Extensively accomplished MD Anderson Cancer Center scientist and educator Francesca Cole, PhD, has been appointed associate dean for academic affairs, effective March 1.  

“We are pleased to have Cole join our team with her extensive graduate education, mentorship, and leadership experience at MD Anderson,” said Dean Alejandro Aballay, PhD. “She brings a strong commitment to enhancing the academic experience for trainees and faculty alike.”  

Cole is an associate professor in the Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis department and has been a member of the Graduate School faculty since 2012. She also serves as co-director of The Academy at the GSBS (Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences) training program. 

In her new role at the Graduate School, Cole will provide strategic direction for the doctoral program, accreditation, academic standards, and student training. She will oversee academic advising for PhD and MD/PhD students and advocate for education and teaching enterprises on behalf of the Graduate School at MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Cole will collaborate with Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs Jeffrey Frost, PhD, to further strengthen Graduate School programs. Frost provides academic leadership and oversight for the curriculum, faculty membership, internal awards, and the master’s program. He also oversees academic advising for master's students and advocates for education and teaching enterprises on behalf of the Graduate School at UTHealth Houston. 

"Our graduate students are the future leaders of biomedical research, and I am honored to support their education and career mission as associate dean for academic affairs at the Graduate School,” said Cole. “Graduate education has been a core part of my career, and I am deeply committed to supporting our students and faculty as they advance scientific discovery and innovation. I look forward to working collaboratively to strengthen our academic programs, foster a culture of mentorship, and ensure that our trainees have the resources they need to thrive in their research and careers. 

Excellence in mentorship and leadership 

Among Cole’s academic accomplishments is the 2024 President's Recognition of Faculty Excellence in Education and Mentorship Advancement, MD Anderson Cancer Center and the 2022 D. Dudley and Judy White Oldham Faculty Award, which honors excellence in service and leadership. She served as chair of the Graduate Education Committee (GEC) in 2023-2024. 

Cole’s cancer research at the Cole Laboratory has focused on understanding how different DNA repair pathways function in living cells, identifying new genes and proteins involved in these pathways, and developing a way to test cancer drugs that target specific repair mechanisms, with the hope of improving cancer treatments. 

Cole received her bachelor’s degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York, earned her PhD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine of New York University, and completed her postgraduate research fellowships at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Mount Sinai School of Medicine.