With Kopchick Fellowship support, Maliha Munir’s research aims to make immune cells more effective against cancer

Cancer Biology PhD student Maliha Munir is using support from the Charlene Kopchick Fellowship to engineer natural killer (NK) cells that can withstand the harsh environments of solid tumors. Her goal is to create more resilient immune-based therapies, advancing cancer immunotherapy from lab research toward real-world treatments. 

August’s Paper of the Month reveals how the RAS/ERK pathway orchestrates the opening notes of life

Timing is everything in development — and a new study reveals what happens when key molecular signals strike too soon. In a recent Cell Reports paper, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences graduate Han Bit Baek, PhD, explores how mistimed activation of ERK during oocyte maturation disrupts early embryonic development in C. elegans, shedding light on the molecular dynamics that may influence reproductive success in humans. 

Meet the Staff: Shelli Manning

Shelli Manning brings strategy, creativity, and collaboration to her role as communications manager at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. From celebrating students’ research milestones to creating content that supports recruitment efforts, she focuses on capturing and sharing the meaningful moments that define the Graduate School community. Get to know more about Manning's journey, work, and what inspires her inside and outside of the office.