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Neuroscience

The Neuroscience Graduate Program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) promotes interdisciplinary training that crosses traditional departmental boundaries and offers a rigorous foundation in the core concepts of neuroscience. Our goal is to cultivate the development of leaders in neuroscience research. Ongoing research in the program employs a wide array of techniques and includes multiple levels of investigation, ranging from genes, molecules, and cells to neural networks, systems, and behavior. Our faculty's research interests range from molecular & cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, computational neuroscience, cancer neuroscience, and translational neuroscience, which focuses on neurological diseases such as brain tumors, neurodegeneration, aging and psychiatric disorders. Unique to the neuroscience program is the option of fast track, which allows those students with strong interest in Neuroscience to bypass the GSBS Foundation course. We welcome attendance and participation of all interested GSBS faculty, students and other trainees at our retreat, seminars and other program activities.


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FACULTY RESEARCH AREAS

Program Events

Student Workshops and Poster Sessions

Students have the opportunity to deliver full-length seminars on their research to fellow students and faculty and receive extensive feedback on their presentation. Numerous poster sessions held throughout the year offer the chance to present research findings.


Program Events

  • Student Workshops and Poster Sessions

    Student Workshops and Poster Sessions

    Students have the opportunity to deliver full-length seminars on their research to fellow students and faculty and receive extensive feedback on their presentation. Numerous poster sessions held throughout the year offer the chance to present research findings.


  • Annual Student Retreat

    Annual Student Retreat

    Student-organized annual two day retreat which offers a mix of lectures by students, faculty, and alumni, poster presentations, and various social activities.

  • Journal Clubs & Invited Speakers

    Journal Clubs & Invited Speakers

    Journal Clubs offer the chance to present current papers to fellow students, postdocs and faculty. Students have many opportunities to invite speakers for in person and virtual seminars throughout the year.

  • Genetics & Epigenetics and Neuroscience Art Show­case

    Genetics & Epigenetics and Neuroscience Art Show­case

    Annual Arts Showcase involving students, faculty and postdocs. Exhibits include paintings, drawings, ceram­ics, crafts, photography, microscopy and culinary.

  • Master Calendar of Events

    Master Calendar of Events 

Student Spotlight!

  • External Fellowships

    Mekenzie Peshoff, NIH/NINDS F31 
    Takese McKenzie, NIA F99/K00 Fellowship (Mentor Jian Hu)
    Stephen Farmer, Jr., NINDS F99/K00 Fellowship (Mentor Sheng Zhang
    Heather Tsong    , F31 (Mentor Andrea Stavoe)
    Kiersten Scott     AHA Pre-doctoral Fellowship (Mentor Urayama)
    Paula Bender, Houston Area Molecular BioPhysics (HAMBP) T32 Fellowship Program (Mentor Jayaraman)
    Eyad Shihabeddin    , F31 (Mentor: O'Brien) 
    Alexander Andersohn, AHA Predoctoral Fellowship
    Janelle Korf, AHA Predoctoral Fellowship (Mentors: Ganesh and McCullough)
    Cana Quave, F31 (Mentor: Do Monte)

  • Awards/Fellowships/Scholarships

    2024-2025 Awards/Fellowships/Scholarships 

    Paula Bender
    American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences Pre-Candidacy Research Excellence Award

    Yuhan Cao
    Neuroscience Retreat Elevator Pitch

    Vicky Chuong
    Graduate School GSRD Poster Award

    Stephen Farmer, Jr.
    Larry Deaven Ph.D. Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences
    Thomas F Burks Scholarship for Academic Merit (UTHealth)
    John J. Kopchick Renewal

    Chrystine Gallegos
    John J. Kopchick Renewal
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (Fall Symposium)

    Archit Gupta 
    Neuroscience Retreat Elevator Pitch

    Dounya Jalloul
    Neuroscience Retreat Elevator Pitch
    Terry Crow Scholarship in Neuroscience

    Meredith McCarty
    McGovern Medical School Dean's Research Award

    Anna Naglis
    City Federation of Women’s Clubs Endowed Scholarship in Biomedical Sciences

    Bridgitte Palacios
    John J. Kopchick Renewal

    Mekenzie Peshoff
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences Post-Candidacy Research Excellence Award
    John J. Kopchick Renewal

    Beatriz Rios
    Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award

    Mya Rodriguez
    McGovern Medical School Retreat Poster Award
    T.C. Hsu Memorial Scholarship
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (Fall Symposium)

    Madison Shyer
    Graduate School GSRD Elevator Pitch and Peoples Choice Awards
    Neuroscience Retreat Elevator Pitch
    Sam Taub and Beatrice Burton Endowed Fellowship in Vision Disease
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (Fall Symposium)

    Mitchell Slapik
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (Fall Symposium)

    Heather Tsong
    McGovern Medical School Retreat Poster Award
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (Fall Symposium)

    Julia Zickus
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (Fall Symposium)

    2022-2024 Awards/Fellowships/Scholarships 

    Alexandra McConnell
    Sam Taub and Beatrice Burton Endowed Fellowship in Vision Disease

    Amanda Solbach
    City Federation of Women’s Clubs Endowed Scholarship in Biomedical Sciences

    Paula Bender
    Oates Family GSBS Endowment Scholarship
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences 
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NRC Poster Session)

    Vicky Chuong
    GSRD Poster Award
    GSEC Poster Award
    Ralph B. Arlinghaus, PhD Scholarship
    Larry Deaven Ph.D. Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences 

    Stephen Farmer
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    GSEC Poster Award
    Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NRC Poster Session)
    President’s Research Excellence Award
    CCTS-TL1 Grant 

    Chrystine Gallegos
    2024-2025 Marilyn and Frederick R. Lummis, Jr., M.D., Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences
    Work in Progress Presentation Award
    Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
    T32
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Damian Goski
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Dounya Jalloul
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    MMS Research Retreat GSEC Poster Session Award
    Roberta M. and Jean M. Worsham Endowed Fellowship
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Sumayyah Khan
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Janelle Korf
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Meredith McCarty
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    Sam Taub and Beatrice Burton Endowed Fellowship in Vision Disease

    Takese McKenzie
    GSRD Post Candidacy Oral Presentation
    Top Poster Award ACTRIMS Conference
    UTHealth Leads Fellowship
    American Society for Neurochemistry YIEE Travel Award
    Dean's Excellence Scholarship
    Larry Deaven Ph.D. Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NRC Poster Session)
    Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
    Marilyn and Frederick R. Lummis, Jr., M.D., Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences
    Linda M. Wells GSBS Outreach Award
    Roberta M. and Jean M. Worsham Endowed Fellowship
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Bridgitte Palacios
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
    Russell and Diana Hawkins Family Foundation Discovery Fellowship (renewed 2024)
    1st Place Poster Presentation, ACTS Annual Conference 2023, Washington D.C.
    Burroughs Welcome Fund Trainee Travel Award
    Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) TL1 Fellowship

    Mekenzie Peshoff
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    Charlene Kopchick Fellow
    American Legion Auxiliary Fellow in Cancer Research
    Dean's Dean's Excellence Scholarship 
    American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research (reappointment 2024)
    1st Place GSBS Graduate Student Research Day Poster Presentation
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Cana Quave
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences
    Terry J. Crow, PhD, Scholarship in Neuroscience
    Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA; F31)

    Beatriz Rios
    Inaugural IMSD T32

    Madison Shyer
    GSRD Pre-Candidacy Elevator Pitch

    Eyad Shihabeddin
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    Knights Templar Eye Foundation Travel Grant
    Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship

    Mitchell Slapik
    George M. Stancel, Ph.D. Fellowship in the Biomedical Sciences
    Clinical and Translational Science Predoctoral Fellowship (TL1)
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Kiersten Scott
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
    Deans Excellence Scholarship

    Heather Tsong
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NRC Poster Session)
    Investing in Student Futures Scholarship
    Terry J. Crow Scholarship in Neuroscience
    Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences

    Julia Zickus
    GSRD Poster Award

     

  • First Author Publications

    Paula A. Bender, Subhajit Chakraborty, Ryan J. Durham, Vladimir Berka, Elisa Carrillo, Vasanthi Jayaraman; Bi-directional allosteric pathway in NMDA receptor activation and modulation; Nature Communications (2024)

    Salvador Alejo#, Bridgitte E Palacios#, Prabhakar Pitta Venkata, Yi He, Wenjing Li, Jessica D. Johnson, Yihong Chen, Uday P. Pratap, Sridharana Jayamohan, Kyra Clarke, Yi Zou, Suryavathi Viswanadhapalli, Zhao Lai, Zhenqing Ye, Yidong Chen, Andrea R. Gilbert, Takayoshi Suzuki, Rajeshwar R. Tekmal, Weixing Zhao, Siyuan Zheng, Ratna K. Vadlamudi, Andrew J. Brenner, Gangadhara R. Sareddy; Lysine-specific histone demethylase 1A (KDM1A/LSD1) inhibition attenuates DNA double strand break repair and augments efficacy of temozolomide in glioblastom; Neuro-oncology (2023)

    Mekenzie M. Peshoff, Pravesh Gupta, Rakesh Trivedi, Shivangi Oberai, Prashanth Chakrapani, Minghao Dang, Nancy Milam, Mark E. Maynard, Brian D. Vaillant, Jason T. Huse, Linghua Wang, Karen Clise-Dwyer, Krishna P. Bhat;Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) regulates phagocytosis in glioblastoma; bioRxiv (2023)

    Celso S. G. Catumbela, and Rodrigo Morales; Transmission of amyloid-β pathology in humans: A perspective; Neural Regeneration Research. (2023)

    Ghalya Alrousan, Arham Hassan, Aditya Anilkumar Pillai, Fatin Atrooz, Samina Salim; Early Life Sleep Deprivation and Brain Development: Insights From Human and Animal Studies; Front Neurosci. (2022)

    Janelle Korf, B.P. Ganesh, L.D. McCullough; Gut dysbiosis and age-related neurological diseases in females. Neurobiol. Dis. (2022)

    Janelle Korf, P. Honarpisheh, EC Mohan; CD11bhigh B Cells Increase after Stroke and Regulate Microglia. J Immunol. (2022)

    Meredith McCarty; The Listening Zone of Human Electrocorticographic Field Potential Recordings; eNeuro (2022)

    Meredith McCarty; Rethinking Stereotypies in Autism; Seminars in Pediatric Neurology (2021)

    Cana Quave, Nieto, S. J., Haile, C. N., Kosten, T. A. Immune receptor Toll-like receptor 4 contributes to stress-induced affective responses in a sex-specific manner. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity - Health, 14 2021

  • NGP Stuco Newsletters

    NGP NEWSLETTER VOL. 24

    NGP NEWSLETTER VOL. 23

    NGP NEWSLETTER VOL. 22

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Alumni Spotlight

Deepna Devkar, PhD
Vice President, Machine Learning and Data Platform at CNN Media Company.

To view more Neuroscience Alumni, click here

deepna

Neuroscience Social Media

Neuron for the Contact Us column

contact us

For more information about the Neuroscience Program, please contact

Program Director
Kartik Venkatachalam, PhD 
(713) 500-7504
[email protected]

Program Co-Director 
Rodrigo Morales, PhD
(713) 500-7442
[email protected]

Program Manager
Amanda Williamson
MSB 7.262, (713) 500-5193
[email protected]