Congratulations to Mr. Ryan Murphy
2022 recipient of the Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation (PhRMA Foundation).

Dear students and colleagues, 

Please join me in congratulating Ryan Murphy, who has been awarded a 2022 Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation (PhRMA Foundation).

The PhRMA fellowship provides support for students in advanced stages of training for thesis research in drug discovery, and it will support Ryan’s research project and training over a two-year period.

Ryan is a third-year PhD graduate student in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program and the Center for Addiction Research. His mentor is Dr. John Allen, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, and co-mentorship is provided by Dr. Jia Zhou, professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Ryan’s research focuses on investigating molecular signaling and the therapeutic potential of GPR52 activation in the context of psychostimulant use disorder. His future career aspirations include continued pharmacological research with neuromodulatory G protein-coupled receptors, with the hope of developing improved therapeutics for neurological and psychiatric disorders

Congratulations Ryan!

Dr. Fernanda Laezza

Director, Pharmacology & Toxicology Graduate Program

Congratulations to our PhD student, Jacqueline Silva, who received a General Travel Award in the Graduate and Post-baccalaureate Student category to attend the ASPET Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology (EB) 2022 in Philadelphia, PA.

Congratulations to our 2021 GSBS Scholarship Awardees

Timothy Baumgartner - Sharon Nelson, PhD and Odd Steinsland, PhD Endowed Scholarship
                                         University Federal Credit Union - GSBS

Amy Cooper - Shirley Patricia Parker Scholarship Endowment in the GSBS
                        UTMB Student Government Association Leadership Scholarship for the GSBS 

Nolan Dvorak - The University of Texas Medical Branch Retirees Association Academic Scholarship Fund GSBS

Christina Merritt - Mason Guest Scholar Program Award

Kenya Moore - Betty J. Williams Scholarship

Angela Mosebarger - Dr. Mary Faggard Kanz Travel Award For Environmental Toxicology
                                     University Federal Credit Union - GSBS

Ryan Murphy - The Arthur V. Simmang Scholarship Fund GSBS

Leah Salinsky - UTMB Student Government Association Leadership Scholarship for the GSBS

Mark Sowers - Zhou-Geng Endowment Fund

Josh Zamora - The George Palmer Saunders II Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship

Congratulations to our PhD student, Nolan Dvorak, for being appointment to the President's Advisory Forum for FY2022

Congratulations to our PhD student, Timothy Baumgartner, for being awarded "Excellence in Student Research" at the 24th Annual Forum on Aging in the Neuroscience category of the poster session.

Congratulations to Mr. Nolan Dvorak
2021 recipient of the prestigious Jess Hay Endowment for Chancellor’s Graduate Student Research Fellowship

Dear students and colleagues, 

It is a great honor to announce Mr. Nolan Dvorak, 3rd year PHTO PhD student and UTMB Presidential Scholar, as the 2021 recipient of the prestigious Jess Hay Endowment for Chancellor’s Graduate Student Research Fellowship. This fellowship, consisting of a $15,000 award, is a UT system award recognizing timely and high-quality research benefiting the State of Texas.

 Nolan was awarded in recognition of his scholastic excellence and research productivity. As a 2nd year student at time of nomination, Nolan had already contributed to science with five peer-reviewed published research articles, including two as first author and one as co-first author. Additionally, Nolan is a recipient of a highly competitive T32 predoctoral fellowship slot, under the Houston Area Molecular Biophysics Program (HAMBP), and recently received the prestigious Ambassador in Pharmacology & Toxicology Award and the George Sealy Research Award in Neurology.

The Pharmacology & Toxicology Graduate Program is extremely proud of Nolan’s contributions to science. We know he will continue to make a powerful impact through his academic and research activities.

Congratulations, Mr. Dvorak for this tremendously deserved award and recognition! 

Sincerely,
Dr. Fernanda Laezza
Director, Pharmacology & Toxicology Graduate Program

Congratulations to Kenya Moore

Kenya Moore is a PhD candidate in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and recently completed her third year in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program. Kenya received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry in May 2018 from Dillard University, a historically black college/university, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She participated in undergraduate research at Dillard as a MARC scholar and at LSU Health Science Center in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department. These experiences developed Kenya’s interest in pursuing graduate education that ultimately led her to UTMB. Kenya joined the laboratory of Dr. Rakez Kayed, professor in the Department of Neurology and the Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, in the summer of 2019. Her dissertation project investigates neurotoxic polymorphic aggregates of Alpha Synuclein, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. Investigating the immunotherapeutic targeting of alpha synuclein oligomeric polymorphisms can reveal their role in the pathological implications and behavioral phenotypes observed in neurodegenerative diseases exhibiting alpha synuclein aggregation.

CONCEPT TO CLINIC: COMMERCIALIZING INNOVATION (EC3I) PROGRAM

During the Summer 2021 academic term, the following students in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) were invited to participate in the NIH program called Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation (eC3i). This 10-week program is designed to teach scientists and startup owners the skills needed to succeed in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.

During the course, the students created a business plan for developing novel, highly specific anti-depressant medications for multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. The team met with physicians, pharmacists, stakeholders, business advisors, administrators, and other key players in potential product market integration to identify key weaknesses with current products, common patient complaints, and specific benefits that their novel compound could have over other therapeutics. This program gave the students the opportunity to explore careers in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as develop skills in presenting, teamwork, and communication.

Tim Baumgartner is currently a second-year PhD student in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program. Tim completed his bachelor’s in biochemistry at Baylor University in May 2020. During his time at Baylor, he participated in undergraduate research involving identification and evaluation of small-molecule inhibitors of cell proliferation and migration in non-small cell lung cancer. This experience contributed heavily to his interest in pharmacology and led him to UTMB.       
Tim joined the lab of Dr. Fernanda Laezza at the start of Summer 2021 and has been pursuing his interest in pharmacology, particularly in neurodegeneration and neuropsychiatric disorders. His dissertation project involves investigation of voltage-gated sodium channel Nav 1.6 and its interactions with key regulatory proteins to decrease hippocampal hyperexcitability observed in early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease and prevent the onset and progression of memory loss and cognitive decline.

Angela Mosebarger is currently a Presidential Scholar and second-year PhD student in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program. She graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s in chemistry/biochemistry and studies environmental toxicology using skills that she developed while researching psychiatric drugs, organic synthesis, and epigenetics at other universities, including Stanford University.

Angela joined the laboratory of Dr. Fernanda Laezza in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and researches the pharmacological and toxicological effects of chemicals in the brain using methods such as electrophysiology, split-luciferase complementation assays, and immunohistochemistry. Specifically, her current project investigates the global effects of a common pesticide, Deltamethrin, on morphology, transcriptomics, and electrical properties in the brain to determine if a link exists between this chemical and ADHD.

Congratulations to the new PTSO Officers for 2021-2022

President - Jacqueline Silva
Vice President - Madison Tanner
Secretary - Leah Salinsky
Treasurer - Joshua Zamora

GSBS Focus on Mentoring Spotlight - April 2021

Rakez Kayed, PhD

GSBS Focus on Mentoring Spotlight - March 2021

Noelle C. Anastasio, PhD

GSBS Focus on Mentoring Spotlight - February 2021

Ramkumar Menon, PhD

Congratulations to our PhD student, Nolan Dvorak, for being selected for the Paul Green Memorial Award for Mental Health Research, from the University of Texas Medical Branch.

GSBS Focus on Mentoring Spotlight - December 2020

Thomas Green, PhD

GSBS Focus on Mentoring Spotlight - November 2020

John Papacontantinou, PhD

GSBS Focus on Mentoring Spotlight - July 2020

Kathryn Cunningham, Ph.D.

Congratulations to our student winners of the  The Kenneth M. Johnson Pharmacology/Toxicology Graduate Program Endowment Fund Award for the Fourth A nnual Pharmacology & Toxicology Summer  Symposium! 

Congratulations to our PhD student, Dianne Yap, for being selected as the recipient of the Elias Hochman Research Award for 2019-2020.

Congratulations to Dr. Wenbo Zhang for being selected for the UT System STARs Award.

Congratulations to Dr. George Golovko for being selected by the Pharmacology & Toxicology Graduate Program students as the recipient of the 2019 Teaching in Excellence Award.

New PTSO Officers 2019-2020

President - Luke Bourner
Vice President - Victoria Dobbie Brehm
Secretary - Amy Cooper
Treasurer - Dolores Quiroz

Congratulations to our student winners of the The Kenneth M. Johnson Pharmacology/Toxicology Graduate Program Endowment Fund Award for the Third Annual Pharmacology & Toxicology Summer Symposium!

Mark Sowers - Best Student Poster

Dennis Sholler - Best Student Presentation

GSBS Pharmacology & Toxicology Graduate Program Alumni Spotlight
Martin Wasserman, PhD, MA

Congratulations to our Pharmacology & Toxicology Graduate Program students who won GSBS Awards for 2018-2019!

Amy Cooper won the Sharon Nelson, PhD and Off Steinsland Endowed Scholarship.

Luke Bourner won The George Palmer Saunders II Memorial Graduate Student Scholarship.

Victoria Brehm won the Jason E. Perlman Memorial Fund.

Christina Merritt won the Ann Anderson Scholarship Fund.

Catherine Sampson and Dennis Sholler won The Arthur V. Simmang Scholarship Fund GSBS.

Cynthia Tapia and Dianne Yap won the Zhou-Geng Endowment Fund.

Eric Wold won the Edith and Robert Zinn Presidential Scholarship and the Elferink Scholarship for Academic Excellence.

Congratulations to Dennis Sholler for winning Trainee Professional Development Award for the 2018 SfN meeting.

Congratulations to Cynthia Tapia for winning the 2018 SfN Cashen Almstead Professional Development Associate Award. Cynthia, also won the 1st place prize for her poster presentation at the 2018 Lone Star Society of Toxicology Conference.

Congratulations to Amy Cooper for winning the 3rd place prize for her oral/platform presentation at the 2018 Lone Star Society of Toxicology Conference.