After first discovering UT MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences as a summer student, Rolando Vedia returns to the stage years later to earn his PhD. His journey through the Therapeutics and Pharmacology program reflects resilience, leadership, and a passion for advancing cancer research.

For Rolando Vedia, MS, the path to earning his PhD at the The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) began more than eight years ago—as a summer student still deciding his future.

After training in the Genetic Counseling program and conducting research on prenatal care for spina bifida, Jessica Scarlett is ready to expand access to genetic counseling services in Texas. Learn more about this soon-to-be graduate who discovered genetic counseling through a college career center visit, and is now preparing to become the first genetic counselor at Driscoll Children’s Hospital.

Known as a “silent hero” by her colleagues, Erica Leday, senior administrative coordinator at the Graduate School, has received the 2026 Melva S. Ramsay Award for her outstanding service, responsiveness, and commitment to keeping operations running smoothly. Read more about her work and recognition.

The Graduate School’s new Peer Review Challenge program, led by the Career Development team, is helping students build essential grant writing and review skills, as we celebrate its first cohort of awardees. 

Cancer Biology graduate Lan T. H. Phi uncovered a new role for AXL in inflammatory breast cancer, showing it drives tumor progression by promoting immunosuppressive polarization through STAT6 signaling. The findings reveal how AXL reshapes the tumor microenvironment to support immune evasion and growth, highlighting it as a promising therapeutic target.