Ms. Jagape Sison joined UTMB in 2024 as a Research Program Coordinator for the Center for Tropical Diseases. She holds a Master of Science in Epidemiology from the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Houston. She has experience in health research coordination, data analysis, and clinical research, with a background in infectious disease epidemiology, health technology, and chronic disease research. In her role at the CTD, she provides administrative support, manages CTD programs, and facilitates communication with stakeholders. She coordinates CTD efforts and activities across research and training programs, international partners, and other institutional centers, supporting global infectious disease research and collaboration.
NIH T32 Training Program: Training Physician-Scientists in Emerging Infectious Diseases
Program Information
Program Overview
Two years of translational research training under the mentorship of more than 25 accomplished MD and PhD faculty members Scientific and career mentorship through a structured team science framework Instruction in key areas including:
- Research design, data analysis, and biostatistics
- Field epidemiology and outbreak investigation
- Clinical and research biocontainment and biosafety
- Responsible conduct of research
- Scientific writing and grant preparation
- Managing a dual clinical-research career
Training and Mentorship
- Trainees choose their research focus and primary mentor
- Intensive career mentorship through the individualized Multidisciplinary,Interprofessional Mentorship Team (iMIMT)
- Opportunities for international research collaboration
- Support for securing an NIH Physician-Scientist Career Development Award
- Mentorship in transitioning to an independent faculty position
Eligibility and Application
- Open to physicians completing or who have completed an ACGME-certified residency or fellowship
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- One trainee per year will be selected for a two-year appointment
- Position: 2-year appointment as Instructor at UTMB; Protected research time with limited clinical responsibility (80% research, 20% clinical)
- To apply, candidates should send a CV and a one-page cover letter detailing their experience, research interests, and career goals to Dr. Peter Melby
Meet the Scholars
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Dr. Khadija Tayabali
Dr. Tayabali's T32 Experience
- What inspired you to join the T32 program?
I was drawn to the T32 program for its unique ability to combine a mentored research career with the flexibility to explore a research topic that truly piques my interest. The opportunity to build a project from the ground up, while also gaining hands-on experience in clinical service, made the program particularly appealing. The two-year structure allows for the perfect balance between research and clinical exposure, offering the best of both worlds in an environment that fosters growth and development.
- How has the program supported your research and career development?
The T32 program has been instrumental in shaping my career path. Dr. Melby has played a pivotal role in guiding me, offering valuable mentorship by helping me identify key mentors and shaping ideas into viable research projects. His insights, drawn from years of experience, have been crucial in understanding how to make a pilot project successful. The program also offers a variety of training opportunities, such as tropical medicine courses, grant writing workshops, and specialized biosafety lab training, which have enhanced both my research skills and my overall career development.
- What do you consider the greatest benefit of being a T32 fellow?
The greatest benefit of being a T32 fellow is the ability to seamlessly integrate clinical practice with research in a respected institution like UTMB. This unique combination has allowed me to expand my clinical expertise while also growing as a researcher. Being part of a program that values both aspects of my career has been incredibly rewarding and essential for my professional growth.
Biography
Dr. Khadija Tayabali is a dedicated physician and researcher with a passion for global health, infectious diseases, and antimicrobial resistance. Originally from Kenya, she earned her medical degree at the University of Nairobi, where she began her career working in Bungoma District Hospital. There, she focused on the care of patients with HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, collaborating with the PEPFAR initiative to address dual challenge of these co-infections.
After relocating to the United States in 2012, Dr. Tayabali completed her Internal Medicine residency, followed by Chief Residency, at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland. She then pursued a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Maryland Medical Center, graduating in August 2024.
In October 2024, Dr. Tayabali joined the University of Texas Medical Branch as a T32 Research Fellow. Her research interest are focused on antimicrobial resistance and its profound impact on global health and addressing global health disparities in a resource rich hospital in Kenya
Education:
- M.D. – University of Nairobi
- Internal Medicine Residency – Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
- Chief Residency – Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland
- Infectious Diseases Fellowship – University of Maryland Medical Center
- T32 Research Fellowship – University of Texas Medical Branch
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Dr. Francisco Guerra, Jr
Dr. Guerra's T32 Experience
There are truly very few places in the USA where physicians and scientists collaborate to detect emerging infections arising from anywhere in the world using a One Health approach, are able to study such diseases in secure and highly advanced labs, and can then create new technologies ranging from diagnostics to therapeutics (such as monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs). UTMB and the Galveston National Laboratory situated on the UTMB campus is one place where such pivotal research takes place. For physician scientists looking to start their careers, this is an ideal place to start, learn, and collaborate. For example, a typical day of clinic (seeing patients with AIDS, MDR TB, or murine Typhus) could be followed by a lecture from a researcher about their work surveilling an outbreak of Ebola or Oropouche viruses.
Biography
Dr. Francisco Guerra, Jr. is committed to bridging biomedical research with the practice of medicine, bringing scientific advances closer to practical medical applications that address important public health priorities. He draws on a broad and interdisciplinary background in drug discovery, bioengineering, biophysics, computational biology, physical chemistry, structural biology, spectroscopy, computational modeling, enzyme kinetics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, molecular and cellular biology, organic synthesis, global health, and the social determinants of health to develop pioneering therapeutics against emerging infectious diseases.
Dr. Guerra has collaborated with researchers using a One Health approach to detect zoonotic spillover events. His recent work has focused on developing antimalarials with novel mechanisms of action against proven essential Plasmodium spp. targets—an increasingly urgent need as artemisinin resistance spreads throughout Southeast Asia.
At the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), Dr. Guerra has redirected his research to target respiratory viruses, recognizing their universal impact and the profound societal disruptions they can cause, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. His current research focuses on two main areas: (1) developing therapeutics for Influenza and other respiratory viruses, and (2) detecting emerging respiratory virus spillover and spillback events—particularly Influenza—through a One Health approach.
Education
- B.S Bioengineering – University of California San Diego
- EMT training – San Diego Miramar College
- Ph.D. in Biophysics and Computational Biology – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- M.D. – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Graduate Minor in Latina/Latino Studies – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Internal Medicine Residency – Jackson Memorial Hospital / University of Miami
- Infectious Diseases Fellowship – University of California San Diego
- T32 Research Fellowship - University of Texas Medical Branch
Contact Us
Ada Jagape Sison, MSc
Research Program Coordinator
Center for Tropical Diseases
Internal Medicine
Infectious Diseases