Sharon Dent, PhD, dean ad interim for the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, was inducted into the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in a ceremony on March 2. The Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and empowering women in Houston through leadership, education, advocacy and mentoring. Their Hall of Fame program recognizes outstanding women who have contributed significantly to the advancement of women and improved the quality of life for future generations of Houstonians.

Dent was selected for her commitment to mentorship, education, the advancement of women in medicine, her servant leadership and service to the Graduate School, MD Anderson, and beyond.

Since she joined the GSBS faculty in 1993, both her philosophy on mentorship and her focus on students have been driving forces for the success of graduates and our institution. She has held many leadership roles, including deputy chair of the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and co-director of the Center for Cancer Epigenetics at MD Anderson. In 2010, she was selected as chair of the department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis and director of MD Anderson’s Science Park campus. From 2012 to 2013, she served as vice provost for Laboratory and Basic Science ad interim. Her current leadership roles also include director of the Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics program at MD Anderson and, since July 1, 2022, dean ad interim of the Graduate School.

In her nomination, she is acknowledged as having superb leadership skills. “Since becoming chair, Dr. Dent has built a world-class department with strengths in epigenetics, stem cell biology, immune system development, and genome integrity. Sharon has unified the department, recruited new faculty, developed departmental research focus, and renovated and refurbished departmental infrastructures, among many others,” stated her nomination.

Dent has demonstrated a long and successful commitment to education and mentoring. She has mentored 17 students since starting her lab, 11 of whom are women. Many of these female trainees have gone on to post-doctoral training and subsequent positions at various academic institutions or industrial positions. She has also mentored 19 post-doctoral fellows, 14 of whom are women, many of whom have secured independent faculty positions. Among six new faculty she has recruited in her role as chair, three are women. Dent has offered guidance with respect to lab management, grant writing, training students and postdocs, and encouraging involvement in departmental and institutional activities.

In light of her dedicated support to women's careers, she received the 2015 President's Award for Advancing Women Faculty at MD Anderson and the 2021 John Mendelsohn Award for Faculty Leadership.

Within the broader MD Anderson community, Dent served on the Women Faculty Program’s leadership council and participated in the women and minorities salary equity committee. “She is a dedicated institutional citizen who serves whenever called upon and when she sees an opportunity and need,” her nominator concluded.

Information came from an MD Anderson press release and has been adapted for the GSBS community.