UTHealth Houston - Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

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.

A welcoming microbiology lab introduced Jennifer Walker, PhD, to biomedical research and set her on a path to becoming a faculty member at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Today, she draws on that experience to mentor the next generation of scientists, build collaborations across the Texas Medical Center, and encourage her students to pursue their own questions.

An unexpected turn led Genetics and Epigenetics PhD student Josh Lindenberger to cancer research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, where collaboration, professional development, and involvement in his program and student organizations are shaping his experience. The Texas Medical Center broadens his scientific network and opportunities, while Houston offers inspiration of a different kind—including Impressionist art, which reminds him that, much like research, sometimes you have to step back to see how the pieces come together.

August's Paper of the Month highlights research by student Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang and collaborators at UT MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, who combined artificial intelligence and stem cell biology to develop an optimized approach to producing mature, functional liver cells while identifying key genetic regulators that drive liver development. Published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the study could improve disease modeling, drug testing, and regenerative medicine.