UTHealth Houston - Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

From studying quasars to training in radiation oncology physics, Zeph Kaffey, PhD '26, has followed a path driven by a desire to make an impact on people. Now in clinical residency at the University of California San Diego, the 2026 Medical Physics alumna reflects on the mentorship, leadership and community that prepared her to build a career around patient care, research and mentoring future scientists.

From studying blood cancers to preparing astronauts for the conditions of space, Karin Loftin, PhD ’79, followed her passion for laboratory research wherever it led. Now she is helping future scientists do the same.

Growing up in Chihuahua, Mexico, Diana Carrasco Rojas found her first role model in medical physics close to home. Now a Medical Physics PhD student, she is developing tools to help ensure advanced radiation therapy is delivered safely and consistently in clinical trials — while encouraging potential students from similar backgrounds to pursue their own paths in science.

What does it mean to see potential in someone before they see it in themselves? Meet the 2026 D. Dudley and Judy White Oldham Faculty Award recipients: Jian Hu, PhD, and Claire Singletary, MS, CGC, who share how mentorship has shaped their careers — and how they help students build confidence, find their own paths and discover their potential.

Laurel Boatright entered college planning to pursue medicine, but research opened another path. Now a Microbiology and Infectious Diseases PhD student, she is studying the cervical microbiome to better understand cervical cancer, while drawing on mentorship, interdisciplinary expertise, and a collaborative environment that extends across The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and the Texas Medical Center.

What if the immune system could be pushed to fight cancer more effectively? Cancer Biology PhD student K M Salim (Opu) Andalib is exploring how mRNA-based immune stimulation and radiation therapy could work together against tumors — an ambitious question shaped by his drive to connect research with patient impact and strengthened by the mentors and peers who challenge how he thinks.