The Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS) is excited to announce the arrival of its 2026 cohort of T32 trainees. This year marks a milestone for the translational science training grants (T32TR004905, T32TR004904) led by Jeffrey Frost, PhD, and Joya Chandra, PhD, as it includes recipients from more CCTS partner organizations than in previous years: Rice University, Texas Tech Health El Paso, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and UTHealth Houston. The goal of the program, funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), is to prepare predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows to become leaders in clinical and translational science by developing the core competencies and research skills needed to meet the country’s health needs. With its expanded representation, this year’s cohort stands to benefit populations across Texas.

The following trainees are beginning their first year in the T32 program: 

Postdoctoral Trainees:  

• Pauline Goodson, PhD – Psychological Sciences; Advisor: Christopher Fagundes, PhD – Rice University 

• Amir Hernandez, PhD – Molecular and Translational Medicine; Advisor: Jennifer Molokwu, MD, MPH – Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso 

• Emma Wheeler, PhD – Integrative Molecular Medicine; Advisor: Qingchun Tong, PhD – UTHealth Houston 

Predoctoral Trainees: 

• Jack Adams – Institute of Molecular Medicine; Advisor: Ali Azhdarinia, PhD  – UTHealth Houston  

• Anna DeBruine – Institute of Molecular Medicine; Advisor: Vihang Narkar, PhD – UTHealth Houston 

• Mikayla Deehring – Electrical and Computer Engineering; Advisor: Momona Yamagami, PhD – Rice University  

• Natasha Garica-Rodriguez – Human Genetics; Advisor: Joanne Curran, PhD – University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 

• Brian Koehler – Cancer Biology; Advisor: Jian Hu, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center 

• Amit Niyogi – Mechanical Engineering; Advisor: Peter Lillehoj, PhD – Rice University  
• Julia Zickus – Cancer Systems Imaging; Advisor: Pratip Bhattcharya, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center 

The cohort also includes trainees who have renewed their T32 appointments and are entering their second year in the program: 

Postdoctoral: 

• Farinaz Barghi, PhD – Investigational Cancer Therapeutics; Advisor: Funda Meric-Bernstam, MD – MD Anderson Cancer Center 

• Ritu Bohat, PhD – Stem Cell Transplantation Research; Advisor: Katy Rezvani, MD, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center 

• Hugo Lee, PhD – Experimental Therapeutics; Advisor: Xi Chen, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center 

Predoctoral:

• Sarah Ghalayini – Cancer Biology; Advisor: Natividad Fuentes, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center 

• Romeesa Khan – Neurology; Advisor: Rodney Ritzel, PhD – UTHealth Houston 

• Natalie West – Radiation Oncology; Advisor: Clifton Fuller, MD, PhD – MD Anderson Cancer Center 

Congratulations to all T32 trainees who began their T32 appointments on January 1! The T32 grants give trainees the opportunity to create and adapt laboratory discoveries for the treatment of human disease. Our trainees are appointed for one year with the option to reapply for an additional year in the program.