Xiangxue Deng is the first recipient of the UTMB-Novartis Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness (UNAPP) Drug Discovery Scholar Award. The award recognizes and supports the development of exemplary students interested in antiviral drug discovery research.
Deng, a student in the Microbiology & Immunology PhD program at UTMB, has extensive research experience related to norovirus, syphilis spirochetes, HSV, and emerging coronaviruses. Her aspirations as a scholar include continued scientific growth and contributing to the improvement of individual and global health.
She is currently working in the lab of UNAPP investigator Xuping Xie and is investigating the molecular intricacies of viral replication and translating this knowledge into antiviral drugs and vaccines, with a specific emphasis on novel coronaviruses and flaviviruses.
Dr. Xie expressed enthusiastic support of Ms. Deng’s work and the work of the Alliance, “As a UNAPP investigator who has personally benefited a lot from the alliance between academia and industry during my career development, I am delighted to see this invaluable opportunity being extended to UTMB students. This award will offer UTMB students, such as Xiangxue Deng, with a unique opportunity to experience real-world drug discovery and prepare them to become the next generation of drug hunters. They will be the new champions to safeguard us against future pandemics.