Whether you're a budding scientist or just finding your footing, Monique's journey underscores the significance of authenticity, diverse experiences, and continuous learning.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Value of Research Experience: GPA is important, but hands-on research experience often holds more weight in graduate admissions. Being able to discuss diverse research projects and their findings can set you apart.

2. Network: Attending conferences like ABRCMS can offer invaluable networking opportunities, introduce you to cutting-edge science, and boost your confidence in the academic world.

3. Embrace Independence and Challenges: Postdoc roles demand a higher degree of independence in research. While this can be challenging, it's also an opportunity to hone your skills and take charge of your career.

4. Mentorship Matters: As you progress in your career, making time to mentor younger students or peers becomes essential. It not only contributes to the academic community but also enhances your understanding of your field.

5. Stay Authentic: In academic spaces, it's essential to remain true to yourself. Authenticity can help in overcoming challenges and ensures that you make a unique contribution to your field.

TOP QUOTES

1.  "I've always been fascinated with the brain. There are just so many unanswered questions, and I was eager to just dive into this world after that research experience. So, I decided to kind of move forward in that trajectory of pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience." (4:15)

2.  "...it was scary. I'll be honest, and I know there are several people who are trying to make this decision, ‘do I stay home where I have family and I have the support system, or do I move to a completely different place with a different culture?’ And I have to say, I don't regret it." (6:44)

3.  "I had a vague idea of what graduate school was supposed to be like and it was going to be hard, but I really did not understand the scope of it at all." (8:03)

4.  “I don't know when it clicked for me that I started to be just unapologetically myself, you know, regardless of like what people think or what people say. I just started showing up as 100% me." (15:30)

5.  “I think a combination of being a first-generation student and also being the first black woman to receive a Ph.D. contributed to those feelings of being an imposter. ... And I think I walked into the next neuroscience seminar; next time and was like, ‘Well, I don't think everyone in this room expects me to know every single thing about every topic in neuroscience.’" (22:30)

6.  "I think the biggest thing, it goes back to the hesitation of being yourself. I would say I would encourage people to just be, you know, unapologetically themselves, especially underrepresented as women and students and people in the neurosciences and sciences in these spaces.”

A Springboard to Success: Carissa Childs (’05) on the Power of Alumni Networks and Hands-On Experience

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Listen on YouTube Music.

Meet Carissa Childs, Ph.D., J.D.: once an aspiring marine biologist, now the Senior IP Counsel at Amgen, a biopharmaceutical powerhouse.

Her responsibilities include developing global patent strategies, counseling clients, and assessing possible IP rights infringements.

How did she traverse from marine biology to toxicology at the University of Rochester to the intricate world of intellectual property? The catalyst: an internship at the university's tech transfer office, which dealt with patenting and commercializing university-developed technologies. There, the allure of patenting and tech commercialization took hold.

Carissa began her journey as a patent agent, crafting and championing patent applications. To further her opportunities, Childs took the plunge into law school. Emerging as a patent attorney, she tackled responsibilities far beyond those of an agent. Every day, she dives deep, interacting with an array of technologies, emphasizing the beauty of lifelong learning.

For ambitious graduate students charting their courses, Carissa offers golden advice: tap into alumni networks for invaluable insights and immerse in as much hands-on experience as possible. And if IP intrigues you? A university tech transfer office might just be your springboard to success.

Top Takeaways

  1. Maximize Relevant Experience: Engage with university tech transfer offices. Volunteering in areas like patent application reviews or conducting prior art searches can set you apart in the job market.
  2. Leverage Science in Other Fields: Deep scientific understanding, combined with diverse field exposure, empowers individuals to translate intricate research into various other sectors and applications.
  3. Explore Biopharma's Flexibility: The biopharma sector is adaptable. With a solid base in science, transitioning to roles in legal, business development, or alliance management is very attainable.
  4. Harness the Power of Networking: Events and alumni connections are invaluable. Building relationships and seeking advice from experienced individuals can provide unmatched career insights and advantages.
  5. Recognize and Pursue Strengths: While foundational training is crucial, identifying and capitalizing on personal strengths and passions can lead to a more fulfilling and dynamic career path.

KEY QUOTES

"My career path has been very windy, but as I like to think of it, it's been one where I've kept my eyes open to different opportunities." (04:29)

"I learned going through academia that future in academia probably wasn't right. So I was certainly seeking out other opportunities." (07:06)

"Every day I learn something new in the realm of science, which I love because I'm learning all of this cutting edge science, but I'm not at the bench trying to do it myself because I wasn't the best at that. You have to find your strengths and you have to go with your strengths." (17:37)

"I think that our alumni are just a really valuable resource for trying to make decisions based on where you want to your next career. Move yourself." (19:57)

Toxicology Celebrates 50 Years of Training

Thursday, September 21, 2023

2022
The latest cohort of Toxicology Ph.D. students

2022
Matt Rand, Ph.D., co-director of the Toxicology program (left), with 3rd-year trainee Ryan Owens.

2022Martha Susiarjo, Ph.D., associate professor of Environmental Medicine, hosted Toxicology trainees at her home in October 2022 to celebrate the start of fall with a pumpkin carving party.

In August, our Toxicology Ph.D. program’s T32 training grant was renewed for another five years, bringing them to 50 consecutive years teaching the next generation of trainees. Alums of the program have gone on to make important contributions in toxicology, environmental health, and public policy, dating all the way back to the Manhattan Project. Co-program director Alison Elder, Ph.D., says, “If this program was picked up and moved to another university, I’m not so sure it would have the same success.”

Toxicology Ph.D. program leaders credit the emphasis on interdisciplinary training and a strong sense of community for the program’s success. Students are exposed to a wide range of disciplines, including biochemistry, pharmacology, neuroscience, and epidemiology, which prepares them to address the complex challenges of the field. This, and the close-knit trainee cohorts, have been the program's backbone for five decades now.

“There's a willingness of our faculty and trainees to cross silos to get good science done, which benefits everyone," says Elder, associate professor of Environmental Medicine. “Toxicology is an applied science because trainees borrow from different fields to understand the impact of various stressors on living systems. The interdisciplinary training we give them is crucial.”

Faculty who support the program aren’t ‘jack of all trades’ scientists, as Elder likes to say. They lean on the expertise of colleagues, as well as their own, to bring everyone up to a higher level of rigor and discovery, including the trainees.

This also contributes to another key piece to the program's success, which is the camaraderie that’s felt from the moment you set foot on campus.

"We're fortunate to have small but tight cohorts of students," says Matt Rand, Ph.D., co-director of the program and an associate professor of Environmental Medicine since 2012. "I could feel it right away when I got here."

Even before prospective trainees accept, they’re invited to dinners at faculty homes during the interview process, creating a congenial and relaxed atmosphere for incoming students to get a sense of the type of people who conduct research and mentor trainees at SMD.

 

And when trainees eventually leave campus, they stay connected. For instance, the program recently developed a new course in risk assessment with input from alumni, several of whom serve as lecturers in the course.

"We send them out into the world, then they come back and help us," says Elder.

The field of toxicology has evolved significantly over the years, from evaluating very fundamental endpoints of toxic exposures, like birth defects or mortality, to more sensitive and widely applicable endpoints of, for example, behavioral deficits associated with neurological and/or developmental toxic insults.

Widening the lens even more is the move away from mortality and organ-specific toxicological endpoints towards a more holistic and mechanisms-driven approach that better enables translation to humans, always keeping in mind the central tenet of the field—it is the dose that makes something relatively more or less dangerous than something else.

Alumni regularly return to campus to give career and other lectures, serve as outside mentors for trainees, and are a great bridge for the program in staying on top of research trends, ultimately creating a better experience for the trainees.

Other longstanding training programs within the School of Medicine and Dentistry include:

Post-bacc Research Program Builds Community and Boosts Confidence for Students Attending Graduate School

Friday, July 14, 2023

2022
2002 group from left to right: Jose Reynoso, Jacob Cody Naccarato, Hunter Houseman-Eddings, Aaron Huynh, Lourdes Marianna Caro-Rivera, Jackie Agyemang

2022
Aaron Huynh with mentors Annalynn Williams Ph.D. (left) and Michelle Janelsins, Ph.D. (right).

2022
Jackie Agyemang presents her research project during the end-of-year PREP symposium

Congratulations to our 2023 graduating URMC-PREP Cohort! On June 13, they presented their research at the annual end-of-year symposium. 
 
The Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) offers a one-year biomedical research training opportunity to students from historically excluded and underrepresented groups who want to pursue a research doctorate. 
 
Our goal is to prepare students for successful entry into competitive PhD programs, as well as for careers as outstanding research scientists and leaders in the biomedical community. 
 
We're proud to say that many of our students will be pursuing various research opportunities here at the University of Rochester. 

"What I think I'll remember most about my time in PREP is the compassion, patience, and support that I received from everyone," says Aaron Huynh, who will soon be pursuing a Ph.D. in our Neuroscience Graduate Program. "The goals I set for myself and with my mentors and the program directors were surpassed, and I am ecstatic to be able to stay at such a community that the University of Rochester has provided me these past five years." 

In addition to community, Jackie Agyemang, who is sticking around to pursue a Ph.D. in Toxicology, says PREP boosted her confidence in attending graduate school. 

"My PREP experience gave me a preview of graduate school. I had the opportunity to work on an intensive research project of interest while balancing my academics, and establishing myself as a budding scientist all in a year," she says. "Overall, I have reassured confidence that I am capable and qualified to be a successful graduate student." 

As one group completes the program, we're excited to bring in our next cohort, who officially started on July 5.  

2022
From left to right: Jacob Morales mentored by Dr. John Lueck, Alesandra Martin mentored by Dr. Farran Briggs, Evelyn Pineda mentored by Dr. Benjamin Suarez-Jimenz,

Pavel Rjabtsenkov mentored by Dr. Wendi Cross, Lily Mussallem mentored by Dr. Minsoo Kim, Hunter James Houseman-Eddings mentored by Dr. Brian Ward, and Maeve Noel Sheehy mentored by Dr. Lauren Hablitz.

July 11, 2023: Research Update from Steve Dewhurst

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Steve DewHurst

Dear colleagues, 

This past week, I’ve been thinking about two federal holidays—July 4th, which we just celebrated, and the prior Juneteenth holiday, which we celebrated on June 19. In fact, the two holidays have much in common since Juneteenth “marks our nation’s second independence day,” and is also known as “Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Black Independence Day”.  

Juneteenth is especially on mind because of a recent Commentary in Cell that was co-authored by 52 Black scientists—including our own Nathan A. Smith and School of Medicine and Dentistry Ph.D. alumnus, Blanton Tolbert. Their article notes that “the date stands not for the ideals of where diversity in science should be but rather where they are. Work is required to get science to where it should be—a truly equitable space. It is not a matter of knowing what to do, as this has been clearly elucidated by countless individuals. Rather, it is one of deciding whether we will take the steps needed to achieve the ideals Juneteenth sets out.”  

The article is important both as a roadmap of where we need to go and as a call for action at both the institutional and individual levels. I encourage everyone to read it if you haven’t done so already.

Major Advances in Muscular Dystrophy

One of the long-standing interdisciplinary research strengths at URMC is our program in neuromuscular disease, which brings together faculty from Neurology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology and Physiology, Biostatistics, and Computational Biology, the Center for Health and Technology (CHeT), and several other departments and centers.  

What’s new, and remarkable, is that we now find ourselves with “a historically unique opportunity to establish targeted treatments for genetic neuromuscular diseases” (in the words of a group of pioneering URMC faculty members, led by David Herrmann). What they are referring to is a wave of ongoing or planned clinical trials that will determine the effectiveness of multiple new therapies for neuromuscular diseases that have previously proved very difficult to treat. If successful, these treatments will represent a “bona fide revolution of neuromedicine care….the ripples (of which) will reach far into the future.”  

For many of our neuromuscular disease researchers, including Emma Ciafaloni and Charles Thornton, that revolution represents the fruit of literally decades of painstaking scientific and clinical work. Work that, for example, led to URMC’s participation as one of the first three sites in the nation to start dosing patients in a recent phase 3 clinical trial for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)—and ultimately led to the June 22 approval of the first gene therapy for the treatment of this disease.

IT Security – Protecting our House 

At this point, most of us are familiar with the requirement to protect sensitive data and information used in research. However, cybersecurity isn’t just about HIPAA.  It’s about the security of our entire information technology network and our entire community.  

Any cyber or ransomware attack affects all of us—and threatens not only clinical data, but also financial data, research data, and even the very ability to conduct research in the first place.

This consideration is driving changes in IT security at universities and academic health centers across the nation, including URMC. Widely implemented measures include steps to decrease or eliminate the use of insecure portable devices such as unencrypted USB devices, as well as evolving IT security guidelines for international travel (which also serve to mitigate the risk of loss, seizure, or tampering with laptops, phones or other mobile devices during travel).  

Importantly, the Office of Research IT is a key partner in the development of policies that may affect the research community, and a key source of guidance/assistance as they are implemented. If you have questions, comments or concerns, I encourage you to share them with Research IT and to help us develop policies that keep our community safe, but that have the least possible impact on our ability to do research.

Steve Dewhurst, PhD 
Vice Dean for Research, SMD
Vice President for Research, UR 

Childhood Hearing Loss Associate with Adverse Childhood Experiences

Friday, June 30, 2023

A new retrospective study led by Wyatte Hall, PhD, assistant professor of Public Health Sciences, and Shazia Siddiqi, MD, MPH, staff scientist in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, suggests a link between factors associated with childhood hearing loss and adverse childhood experiences. Demographic factors of less severe hearing loss (16–55 dB), having a cochlear implant, and/or never having attended a school with signing access increased the likelihood of deaf adults reporting multiple adverse childhood experiences.

Study authors believe these factors may reflect societal pressures for deaf children to “pass for hearing” in ways that impact their language development and ongoing education.

Hall, Siddiqi, and co-author Timothy Dye, PhD, call for early interventions to support healthy home environments for deaf children. Hall and Siddiqi are former Rochester Postdoc Partnership fellows who completed their three year fellowships under the Dye’s mentorship.

Read More: Childhood Hearing Loss Associate with Adverse Childhood Experiences

Summer Scholars Cohort Arrives at SMD: A Bright Future Ahead

Monday, June 5, 2023


Scholars supported by SMD programs pause for a photo above Flaum Atrium following orientation on May 30, 2023.

summer scholars
Scholars supported by the American Heart Association
will be working at our Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute.

The School of Medicine and Dentistry is thrilled to welcome our 2023 Summer Scholars. Working under the direct supervision of faculty mentors, these 30 undergraduate students are joining us from all over the country for the next 10 weeks to gain research experience and professional development opportunities.  The Summer Scholars Program is a diversity pathway building program designed to provide research and professional development opportunities to students from groups historically underrepresented in biomedical fields. 

"Our program has been an excellent model for providing young aspiring scientists a hands-on research experience," says Elaine Smolock, Ph.D., co-director of the Summer Scholars Program and director of writing services and training grant development at SMD. 

Through partnerships with the Rochester Institute of Technology and the City College of New York through our NeURoCity program, as well as our Medical Science Training ProgramAab Cardiovascular Research Institute, and NanoBuddies, which provides a training experience in the field of pharmacology, the program is able to offer a rich plethora of research experiences. Previous scholars have gone on to participate in various post-baccalaureate PREP programs here at the University and around the country, research fellowships and internships.

The program culminates in a poster session on August 3, 2023, which is open to the entire University of Rochester community. 

Welcome to the 2023 Summer Scholars participants!

View list of 2023 Summer Scholars

Celebrating SMD Faculty Awards

Friday, May 26, 2023

Steve Dewhurst and Edith WilliamsVice Dean for Research Steve Dewhurst (right) congratulates Edith Williams, MD, PhD on being appointed Dean’s Associate Professor in Health Equity Research.

 

Congratulations to all of our faculty members who received mentoring awards, named professorships, and teaching fellow awards. They were honored in a celebration in Flaum Atrium on May 17, 2023. The full list of awardees is below.

SMD Faculty Mentoring Awards
Thomas Caprio, MD – Faculty Academic Mentoring Award
Carla Casulo, MD – Trainee Academic Mentoring Award in Clinical Programs
Yeates Conwell, MD – Lifetime Mentoring Award
Toru Takimoto, DVM, PhD – Trainee Academic Mentoring Award in Basic Science

John Foxe and Kuan Hong Wang
John Foxe, Ph.D., (left) director of the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, congratulates Kuan Hong Wang, PhD on being appointed Dean’s Professor.

Named Professorship Recognition
Anna Majewska, PhD - Dean’s Professor
Dennis Z. Kuo, MD, MHS – Purcell Family Distinguished Professor
Matthew D. McGraw, MD – George Washington Goler Chair in Pediatrics
Karen M. Mustian, PhD, MPH – Dean’s Professor
Joseph A. Nicholas, MD, MPH – William and Sheila Konar Professor in Geriatrics, Palliative Medicine and Person-Centered Care
James Palis, MD – Northumberland Trust Professorship in Pediatrics
Douglas S. Portman, PhD – Donald M. Foster, M.D. Professorship in Biomedical Genetics
M. Patricia Rivera, MD – C. Jane Davis & C. Robert Davis Distinguished Professor in Pulmonary Medicine
Lainie Friedman Ross, MD, PhD – Dean’s Professor of Health Humanities and Bioethics
Michael A. Scharf, MD – Mark and Maureen Davitt Distinguished Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
David M. Siegel, MD, MPH – Northumberland Trust Professorship in Pediatrics
Laurie Ann Steiner, MD – Lindsey Distinguished Professorship for Pediatric Research
Kuan Hong Wang, PhD - Dean’s Professor
Edith M. Williams, MD, PhD – Dean’s Associate Professor in Health Equity Research

Recognition of Dean’s Teaching Fellow Awards
Anne Nofziger, MD
Rita Dadiz, MD
Szilvia Arany, DMD, PhD- EIOH
Grace Black, MD – Pediatrics
Francis Coyne, MD – Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Chris Tarolli, MD - Neurology

Raven Osborn, Ph.D. Delivers Graduate Student Address at Commencement

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Raven OsbornRaven Osborn, Ph.D., (middle row third from left), celebrates with her family during the Ph.D. Award Presentation and Reception on Thursday, May 11. Raven received The Leadership Award for Excellent in Equity and Inclusion.

Raven Osborn, a Translational Biomedical Science Ph.D. graduate, gave the graduate student address at this year's commencement.

Her research focuses on developing network and statistical models to understand how the virus that causes COVID-19 evades the innate immune system. She co-founded and eventually presided over the University of Rochester's chapter of the Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering.

During her time here, she won two awards recognizing her research and five awards recognizing her commitment to inclusion in STEM fields.

In her speech, she talked about overcoming self-doubt, as well as the importance of community.

“You will go further if you lock arms with the people around you, and you teach others to do the same through actions first. And finally, if you don't remember anything else from this speech, please remember to pick up the phone for the people you love.”

Check out the full speech on YouTube.

Nicole Wilson, M.D., Ph.D. Looks at Long-term Psychological Effects of Childhood Trauma

Friday, April 14, 2023

Nicole Wilson, M.D., Ph.D
Nicole Wilson, M.D., Ph.D.

Nicole Wilson, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the departments of Surgery, Pediatrics, and Biomedical Engineering led a study of young adults who were victims of violent injuries as children and found significantly higher levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in this group than the general population.

The study surveyed 24 respondents who were victims of gunshot, stab, or assault wounds as children between the years of 2011 and 2020. Of the participants, 15 suffered a gunshot wound, eight suffered a stab wound, and one was assaulted. Respondents were primarily teenagers at the time of injury, with a median age of 16.6 years. An average of six years had passed from the initial injury to the time respondents were contacted for the study.

Read the full article in the URMC Newsroom.

Nathan Smith, Ph.D. says stars in the brain may be information regulators

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Nathan Smith
Nathan Smith, Ph.D.

Long thought of as “brain glue,” the star-shaped cells called astrocytes—are members of a family of cells found in the central nervous system called glial that help regulate blood flow, synaptic activity, keep neurons healthy, and play an important role in breathing. Despite this growing appreciation for astrocytes, much remains unknown about the role these cells play in helping neurons and the brain process information.

“We believe astrocytes can add a new dimension to our understanding of how external and internal information is merged in the brain,” said Nathan Smith, MS, PhD, associate professor of Neuroscience at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester.

He and fellow authors from the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Copenhagen highlight this in an opinion article in Trends in Neuroscience.

Read the full article in the URMC Newsroom.

The Misunderstood Reason Deaf Children Fall Behind: Rhode Island PBS Weekly

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

deaf student

Many students arrive at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf, which serves students from preschool through high school, with little to no language. Wyatte Hall, Ph.D., an expert of language deprivation and assistant professor of Public Health Sciences at the URMC, knows that delayed language acquisition causes other problems, and is preventable. "We already know how to prevent these problems: You give deaf children sign language... Options are framed as 'or' -- that you have to pick ASL or English spoken language… It does not have to be that way. It can be 'and.' You can have ASL and English."

Hall was also the first graduate of the Rochester Postdoc Partnership, a one-of-a-kind postdoctoral training program for deaf or hard-of-hearing scientists run jointly by URMC and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at RIT.

Watch the full story from Rhode Island PBS Weekly.

April 11, 2023: Research Update from Steve Dewhurst

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Dear colleagues, 

Last week (April 2- April 8) was graduate student appreciation week, a national celebration of graduate students and the many essential contributions they make to academic and research communities across the country – including this medical center.   

A highlight was the finals of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, at which students from across the University summarized their doctoral research in a three minute presentation. I was blown away, not only by the quality of the speakers and their research, but also by the sheer breadth of their scholarship. The overall winner, Fatma (Betul) Zeyrek, spoke about her work on early childhood moral development and the complex reasons that kids agree to do what their parents ask them to (most of the time…).  Two SMD students also received awards – Gabrielle Kosoy, who won 2nd place overall, and Sara Blick-Nitko, who was the joint winner of the People’s Choice Award

Graduate Education and the 2030 UR Strategic Plan 

Graduate students are also at the core of the UR’s 2030 Strategic Plan. While the plan is still being refined based on feedback from the University community, its five overarching goals are clear. One of these is to re-imagine undergraduate and graduate education and to ensure that all students “feel a sense of belonging” and have “access to high-impact learning experiences” that prepare them for their future careers. 

One step towards this is a new partnership between the office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) and Archer Career, which will assist learners with preparing for networking opportunities, internships, job shadowing, job searches, and more.  Eric Vaughn in GEPA made this happen with the help of a Burroughs-Wellcome grant he secured (thank you, Eric!) and a first cohort started last month. A second cohort will start in May; if you’re interested, please contact Eric

More About the 2030 UR Strategic Plan and How it Relates to the Medical Center 

The cornerstone of the 2030 UR Strategic Plan is to enhance our research enterprise and our global reputation by investing in areas of distinction that provide opportunities for innovation, discovery, and transdisciplinary collaboration. Medical Center researchers will play key roles in the following areas: 

A Last Thought: Commencement  

Finally, the University’s 173rd Commencement Ceremony for undergraduate and graduate students from all schools will be held on Friday, May 12 and kicks off a weekend of graduation ceremonies and celebrations that continue through Sunday, May 14. 

For the students who’ll be walking across a stage next month, in front of family and friends, I offer my congratulations and my appreciation: For the countless hours you put into your research; for the difficult times when things weren’t going well, but you stuck it out and made it work; for the support you both gave and received along the way.   

Take a moment to savor what you’ve achieved. 

Steve Dewhurst, PhD 
Vice Dean for Research 

 

Wyatte Hall Joins Congressional Briefing on Language Access for Deaf Children

Friday, February 24, 2023

Wyatte Hall, Ph.D., presenting at the Education and Advocacy Summit.
Wyatte Hall, Ph.D., presenting at the
Education and Advocacy Summit

Wyatte Hall, Ph.D., assistant professor of Public Health Sciences at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), took part in a congressional briefing at the U.S. Capitol on February 22 to advocate for earlier and better language access for deaf children. The briefing was part of the eighth annual Education and Advocacy Summit hosted by the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf.  

Hall, who is also an assistant professor in Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and the Center for Community Health & Prevention at URMC, has studied the prevalence and impact of language deprivation on deaf children and adults for almost 10 years. While most children share a common language with their parents and have access to that language from infancy, the majority of deaf children are born into hearing families that use spoken language and many have delayed access to language. 

Read the full article.

Paula Vertino Named Senior Associate Dean for Basic Research

Thursday, January 19, 2023

Paula Vertino
Paula M. Vertino, Ph.D.

Paula Vertino, Ph.D., an accomplished cancer research scientist and leader at the Wilmot Cancer Institute at the University of Rochester Medical Center, has been appointed senior associate dean for Basic Research effective February 1, 2023.

Vertino was recruited to Wilmot in 2018 to transform its research endeavors by breaking down silos and promoting collaboration and team science. She enjoys identifying commonalities and bringing people together in a “grass roots” approach.

She sees her new role as an opportunity to interact more broadly across the Medical Center to enhance cross-programmatic communication; to work with institutional leadership to create an environment that fosters faculty and trainee success; and to further integrate the basic and clinical research enterprise – something that’s been top-of-mind since she joined the University.

Read the full article in the URMC Newsroom.

January 27, 2023: Research Update from Steve Dewhurst

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Traditionally, as a new year starts, we take a moment to reflect on the year that just ended – and on the year to come. As we come to the end of this first month of 2023, it seems timely to do so now. 

Jeff Koslofsky in Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs created this terrific infographic which presents some of the key facts and figures around our research mission in 2022. What isn’t captured in this image is the tremendous amount of creativity, innovation, hard work and passion that faculty, staff, and learners pour into their science. 

For many of us, research is also deeply personal. If you have a few minutes, this inspiring December news piece on Arielle Sheftall’s research is exemplary of that.   

Sheftall, a 2022 recruit in the department of Psychiatry, recently received one of only four NIH Director’s Transformative Research Awards; the $4M grant will fund her research on using digitally enabled peer-to-peer support, as well as at-home nerve stimulation, as early intervention approaches for teenagers at high risk for suicide.    

Another theme that emerges from the year-in-review is that of mentoring, and its critical importance to the success of all members of our SMD research community. In October, Nikesha Gilmore, a faculty member in the Wilmot Cancer Institute (Wilmot) and the department of Surgery coauthored a guest editorial for The Hematologist, together with two colleagues at Duke University and the University of North Carolina. The article addresses the unique challenges faced by Black faculty in academia, and the negative impact of systemic racism and bias. It also identifies mentorship as an important part of the solution. As Gilmore notes, mentorship “can keep people from saying – ‘I’m done. I’m not doing this anymore.’” In a November news feature on this article, Gilmore adds that:  

“You need a mentor to say, ‘I have faith in you. You can do this.'”   

I couldn’t agree more.   

Importantly, Gilmore also credits her own mentors at the U of R for the positive effect they have had on her career success, including Jacques Robert (her PhD mentor), as well as Michelle Janelsins-Benton and Supriya Mohile, scientific leaders within Wilmot, and key contributors to her subsequent growth as an early stage faculty member. That’s making a positive difference, and something we can all aspire to. 

Looking to the year ahead, we’ll be continuing with hybrid work in many venues, but in others, we’ll be moving to increasing levels of in-person participation. As many of us know first-hand, in-person professional scientific meetings are back, as are in-person social gatherings, as exemplified by the December SMD Philosophy meeting, which was a celebratory gathering of our research community. That community building effort needs to continue and redouble, particularly for those who have recently joined the SMD research family and who have not (yet) had opportunities to build in-person peer connections and support networks.  

Over the next several months, University-wide strategic planning efforts will also continue to move forward. A central aspect of the plan will be to strengthen our reputation as a leading global research University, while also: providing outstanding educational opportunities for our learners; investing in health and healthcare; supporting the success and well-being of our people; and continuing our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, across all the University’s missions. 

In the short-term, our PhD applicant interview weekends are just around the corner, on February 3-4 and March 3-4. I encourage you to participate actively in that process, and to help our interviewees understand what’s special about doing research here. 

Finally, I want to thank each of you for the little things you do every day to make this place better; the small gestures or kind words that make others around you feel valued and welcome. It’s those small details that linger in the heart. 

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

- Maya Angelou  
 

Steve Dewhurst, PhD 
Vice Dean for Research 


PHOTOS: GEPA December 2022 Philosophy Meeting

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

   

E’Lissa Flores, Ph.D (’18) Talks Authenticity, Moving from L.A. to Rochester, and Keys to Networking

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Flores

"What sets you apart is who you are and how you work with others."

E'Lissa Flores, Ph.D., a 2018 graduate of our Translational Biomedical Science program, credits being her authentic self as a big reason she's in a career she loves today.

Flores recently joined us for a live LinkedIn career discussion to talk the importance of authenticity, as well as:

  • Her role as scientific program manager at the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) and what it's like working in the non-profit sector
  • How our PREP program helped launch her into her Ph.D.
  • Overcoming imposter syndrome through the help of mentors
  • The importance of networking and not just re-connecting with colleagues when you need something
  • What she did to get better at science communications
  • Moving from Los Angeles to Rochester, and more

Check out the full replay on our LinkedIn page.

PREP Scholar Aaron Huynh Wins Fan Favorite Award at Wilmot Scientific Symposium

Monday, November 28, 2022

Lynne Maquat

Congratulations to our URMC-PREP scholar Aaron Huynh on receiving the Fan Favorite award for the 27th Wilmot Cancer Institute Scientific Symposium Poster Session earlier this month. Aaron is working on investigating the longitudinal trajectory of changes in S100β in patients with breast cancer.

Huge thanks also go out to his PREP mentoring team of Michelle Janelsins, Ph.D., M.P.H.(pictured here on the right), Annalynn Williams, Ph.D., and Lou Lotta.

Best of luck to Aaron as he applies to Ph.D. programs and continues his research in relation to neurocognitive outcomes of patients with breast cancer.

 

Longtime Veterinarian Diane Moorman-White Retires After 31 Years

Thursday, November 10, 2022

URMC Diversity Award winners - 2021

Diane Moorman-White during her retirement celebration in September 2022.

"I really feel in the 31 years I've been here, supporting the amazing, dedicated researchers...I feel that I have made a difference." 

The collaboration between the animal care group and the research community is just one of the many fond memories Diane will take away as she closes the chapter on her career at URMC. 

She first arrived at the University in 1991 as part of the Comparative Medicine residency program. From the beginning, Diane has been a valuable partner to everyone in our research community, from working with PIs and trainees to developing animal protocols to help them determine the appropriate animal model for their work. 

She ensured our researchers abided by necessary regulations, including providing our animals with clean housing and proper care at all times.

“Genuine.” “Caring.” “A special talent.” These are just a few of the ways Jeff Wyatt, D.V.M., M.P.H., professor, and director of Comparative Medicine describes Diane, who he recruited to the residency program 31 years ago.

"Her compassion to the researchers and the animals [was] always up front," he says.

That compassion reaches beyond the University and into the broader Rochester community. Diane recently began a partnership with the Arc of Monroe, inviting a young woman with a genetic condition to support animal care in her department. Diane worked with Jeff to create a job description to hire her as an employee, and she now works part time building mice cages. 

"She loves it," says Diane. "I see her elsewhere wearing her University of Rochester sweatshirt. She's just amazing." 

"It's one of Diane's proudest moments," says Wyatt.  

Diane hopes her work with the Arc will continue even though she's no longer at the University. "In the spirit of diversity and inclusion, if we can get more people in to help us out, that would be awesome," she says. 

Diane's passion for her work and ability to bring people together will certainly be missed, and we wish her well in retirement.  

Congratulations, Diane! 

Jarvinen-Seppo Lab Talks Researching Food Allergies in Children

Monday, November 7, 2022

Members of the Jarvinen-Seppo Lab joined our latest Twitter Spaces discussion to talk about their work in researching food allergies in children.

Joining the discussion were: 

  • Kirsi Jarvinen-Seppo M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, Chief of Pediatrics Allergy & Immunology Division, PI.
  • Antti Seppo Ph.D., research associate professor, scientist, lab director.
  • Erin Davis Ph.D., nutritional scientist, post-doc.
  • Courtney Jackson Ph.D., immunologist, post-doc.

Hear the team talk about the farming lifestyle effect, what some of their findings are in recent studies, what work still needs to be done, and more.

The full interview is available for replay on Twitter.

Indigenous Health Disparities Course Coming to UR in Spring 2023

Monday, October 31, 2022

Lynne Maquat

Course aims to teach students the real histories of American Indian and Alaska Native people, and how many health disparities remain today due to injustices and trauma of the past. 

As our University works to expand its commitment to indigenous studies, Dean S. Seneca, a Buffalo native whose family origins lie with the Seneca Nation of Indians in Western New York, will help shape our future public health leaders by teaching real histories of indigenous peoples. The CEO and founder of Seneca Scientific Solutions+, Dean Seneca has taught a similar course at the University at Buffalo; the new class will be open to undergraduate and graduate students at UofR this spring. 

Students will take a close look at key eras and significant legislation passed in indigenous history to better understand the resulting public health impacts. The course will go through events such as the Removal Act of 1830 – the "Trails of Tears" in which thousands of American Indians were forced to move from the southeastern United States to west of the Mississippi River.  

Such events resulted in a long history of chronic health issues for Native Americans, as well as a much higher rate of substance abuse compared to the general U.S. population, according to American Addiction Centers

"We've survived this trauma, but we've never healed from it," says Seneca. "By the end of the class, I've created ambassadors to Indian health. I've created advocates." 

Through exploring the social determinants of health, intergenerational trauma, and health equity, Seneca hopes this information will help future public health professionals improve the lives and well-being of indigenous people. 

"I'm so thankful and appreciative of the University of Rochester for bringing a course like this to the university," he says. "We as a state and as a region are going to be much better off for it." 

Awards and Philosophy Meeting Recognizes Faculty and Trainee Achievements

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Awards ceremony

GEPA kicked off the academic year at the Awards and Philosophy meeting on September 13. The event recognized the many accomplishments
of our faculty and learners, and toasts the start of the academic year.

Below is a list of faculty and trainees that were honored for various achievements during the ceremony.

Graduate Student Achievement/Fellowship Awards

Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Fellowship
Knickole Bergman Toxicology Graduate Program
Renae Duncan Cell Biology of Disease Graduate Program
Provost's Fellowship
Mariah Marrero Neuroscience Graduate Program
Tanique McDonald Neuroscience Graduate Program
Graduate Alumni Fellowship
Samantha Muscat Cell Biology of Disease Graduate Program
Merritt and Marjorie Cleveland Fellowship
Michael Lim Neuroscience Graduate Program
J. Newell Stannard Graduate Student Scholarship
Tanique McDonald Neuroscience Graduate Program
Irving L. Spar Fellowship
Mariah Marrero Neuroscience Graduate Program
Outstanding Student Mentor Award
Emily Przysinda Neurobiology & Anatomy Graduate Program
Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Equity and Inclusion
Bryan Redmond Neurobiology & Anatomy Graduate Program
Leon L. Miller Graduate Fellowship in Biophysics
Megan Miaro Biophysics, Structural & Computational Biology Graduate Program
Melville A. Hare Award for Excellence in Teaching  
Jordana Schmierer Microbiology & Immunology Graduate Program
Melville A. Hare Award for Excellence in Research
Megan Dunagan, PhD Microbiology & Immunology Graduate Program
URSMD Meliora Scholarship
Alissa Beam Biochemistry, Molecular & Cell Biology Graduate Program
Andrea Campbell Neuroscience Graduate Program

Postdoctoral Achievement Awards

Outstanding Postdoctoral Mentor Award
Rianne Stowell, PhD Department of Neuroscience
Outstanding Postdoctoral Researcher Award
Anne E. Nichols, PhD Center for Musculoskeletal Research
Postdoctoral Appointee Award for Excellence in Equity and Inclusion
So Young Choe, PhD Department of Psychiatry

Faculty & Staff Teaching and Mentoring Awards

Graduate Alumni Award
Michelle Dziejman, PhD Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Outstanding Graduate Course Director Award
Alexandra M. Livingstone, PhD Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award
Sally W. Thurston, PhD Department of Biostatistics & Computational Biology
Outstanding T32 Program Director Award
Paul Dunman, PhD and Brian M. Ward, PhD Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Graduate Student Society Advocacy Award
Angela Glading, PhD Department of Pharmacology & Physiology
Graduate Student Society Mentoring Award
Steven R. Gill, PhD Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Graduate Student Society Recognition Award
Mary H. Church Offices for Medical Education, previously with
Office for Graduate Education & Postdoctoral Affairs

Check out a few photos from the event on our Instagram.

 

Jennifer Stripay, Ph.D. ('16) Talks Seizing Opportunity, Going from Bench to Scientific Communications

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Ian

Jennifer Stripay, Ph.D.

Jennifer Stripay, Ph.D. is a 2016 graduate of the Neuroscience program, and currently works as the scientific communications lead at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Jennifer joined SMD for our very first Twitter Spaces event to chat about:

  • Her career journey
  • Why Rochester is the best place for science
  • Her mindset after finishing her PhD and going into a job search
  • The importance of informational interviewing
  • Translating your skills as a PhD student to fit other career opportunities
  • Why having scientists working in communications and other sectors is so important
  • And much more

Check out the full conversation on the SMD Twitter page.

Anne Nichols, Ph.D., receives K99/R00

Friday, September 2, 2022

Lynne Maquat

Congratulations to Anne Nichols, Ph.D., for her recent K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award from The National Institutes of Health. Dr. Nichols is a research assistant professor in the Center for Musculoskeletal Research.

She also did her post-doc here at SMD, and is excited to continue her work studying how cells in the tendon contribute to healing.

If you see Dr. Nichols around campus, she loves talking kayaking, the Rochester food scene, as well as Finger Lakes wineries.

Lynne Maquat Receives Advisory Appointment at International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

Thursday, August 11, 2022

Lynne MaquatLynne E. Maquat, Ph.D., the J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oncology and Pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry has been elected a member of the Council of Scientific Advisers (CSA) of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). Also the founding director of the University of Rochester’s Center for RNA Biology, Maquat will serve as a member of the Council for a term of three years, beginning in July 2022.

The ICGEB is an intergovernmental organization that runs over 45 state-of-the-art laboratories in Trieste, Italy, New Delhi, India and Cape Town, South Africa. If forms an interactive network with close to 70 member states, and plays a key role in biotechnology by promoting research excellence, training, and technology transfer to industry. The Council of Scientific Advisers is composed of fifteen “eminent” scientists who are active in the life sciences at the international level. Maquat will work together with fellow advisors to provide ICGEB member states with effective training programs and dedicated research projects.

Maquat taught RNA biology to students and scientists from third world countries at the ICGEB center in Trieste for many years. Here is a sample of her talks from 2014 and 2016:

Tales from the Underworld Cellular Underworld: Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay (NMD) and Staufen1-Mediated mRNA Decay (SMD)

Effects of SINES on Human mRNA Metabolism

Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay and Human Disease

With this appointment, Maquat has held a dozen international advisory positions since 2000. In addition to the ICGEB, she is currently a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, Germany and a member of the Medical Advisory Board for the Canada Gairdner International Awards and The Gairdner Foundation in Canada.

Maquat is the second member of the University of Rochester community to be elected a member of the Council of Scientific Advisers. Arthur Kornberg, M.D., who earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine & Dentistry in 1941 and went on to receive the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1959, served as a scientific advisor to the ICGEB from 1995 to 2005.

Advancing Biomedical Research Through CART

Thursday, July 28, 2022

The Center for Advanced Research Technology (CART) is a great resource for the SMD research community.  Take a look inside the facilities of CART and discover how they partner with principal investigators to propel research into new territories, unlocking key discoveries.

Last year, CART supported 313 grants and 259 principal investigators with their equipment, personnel and data analysis.

Learn more at cart.urmc.edu.

SMD’s Eric Vaughn Awarded BWF Grant

Tuesday, July 5, 2022

 

Eric

Congratulations to our own Eric Vaughn, M.Ed., director of career services at the School of Medicine and Dentistry, for receiving a Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) Career Guidance for Trainees grant! BWF awards this grant to help professionals in the biomedical sciences run a career development activity that serves trainees at the institution.

Vaughn will get the opportunity to gain new skills and experiences in the area of research evaluation through a three-day workshop later this summer. Upon completion, he will receive $15,000 to further enhance career development efforts here at SMD.

"I am really excited to receive the Burroughs Wellcome Fund grant," says Vaughn. "I look forward to taking what I learn and creating a new career-focused activity to assist the SMD trainees in exploring career opportunities."

Dr. Snigdha Alur-Gupta has been selected as a 2022 CREST scholar

Thursday, June 30, 2022

The CREST program started in 2005 as a partnership between NICHD and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) to train reproductive endocrinologists (and subsequently, family planning and urology endocrinologists) in the conduct of clinical research.  The program accepts approximately four to six scholars each year. As of 2021, approximately 80 scholars have participated in the CREST program, with many continuing to be involved in clinical research including Dr. Wendy Vitek.

Edith Williams Named Founding Director of the New Office of Health Equity Research

Monday, June 27, 2022

Edith Williams

After a comprehensive search, a founding director has been named for the new Office of Health Equity Research, which is housed in the University of Rochester Clinical and Translational Science Institute and is a crucial part of the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan. Edith M. Williams, Ph.D., associate professor of Public Health Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, will take up the role on September 1, and will also be appointed associate professor in the Departments of Public Health Sciences and Medicine (Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology), pending URMC Board approval.

Read More: Edith Williams Named Founding Director of the New Office of Health Equity Research

One fond farewell brings another warm welcome for PREP scholars

Monday, June 13, 2022

URMC Diversity Award winners - 2021

2021-22 PREP cohort from left to right: Jaclyn McCoy, Jia Mei, Tanique McDonald, Helen Chan, Bianca Flores and program directors Elaine Smolock, PhD and Jacques Robert, PhD.


As the 2021-22 Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) cohort ends their training this month, SMD is pleased to share that scholars are entering graduate programs that are diverse in both geographic location as well as research.

This year’s cohort will enter programs focused on infectious disease, microbiology, neuroscience, and pharmacognosy across the country including California, New York, Oregon, Tennessee, and Texas.

“In addition to their research success, our scholars have participated in science communication internships developing curriculum for middle school students, been offered provost and training grant fellowships, and have published and presented at multiple meetings and seminars,” said Elaine Smolock, co-director of the PREP program and senior associate for research educational programming and grant development at SMD.

The PREP program is designed to encourage students from historically excluded groups who hold a recent baccalaureate degree in the biomedically-relevant sciences to pursue a research doctorate, and to prepare these trainees for careers as outstanding research scientists and leaders in the biomedical community.

Working directly with faculty mentors, scholars had the opportunity to work on dynamic projects, immersing themselves in research environments and learning how to communicate their results.

Jia Mel, a member of 2021-22 cohort and soon-to-be graduate student at Vanderbilt University, says her research experience in Dr. Paul Dunman’s lab was very rewarding. She worked on projects focused on novel combinations of antibiotics for drug discovery.

“The PREP experience has definitely prepared me to become an independent researcher for graduate school,” she said.

She even had the honor of publishing a first author paper during her PREP year.

“These scholars have exceeded our expectations, and we are excited to see how they contribute to biomedical research in the future,” said Smolock.

The new cohort officially begins on July 5. Here’s a quick look this year’s group:

Scholar

Mentor

College

Jacob Cody Naccarato

Bin Zhang

UNC Chapel Hill

Jackie Agyemang

Martha Susiarjo

St. Mary’s College of Maryland

Hunter Houseman

Brian Ward

University of Illinois

Aaron Huynh

Michelle Janelsins

University of Rochester

Lourdes Marinna Caro Rivera

Paul Dunman

University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez

Welcome to Our 2022 Summer Scholars

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

Tiffany Panko
Shannon Hening
2022 Summer Scholar

The School of Medicine and Dentistry is excited to welcome the next group of Summer Scholars for 2022! The 27 incoming students make up the largest cohort on record. This year’s group includes students from seven different states, as well as Puerto Rico, representing 15 different universities.

Over the course of the 10 weeks, trainees participate in research/educational seminars and presentations on graduate school and careers, as well as construct a poster outlining their research.

Read More: Welcome to Our 2022 Summer Scholars

Dream Engineers: Rochester Postdoc Partnership Scholar Featured on Full Measure News

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

For as much time as we spend sleeping and dreaming, and as long as we’ve studied both, they largely remain ever-mysterious, their exact function and purpose elusive. Michelle Carr, Ph.D., a postdoc in the Rochester Postdoc Partnership, spoke with Full Measure News about the science of sleep, dreams and dream engineering - the idea that one might be able to control their dreams to improve their lives.

Read More: Dream Engineers: Rochester Postdoc Partnership Scholar Featured on Full Measure News

Doctoral Students Showcase Research in Under Three Minutes

Monday, April 11, 2022

URMC Diversity Award winners - 2021
(3MT winners from left to right: Courtney Kellogg (tie for second), Tara Vrooman (first place), Raquel Ajalik (people’s choice), Uday Chockanathan (tie for second))


A typical 80,000-word thesis takes roughly nine hours to present. The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition that challenges doctoral students to describe their research within just three minutes to a general audience. Challenge accepted by eight Ph.D. students out of both SMD as well as Arts, Sciences, and Engineering during the event on April 6. Participants were judged on various criteria including comprehension, as well as communication and engagement. Congratulations to the winners!

  • People’s choice: Raquel Ajalik, Biomedical Engineering, AS&E, “About time we start-a-tendon clinical trials-on-a-chip” - $250 research travel award
     
  • Tie for second place: Uday Chockanathan, Neuroscience, SMD, “Population coding deficits in Alzheimer’s disease” and Courtney Kellogg, Cell Biology of Disease, SMD, “Are your Hair Cells there?” - $500 research travel award 
     
  • First place: Tara Vrooman, Immunology, SMD, Investigating the Long-Term Effects of SBRT/IL-12 Therapy in a Murine Model of Pancreatic Cancer - $750 research travel award
    Check out a few pictures from the event on the SMD Instagram page. And you can learn more about 3MT and check out previous winners here.

Rochester Postdoc Partnership Alum Stands in Smithsonian

Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Tiffany Panko

During the month of March, you could bump into University of Rochester alumna Tiffany Panko, MD ('16), MBA, in the Smithsonian's If/Then She Can national exhibit - or at least her life-sized statue. Panko became an American Association for the Advancement of Science If/Then ambassador during her time in the Rochester Postdoc Partnership program, which is the nation's only biomedical postdoc program tailored for deaf scientists.

Read More: Rochester Postdoc Partnership Alum Stands in Smithsonian

Sarah Latchney, PhD: Teaching to Learn

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Benzi Kluger

Sarah Latchney, Ph.D., is right where she had hoped to be: teaching science at a small, public, liberal arts college.

In the summer of 2019, she was hired as faculty at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. As an assistant professor of Biology and Neuroscience, she predominately teaches introductory-level biology for all incoming Biology and Neuroscience students as well as several introductory and advanced courses in the Neurosciences.

Latchney says she caught the teaching bug after designing and teaching a 200-level undergraduate course in toxicology as part of her training in the Rochester Postdoc Partnership (RPP) program. 

“It was a course that I developed from scratch on my own,” Latchney recalls. “Through that experience, I learned what it truly means to teach at the college level – to be the sole instructor of record and everything that goes into designing a course, implementing it, and interacting with students. It was a lot of work but also lots of fun.”

Read More: Sarah Latchney, PhD: Teaching to Learn

2021: SMD Research by the Numbers

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Looking at the year that just ended, we have much to celebrate here at SMD. Check out some of our research highlights from 2021!

URMC Researchers Work to Address Head & Neck Cancer Survival Disparities in Western NY

Friday, January 28, 2022

Benzi Kluger

A new study from researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) is shedding light on head and neck cancer survival disparities in Western New York.

Residence in more rural areas of the state is associated with lower five-year overall survival among head and neck cancer (HNC) patients, according to the study published in the journal Head & Neck. It reviewed cases from Wilmot Cancer Institute ranging from 2011 to 2019 and found that HNC patients residing in smaller and more isolated rural towns have double the mortality over a five-year period compared to more urban areas of the state.

Read More: URMC Researchers Work to Address Head & Neck Cancer Survival Disparities in Western NY

In the Pocket: RNA Binding Discovery Supports ‘RNA World’ Theory of Early Life on Earth

Friday, January 14, 2022

Benzi Kluger

RNA biologists at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have discovered that RNA, the chemical cousin of DNA, can bind two metabolites (small molecules) at the same time in a single binding pocket, causing those molecules to interact. This discovery, published in Nature Communications this week, could lead to new antibacterial drugs while helping to fill a gap in the controversial “RNA world” theory, which suggests that RNA molecules enabled life to evolve on Earth 3.5 billion years ago.  

 

Read More: In the Pocket: RNA Binding Discovery Supports ‘RNA World’ Theory of Early Life on Earth

“Education is key.” Neuroscientist Nathan A. Smith, Ph.D. ('13), returns in leadership role

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Nathan A. Smith

Nathan A. Smith, M.S. (’10), Ph.D. (’13), is returning to the University of Rochester as an associate professor of Neuroscience and associate dean for Equity and Inclusion in Research and Research Education in the School of Medicine and Dentistry.

The first Black graduate of the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Rochester, Smith sees his return to campus as a way to make sure the bright minds in underserved communities have equal education opportunities. He is eager to begin working closely with current learners and being a role model for them and finding ways to enhance the recruitment of postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and faculty of color, as well as women.

“I believe in the mission at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience,” Smith said. “I think that by putting the right people at the table, we can make a substantial change in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I want to be a part of that and make sure we get it right. Rochester has the potential to be the blueprint for other organizations. To set an example and change the future of science for all.”

Read More: “Education is key.” Neuroscientist Nathan A. Smith, Ph.D. ('13), returns in leadership role

Postdoctoral trainee Choongheon Lee and Neuroscience Graduate Program student Anjali Sinha lead new research focused on the entry of drugs into the inner ear

Friday, January 7, 2022

Choongheon Lee

The study, titled Characterizing the Access of Cholinergic Antagonists to Referent Synapses in the Inner Ear, looks to understand the rules governing drug entry into peripheral sensory end organs.

Vestibular and auditory dysfunction and their associated clinical manifestations represent a significant and increasing health burden, according to Lee and his team. Selective pharmacological targeting of distinct cellular mechanisms in the inner ear, while avoiding similar targets in the central nervous system (CNS), might offer a set of viable clinical tools and specific treatment strategies.

Read More: Postdoctoral trainee Choongheon Lee and Neuroscience Graduate Program student Anjali Sinha lead new research focused on the entry of drugs into the inner ear

Spiritual Well-Being in Family Caregivers for Those with Parkinson’s

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Benzi Kluger

Benzi Kluger, professor in the Department of Neurology and Medicine and director of the Palliative Care Research Center and Neuropalliative Care Service at URMC, recently studied predictors of spiritual well-being in family caregivers for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. His work appeared in the Journal of Palliative Medicine.

Kluger has been doing work specific to palliative care for people with Parkinson’s for almost 10 years, but says his work can be applied to those caring for individuals with dementia, brain cancer, ALS and other chronic illnesses.

His team collected data on spirituality 1 in hopes to more quickly be able to anticipate and identify people who are at risk for poor spiritual well-being and determine what can be done to build up resilience.

1It’s important to define what is meant by “spiritual” in this research. The focus is not on religion, but on how people connect with the world, where they find meaning. This could be nature, work, family, etc. 

Read More: Spiritual Well-Being in Family Caregivers for Those with Parkinson’s

Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D. Kicks off Dean's Lecture Series

Sunday, December 12, 2021

Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D.

Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D. is a Doris Johns Cherry Professor of Biology and Medicine and is co-director of the University of Rochester Aging Research Center. Her research is focused on understanding the mechanisms of longevity and genome stability and on the studies of exceptionally long-lived mammals. Her work has received awards from the Ellison Medical Foundation, the Glenn Foundation, the American Federation for Aging Research, and the National Institutes of Health.

Gorbunova gave the inaugural lecture of the newly established Dean's Lecture Series on Dec. 6, 2021. The series is intended to showcase high-caliber research and high-impact topics in clinical medicine and related biomedical fields. The presentations are targeted to a broad audience of investigators and trainees from multiple areas of clinical medicine, public health, and life science research, as well as for interested members of the university community and the public at large. The George D. and Freida B. Abraham Foundation are sponsoring this series.

Check out the full replay of Gorbunova's lecture: Mechanisms of Longevity: Lessons from Long-Lived Mammals with Vera Gorbunova, Ph.D

Stay tuned for information on future Dean's Lecture Series events.

Represent UofR in This Year’s STAT Madness Bracket Competition

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Juliette McGregor, Ph.D.

 

This year marks the sixth annual STAT Madness competition, where universities, medical schools, and nonprofit research institutions compete for recognition that they have produced the most exciting biomedical discovery or innovation of the past year. We want Rochester to be represented and we need your help!

Have you and your lab or team worked on a particularly interesting, innovative or cool project in the past year? If you have, please send a high-level synopsis (3-5 sentences) to myhub@urmc.rochester.edu by December 31, 2021 to be considered for entry into the competition. Please do not fill out the entry form on the STAT Madness site. Our Communications team will submit up to three entries on behalf of SMD. To learn more about the competition check out the official rules and FAQs.

During the competition, we’ll be posting all about your extraordinary science on the SMD social media channels, encouraging the entire UofR community to get behind your work and vote. Let’s go Rochester!

Grant to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy in Adolescents

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Researchers in Environmental Medicine have received an award from NIH to address vaccine hesitancy and improve health literacy among middle and high school students.  The team will work with Rochester-area teachers and health professionals to teach students about how COVID-19 spreads, how COVID testing works, what RNA is, and how the vaccine works.

Read More: Grant to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy in Adolescents

All eyes on vision restoration with latest NEI Audacious Goals Initiative Grant

Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Juliette McGregor, Ph.D.
Juliette McGregor, Ph.D.

 

Juliette McGregor, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology, leads one of three new projects funded by the National Eye Institute's Audacious Goals Initiative (AGI) aimed at testing regenerative therapies for blindness due to retinal degeneration and monitoring transplanted cells as they integrate with host tissues.

Read More: All eyes on vision restoration with latest NEI Audacious Goals Initiative Grant

UR Researchers Part of Effort to Create Atlas of Cells to Study Age-Related Diseases

Monday, November 8, 2021

University of Rochester scientists are part of a consortium of institutions recently awarded $31 million to build a molecular atlas of human senescent cells.  These cells, which are not very well understood, are believed to contribute to a number of age-related diseases, including chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, dementia, and cancer. 

Read More: UR Researchers Part of Effort to Create Atlas of Cells to Study Age-Related Diseases

Pediatric Practice Provides Roadmap for COVID-19 Vaccination of Patients and Caregivers

Monday, October 18, 2021

Golisano Children’s Hospital (GCH) Pediatric Practice in Rochester, NY demonstrated success in vaccinating eligible patients as well as their caregivers by offering the vaccine to both during pediatric visits and provides a model for addressing vaccine hesitancy and barriers, according to an October 8th article published in JAMA Pediatrics’ Viewpoint.

Read More: Pediatric Practice Provides Roadmap for COVID-19 Vaccination of Patients and Caregivers

Ann Falsey, M.D. Recognized for Leadership in RSV Research

Tuesday, October 12, 2021

Ann Falsey, M.D., was recognized for her contribution to research on the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) during IDWeek, the largest annual gathering of infectious disease researchers in the U.S.  Falsey delivered the named John F. Ender Lecture and also presented new clinical trial results on an RSV vaccine being developed by Janssen.

Read More: Ann Falsey, M.D. Recognized for Leadership in RSV Research

Lancet Review: Mental illness and suicide among physicians

Thursday, October 7, 2021

Dr. Ronald Epstein, M.D., professor in the department of Family Medicine, and other researchers highlight the need for individual and organizational interventions to better protect the mental wellbeing of physicians in a new review featured in The Lancet.

Read More: Lancet Review: Mental illness and suicide among physicians

Three PhD Students Honored with SMD Equity and Inclusion Award

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

URMC Diversity Award winners - 2021
From left to right: Raven Osborn, PhD candidate in Translational Biomedical Sciences, Katherine Andersh, PhD candidate in Neuroscience, and Briaunna Minor, PhD candidate in Microbiology,  received the 2021 Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Equity and Inclusion during SMD Opening Convocation on Sept. 20.

The School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD) welcomed students, honored excellence, and marked the official start of a new academic year with Opening Convocation held on Sept. 20.

Read More: Three PhD Students Honored with SMD Equity and Inclusion Award

A record-breaking start for 155 new SMD graduate students!

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

Lynne Maquat

Despite being in the midst of a worldwide pandemic during our 2021 graduate school application cycle, the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry received 1,063 applications for Ph.D. programs the highest on record. In addition, there were 346 applications for master’s programs and 44 for advanced certificate programs.

Read More: A record-breaking start for 155 new SMD graduate students!

Grad students are helping make research more accessible

Monday, September 13, 2021

Mark Stoessel and Kathryn-Mary Wakim

Mark Stoessel and Kathryn-Mary Wakim, part of the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University of Rochester, were bench mentors for two of the eight students in the NEUROCITY program.

Read More: Grad students are helping make research more accessible

Rui Li, PhD candidate in epidemiology, leads study on recovery process from moderate to severe chronic pain later in life.

Friday, July 23, 2021

In a study led by Rui Li, PhD candidate in epidemiology, researchers look at the recovery process from moderate to severe chronic pain later in life, highlighting physical activity and sleep quality as important avenues for recovery.

Read More: Rui Li, PhD candidate in epidemiology, leads study on recovery process from moderate to severe chronic pain later in life.

Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center Awarded $17M in New Grants

Thursday, July 15, 2021

The University of Rochester Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center (CCRC) has received five new grants totaling more than $17 million over five years from both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Abbott. The grants will support research in treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), device therapy for heart failure, and management of Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) patients. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/clinical-cardiovascular-research/news.aspx

Read More: Clinical Cardiovascular Research Center Awarded $17M in New Grants

UR Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) 2021 Mentoring-Up Resolution Challenge CONTEST RESULTS

Monday, May 24, 2021

Congratulations, Mentoring-Up Resolution Challenge Winners!

Full-time UR grad students (gender-inclusive) in biomedical, biological, or chemical sciences took charge of their futures by setting and, through mentoring-up, achieving professional and personal goals for Spring 2021. Participants submitted their goals in a January write-up and progress reports on their professional goals in May. The anonymous faculty evaluation committee selected finalists to present on May 20th. All four presenters were selected to win $1500 ea. in technology-related (hardware, software, and/or peripherals) prizes. Of note, submissions for this contest were received from graduate students of 12 different programs!

Read More: UR Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) 2021 Mentoring-Up Resolution Challenge CONTEST RESULTS

Graduate Women in Science Receives 2021 Best of Rochester Award

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Graduate Women in Science has been selected for the 2021 Best of Rochester Award in the University category by the Rochester Award Program.

Each year, the Rochester Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Rochester area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2021 Rochester Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Rochester Award Program and data provided by third parties.

About Rochester Award Program

The Rochester Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Rochester area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Rochester Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.

Researchers find breastfeeding linked to higher neurocognitive testing scores

Monday, April 26, 2021

New research finds that children who were breastfed scored higher on neurocognitive tests. Researchers in the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) analyzed thousands of cognitive tests taken by nine and ten-year-olds whose mothers reported they were breastfed, and compared those results to scores of children who were not.

"Our findings suggest that any amount of breastfeeding has a positive cognitive impact, even after just a few months." Daniel Adan Lopez, Ph.D. candidate in the Epidemiology program who is first author on the study recently published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health. "That's what's exciting about these results. Hopefully from a policy standpoint, this can help improve the motivation to breastfeed."

Hayley Martin, Ph.D., a fourth year medical student in the Medical Scientist Training Program and co-author of the study, focuses her research on breastfeeding. "There's already established research showing the numerous benefits breastfeeding has for both mother and child. This study's findings are important for families particularly before and soon after birth when breastfeeding decisions are made. It may encourage breastfeeding goals of one year or more. It also highlights the critical importance of continued work to provide equity focused access to breastfeeding support, prenatal education, and practices to eliminate structural barriers to breastfeeding."

Researchers reviewed the test results of more than 9,000 nine and ten-year-old participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Variations were found in the cumulative cognitive test scores of breastfed and non-breastfed children. There was also evidence that the longer a child was breastfed, the higher they scored.

"The strongest association was in children who were breastfed more than 12 months," said Lopez. "The scores of children breastfed until they were seven to 12 months were slightly less, and then the one to six month-old scores dips a little more. But all scores were higher when compared to children who didn't breastfeed at all." Previous studies found breastfeeding does not impact executive function or memory, findings in this study made similar findings.

"This supports the foundation of work already being done around lactation and breastfeeding and its impact on a child's health," said Ed Freedman, Ph.D., the principal investigator of the ABCD study in Rochester and lead author of the study. "These are findings that would have not been possible without the ABCD Study and the expansive data set it provides."

Read More: Researchers find breastfeeding linked to higher neurocognitive testing scores

Ian Krout wins the People’s Choice award for SOT’s 3 Minute Thesis, 2nd place in the University of Rochester's 3 Minute Thesis Competitions

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Ian

Ian Krout

Congratulations to Ian Krout for winning the People's Choice award for SOT's 3 Minute Thesis and 2nd place in the University of Rochester's 3 Minute Thesis Competitions! Krout is a 3rd year Toxicology student, in Matt Rand's Lab, whose interests lie in both methylmercury toxicity as well as the gut microbiomes role in the field of toxicology. His research is focused on elucidating the microbial mechanisms of the gut that give rise to inter-individual differences in methylmercury elimination from person to person. It is focused on investigating the bacterial species at play in the microbiome, the mechanisms used for biotransformation, and what this means for the overall elimination rate and subsequent toxicity of differing mercury compounds.

Congrats Ian!

Wedekind lab research featured on the cover of JBC “The Year in JBC: 2020" issue

Friday, February 12, 2021

Congratulations to Shashank Chavali, Dr. Sachitanand Mali, Dr. Jermaine Jenkins, Dr. Rudi Fasan, and Dr. Joseph Wedekind for being featured on the cover of JBC "The Year in JBC: 2020" issue. Their recent research article, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry (JBC) December 4, 2020 issue, titled "Co-crystal structures of HIV TAR RNA bound to lab-evolved proteins show key roles for arginine relevant to the design of cyclic peptide TAR inhibitors" has been selected as the representative 'RNA' article for 2020 retrospective collection called "The Year in JBC: 2020."

The cover art below, shows a collage of fluorescence complementation experiments between the [4Fe-4S]-transferring NFU1 and potential partners (performed by Roland et al.), crystal structure overlays of HIV-1 TAR RNA with lab-evolved TAR-binding proteins (reported by Chavali et al.), nonmelanized yeast cells (explored by Chrissian et al.) and a cryo-EM structure of STEAP1, now thought to function as a ferric reductase in heterotrimer form (reported by Oosterheert and Gros). Artwork created by EJ Marklin.

Read More: Wedekind lab research featured on the cover of JBC "The Year in JBC: 2020" issue

Lynne Maquat Awarded 2021 Wolf Prize in Medicine

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Lynne Maquat

Lynne E. Maquat, Ph.D., the founding director of the Center for RNA Biology at the University of Rochester, was honored with the 2021 Wolf Prize in Medicine. The acclaimed international award is given to outstanding scientists from around the world for achievements that benefit mankind.

Maquat was selected for "fundamental discoveries in RNA biology that have the potential to better human lives." She has spent her career deciphering the many roles that RNA plays in sickness and in health, and is well known for her discovery of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay or NMD. One of the major surveillance systems in the body, NMD protects against mistakes in gene expression that lead to disease. Maquat's lab also revealed that NMD helps our cells adjust to changes in development and in their environment, and more rapidly respond to certain stimuli.

Maquat shares the award with Joan Steitz, Ph.D., Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale School of Medicine and Adrian Krainer, Ph.D., St. Giles Foundation Professor and Cancer Center Deputy Director of Research at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Steitz and Krainer were also honored for discoveries in RNA biology.

The Wolf Foundation, which celebrates exceptional achievements in the sciences and the arts, is based in Israel, where Maquat's quest to unravel the intricacies of NMD began. In 1980 she traveled to Jerusalem to retrieve bone marrow samples from four children suffering from thalassemia major, the most severe form of the inherited blood disorder thalassemia. Maquat wanted to learn why the children's marrow contained no beta-globin protein, which is necessary for the oxygen-carrying function of red blood cells. Her 1981 breakthrough manuscript, "Unstable beta-globin mRNA in mRNA-deficient beta0 thalassemia," published in Cell, was the first to reveal the role of NMD in human cells and how it can lead to disease.

"Lynne's work on nonsense-mediated mRNA decay is the bedrock of an ever-growing body of research on how mRNAs are monitored and regulated," said Mark B. Taubman, M.D., dean of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. "Her dedication to her science and to the field of RNA biology has opened the door to the development of RNA-based therapeutics for a wide range of disorders that you can't reach with conventional drugs. We're thrilled that her contributions are being recognized with this prestigious award."

RNA secured its place in the public eye in 2020 with the development and approval of multiple mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Years of research by Maquat, Steitz and Krainer helped set the stage for the rapid development of these vaccines.

The J. Lowell Orbison Endowed Chair and Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Maquat is the recipient of several other significant honors, including:

Winners of the Wolf Prize are selected annually by an international jury committee of the Wolf Foundation; prizes are awarded regardless of religion, gender, race, geographical region, or political view. The official announcement of this year's prize by the President of the State of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, was made on February 9, 2021.

Read More: Lynne Maquat Awarded 2021 Wolf Prize in Medicine

Miriam Barnett chosen to be a 2021 ASPET Washington Fellow

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Miriam Barnett

Miriam Barnett, a Pharmacology graduate student in Dr. Jean Bidlack's lab, was chosen to be a 2021 American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Washington Fellow. The mission of the ASPET Washington Fellows Program is to enable developing and early career scientists interested in science policy to learn about and become more engaged in public policy issues. Miriam's selection was based on her strong interest in science and its intersection with public policy. As an ASPET Washington Fellow, Miriam will meet with congressional representatives and staff to advocate for the importance of biomedical research.

Daniel Steiner Wins The Sayeeda Zain Fall 2020 Travel Award

Friday, December 4, 2020

Congratulations to Dan Steiner for winning a Sayeeda Zain Fall travel award. Dan is planning to attend the SPIE Photonics West meeting, to be held at the Moscone Center, San Francisco, California, March 6-11, 2021, He states "I am excited to represent our department and present my work in San Francisco (virtually or otherwise) . Networking and reaching out to labs and PIs at this conference will help me learn more about the entrepreneurial side of science and how to develop my career after I defend." The Sayeeda Zain Travel Award honors the distinguished career and charitable life of Dr. Sayeeda Zain. The award is given in recognition of research excellence to support expenses associated with attendance at a scientific conference or corporate internship to gain practical experience. Dan Steiner is a Biophysics graduate student studying in Dr. Ben Miller's lab

Karl Foley, Receives NIH F30 Award

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Karl Foley, an MSTP graduate student, has received an NIH F30 award starting Feb 1, 2020 for his research in the Xia lab.

Project title: "Protein phosphatase 1 isoforms and human de novo mutations in synaptic plasticity"

Agency: NIMH (F30MH122046), $50K total/year for four years starting 2/1/2020

Congrats Karl!

Nazish Jeffery, Biochemistry Ph.D. Candidate Pens Guest Column in the Democrat & Chronicle on Scientists’ Need to Communicate Clearly to the Public

Monday, October 19, 2020

Nazish Jeffery

Graduate student Nazish Jeffery published an editorial-style column entitled "Scientists Must Communicate More Clearly" which appeared on the Opinion page of the Sunday, October 4th edition of the Democrat and Chronicle. Ms. Jeffery argues that scientist have a civic duty to clearly inform and educate the public and public officials with regard to the results of biomedical research. She states "As scientists, our civic duty becomes twofold. Not only must we better our understanding of the world through research, we also need to use our training and expertise to help inform who govern so they can craft policies that are scientifically sound." Ms. Jeffery will be taking a brief hiatus from her laboratory research in Michael Bulger's lab to remotely participate in an internship with the American Institute of Biological Sciences in Washington DC, where she will focus on science and public policy.

Read More: Nazish Jeffery, Biochemistry Ph.D. Candidate Pens Guest Column in the Democrat & Chronicle on Scientists’ Need to Communicate Clearly to the Public

Dr. Robert Freeman Selected As 2020 Outstanding Graduate Course Director

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Dr. Robert Freeman has been selected as this year's recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Course Director Award. Established in 2013, this award is based on the course's record of excellence based on course-instructor survey evaluations and letters of recommendation from students enrolled in the course.

This award comes with $1,000, to be paid as unrestricted education support monies (for education-related expenses such as travel to professional meetings, work-related computers, textbooks, courses, etc.) and is available immediately.

The award will be presented at the School of Medicine and Dentistry Convocation Ceremony. The Virtual Convocation Celebration will be posted to the following websites at 5pm on Monday, September 14th:

The department would like to congratulate Bob on this recognition, as it is a well-deserved honor.

Halima Aweis Wins Graduate Alumni Fellowship Award

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Halima Aweis has been selected by our faculty to be one of this year's recipients of the Graduate Alumni Fellowship Award. Graduate alumni in the School of Medicine and Dentistry established this fellowship award to recognize an incoming graduate student's promise for exceptional accomplishment in graduate study.

The award, which includes a monetary prize of $500, will be presented at the School of Medicine and Dentistry Convocation Ceremony. The Virtual Convocation Celebration will be posted to the following websites at 5pm on Monday, September 14th:

Congratulations Halima!

Romeo Blanc Selected to be this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Postdoctoral Researcher Award

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Post-doctoral associate, Romeo Blanc, in the lab of Dr. Joe v. Chakkalakal has been selected to be this year's recipient of the Outstanding Postdoctoral Researcher Award. This award was established in 2015 to recognize a School of Medicine and Dentistry postdoc for outstanding research contributions. The selection was based on the originality, creativity, and significance of your research accomplishment.

The award will be presented at the School of Medicine and Dentistry Convocation Ceremony. The Virtual Convocation Celebration will be posted to the following websites at 5pm on Monday, September 14th:

Congratulations on being chosen for this award, Romeo!

IMV Grad Student Megan Ulbrich Wins the Melville A. Hare Award for Excellence in Teaching

Friday, June 5, 2020

Please join the department in congratulating Megan Ulbrich, this year's winner of the Melville A. Hare Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award is given annually by the Department of Microbiology and Immunology to a graduate student who has displayed outstanding qualities of mentoring and teaching in one or more MBI courses. The award will be officially conferred at URMC Convocation in the late summer.

Megan is currently an IMV graduate student in Michelle Dziejman's lab working on multidisciplinary approaches to uncover novel effector protein functions. Megan grew up in Buffalo, NY and received her B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh.

This week’s URMC Research Heroes featured the Maquat lab’s Tatsuaki Kurosaki, PhD, and Shuhei Mitsutomi, MS

Wednesday, June 3, 2020

This week's URMC Research Heroes featured the Maquat lab's Tatsuaki Kurosaki, PhD, and Shuhei Mitsutomi, MS, who were recognized today for their work on SARS-CoV-2.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-QN7oAl07/

Both Tatsuaki and Shuhei have worked as members of the Maquat Lab (Center for RNA Biology and the Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics) during the sequestration on SARS-CoV-2, collaborating with a lab at Harvard to determine the mechanism by which the virus inhibits human-cell nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) so as to express and replicate its RNA efficiency.

From Tatsuaki: "Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic, is a novel enveloped RNA virus carrying a large (~30 kb) positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome. Although human cells innately have an RNA surveillance pathway called nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) that generally protects cells from infection by many different types of viruses, little is known about how SARS-CoV-2 inhibits NMD to proliferate in human cells. We hope that our research helps to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 proliferation in human cells, eventually contributing toward the development of therapeutic strategies to combat COVID-19."

Matthew Rook awarded a Joan Wright Goodman Dissertation Fellowship

Monday, June 1, 2020

Matthew L. Rook, M.S. (MacLean Lab) has been awarded a Joan Wright Goodman Dissertation Fellowship for 2020-2021! This fellowship was endowed by Joan Wright Goodman, PhD class of 1952, to support doctoral students across disciplines in the sciences. It is one of the University's most competitive dissertation fellowships and is given to students who display exceptional ability and promise. It is a testimony to the University's commitment to supporting your scholarship.

The award is $20,000, and must be used over at least 9 months between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Congrats Matthew!

Graduate Student Appreciation Week 2020

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Celebrating the more than 600 graduate students and postdoctoral appointees at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry. Meet some of our grad and post doc researchers.

Read More: Graduate Student Appreciation Week 2020

Timmy Li, URMC Epidemiology PhD Graduate in NY Post as "Hero of the Day"

Monday, April 13, 2020