Molecular and Translational Biology - MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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Molecular and Translational Biology
Molecular & Translational Biology
The Molecular & Translational Biology (MTB) Graduate Program is a rigorous, interdisciplinary program that focuses on understanding fundamental biological, biochemical and molecular underpinnings of normal cellular and organ function, and how these mechanisms affect normal and abnormal (disease) biological function.
Molecular & Translational Biology
The Graduate Program in Molecular and Translational Biology (MTB) is a bi-institutional, cross-departmental, and interdisciplinary program. The mission of the MTB Program is to produce scientists who will become leaders in basic and translational research. The program equips MS, PhD and MD/PhD students with a robust training in the fields of molecular biology, biochemistry, cellular biology and genetic engineering ranging from structural biology to whole organism physiology and mechanisms of disease. The MTB program is dedicated to creating research opportunities that fully leverage the resources at UTHealth Houston and MD Anderson Cancer Center. These resources include cutting-edge facilities, a broad spectrum of research expertise spanning from biophysics and bioinformatics to regenerative medicine and drug discovery and development, and interdisciplinary collaborations with renowned clinical professionals and access to diverse patient groups. Trainees in this program enjoy a curriculum tailored to their professional growth and a nurturing environment that fosters the full realization of their potential.
2026 MTB Spring Symposium Agenda
News
The answers to human diseases may lie in the biology we share across species. In his recent studies, Stephen Farmer, a PhD student in the Molecular and Translational Biology and Neuroscience programs in...
October 31, 2025
Graduate student Peyton High, alongside his mentor, Kendra Carmon, PhD, explored whether pairing cetuximab, an Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeting antibody approved for metastatic colorectal...
September 24, 2025
Molecular and Translational Biology PhD student Peyton High is exploring dual-targeting antibody therapies to improve treatment for colorectal cancer — supported by the Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship...
August 8, 2025
Growing up in a log cabin in the forests of upstate New York, Kendra Carmon, PhD ‘08, was captivated by black-and-white horror movies of mad scientists mixing chemicals and creating monsters in their...
August 5, 2025
Genetics and Epigenetics graduate student Sseu-Pei Hwang’s research unveils how TRMT1L-mediated modifications in tRNA are critical for efficient protein synthesis and cell survival under stress. ...
July 29, 2025
MTB Student Council and Awards
Contact MTB Student Council
Student Awards and Fellowships
MTB Quarterly Newsletter
Contact MTB 2025-2026 Student Council
Stephen Farmer
– President
Ester Lujan
– Vice President
Cara Biddle
- Chair
Mirrah Bashir
- Chair
Sophia Huang
- Chair
2025-2026 Student Awards and Fellowships
Mussie Araya
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Cara Biddle
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Rene Girard
Ralph B. Arlinghaus, PhD Scholarship
Peyton High
President’s Research Excellence Award
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship Renewal
Andrew Sowell-Wade Huggins Fellowship
Sarah Shin
Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award
Candise Tat
Kopchick Symposium Poster Session
Hsiang-Ching (Adam) Tseng
Oates Family GSBS Endowment Scholarship
Julia Zickus
Sam Taub and Beatrice Burton Endowed Fellowship in Vision Disease
Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NRC Poster Session)
CCTS T32 Fellowship
2024-2025 Student Awards and Fellowships
Hong Anh "Nikki" Cao
NIH F99 Fellowship
Mirrah Bashir
Awarded the Endocrine Society Research Experience for Graduate and Medical Students (REGMS) Fellowship
MTB Symposium Rising Star Talk Award
UTHealth Innovation in Cancer Prevention Research Training Program Fellowship
Cara Biddle
Graduate School GSRD Talk Award
Schissler Foundation Fellowship
Clinical & Translational Research Symposium Poster Award
McGovern Medical School Retreat Poster Award
MTB Symposium Poster Award
Ralph B. Arlinghaus, PhD Scholarship
Jose Enriquez-Ortiz
Ellen Taylor Goldin Legacy Scholarship
Stephen Farmer, Jr.
GSBS Presidents' Research Scholarship
Larry Deaven Ph.D. Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences
Thomas F Burks Scholarship for Academic Merit (UTHealth)
MTB Symposium Poster Award
John J. Kopchick Renewal
NINDS F99/K00 Fellowship
Chrystine Gallegos
John J. Kopchick Renewal
Peyton High
Graduate School GSRD Poster Award
Sowell-Huggins Fellowship and Faculty Mentor Recognition Award
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
McGovern Medical School Dean's Research Award
Training Interdisciplinary Pharmacology Scientists (TIPS) T32
MTB Symposium Transformative Science Talk Award
Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang
John J. Kopchick Renewal
Ya Xiang (Sophia) Huang
Graduate School GSRD Poster Award
McGovern Medical School Research Retreat Poster Award
Clinical and Translational Research Symposium Podium Presentation Award
American Heart Association Award
FEBS Open Bio Poster Prize at the 2025 ASMB Meeting
MTB Symposium Rising Star Talk Award
Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award
Chase Hutchins
MTB Symposium Poster Award
Sseu-Pei Hwang
McGovern Medical School Dean's Research Award
MTB Symposium Poster Award
R.W. Butcher Student Achievement Scholarship
Ester Lujan
American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research Renewal
Endocrine Society's Annual Conference Poster Award
MTB Symposium Transformative Science Talk Award
Nicolas Moreno
McGovern Medical School Dean's Research Award
Institute of Preoperative Medicine Symposium Poster Award
MTB Symposium Transformative Science Talk Award
Henry W. Strobel, PhD Endowed Scholarship
Anna Naglis
City Federation of Women’s Clubs Endowed Scholarship in Biomedical Sciences
Sarah Shin
McGovern Medical School Retreat Poster Award
McGovern MSTP Retreat Poster Award
Rachel Shoemaker
Investing in Student Futures Scholarship
Biomedical Informatics and Genomics and Translational Cancer Research (BIG-TCR) Predoctoral Fellowship
Beatriz Schueng Zancanela
Graduate School GSRD Poster Award
MTB Symposium Poster Award
Julia Zickus
MTB Symposium Rising Star Talk Award
2023-2024 Student Awards and Fellowships
Caitlyn Barrows
MTB Poster Award
Hong Anh (Nikki) Cao
CPRIT Graduate Scholar Award
Endocrine Society Research Experiences for Graduate and Medical Students (REGMS) Fellow
Marilyn and Frederick R. Lummis, Jr., MD, Fellowship
Andrew Sowell-Wade Huggins Scholarship in Cancer Research
Rene Girard
MTB Poster Award
Stephen Farmer
Dean's Research Scholarship
Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
MTB Symposium Talk Award
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
Neuro Work in Progress Presentation Award
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Training Interdisciplinary Pharmacology Scientists (TIPS) T32
Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez
GSBS Presidents' Research Scholarships
MTB Poster Award
Cara Guernsey
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Peyton High
GSRD Poster Award
GSEC Poster Award
MTB Symposium Talk Award and Best Pre-Candidacy Talk
Investing in Student Futures Scholarship
TIPS fellowship
Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang
Dean's Research Scholarship
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Sophia Huang
GSRD Poster Award
IMSD T32
Chase Hutchins
2024-2025 American Legion Auxiliary Fellow in Cancer Research
Dean's Research Scholarship
TIPS Fellowship
MTB Symposium Talk Award
GSEC Poster Award
Sseu-Pei Hwang
CPRIT BIG-TCR Predoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Research, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
Michael Longmire
Fernando Aron Yarrito Scholarship
Ester Lujan
American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research
Endocrine Society Research Experiences for Graduate and Medical Students (REGMS) Fellow
Sarah Shin
Published a review article titled, “From Epithelium to Therapy: Transitional Cells in Lung Fibrosis” in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology
Poster Award MSTP Retreat
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Endowment Scholarship
Julia Zickus
GSRD Poster Award
Yangxi Zheng
T.C. Hsu Memorial Scholarship
2022-2023 Student Awards and Fellowships
Alexander Andersohn
AHA Predoctoral Fellowship
Jose Enriquez
NCI Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition (F99/K00) Award
Lasher and Longoria Graduate Student Research Award in Cancer Biology
Yale Ciencia Academy Fellow
iSRS Travel Award (Conference)
ISRMRM Educational Trainee Stipend Award (Conference)
2nd Place Post-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Stephen Farmer
Gigli Family Endowed Scholarship
NINDS-Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research
NIDA-Graduate Summer Opportunities to Advance Research Award
Honorable Mention-Ford Foundation Fellowship
National Academy of Science
Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez
DSPAN F99/K00 Scholar
Charlene Kopchik Fellow
ASPET Washington Fellow
Yale Ciencia Academy Fellow
Dean’s Research Scholarship
1st Place Post-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Cara Guernsey
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Peyton High
Pre-Candidacy Oral Presentation Skills - GSBS Research Day
First place elevator pitch presentation-BCB Spring Symposium
Chase Hutchins
2nd Place Pre-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang
The Antje Wuelfrath Gee and Harry Gee, Jr. Family Legacy Scholarship
1st Place Pre-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Sseu-Pei Hwang
CPRIT BIG-TCR Predoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Research, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
Joan Jacob
1st Place Transformative Science - BCB Symposium
2023 McGovern Medical School Research Retreat Poster Competition-2nd place
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Floyd Haar, MD Endowed Memorial Scholarship
Michael Longmire
1st Place Post-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Nico Moreno
TTS Student Ambassadors program travel award
CCTS Training Grant: TL1 TR003169, 2022-2023
Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award for Translational Research
3rd Place Pre-Candidacy Elevator Pitch Talks - BCB Symposium
Sarah Shin
2nd Place Elevator Pitch BCB Symposium
3rd Place Elevator Pitch BMB Retreat
1st Place Research Image BMB Retreat
Marvin Wirianto
Transformative Science Oral Talks - BCB Symposium
December 2025
August 2025
MTB Student Council and Awards
Contact MTB Student Council
Contact MTB 2025-2026 Student Council
Stephen Farmer
– President
Ester Lujan
– Vice President
Cara Biddle
- Chair
Mirrah Bashir
- Chair
Sophia Huang
- Chair
Student Awards and Fellowships
2025-2026 Student Awards and Fellowships
Mussie Araya
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Cara Biddle
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Rene Girard
Ralph B. Arlinghaus, PhD Scholarship
Peyton High
President’s Research Excellence Award
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship Renewal
Andrew Sowell-Wade Huggins Fellowship
Sarah Shin
Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award
Candise Tat
Kopchick Symposium Poster Session
Hsiang-Ching (Adam) Tseng
Oates Family GSBS Endowment Scholarship
Julia Zickus
Sam Taub and Beatrice Burton Endowed Fellowship in Vision Disease
Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NRC Poster Session)
CCTS T32 Fellowship
2024-2025 Student Awards and Fellowships
Hong Anh "Nikki" Cao
NIH F99 Fellowship
Mirrah Bashir
Awarded the Endocrine Society Research Experience for Graduate and Medical Students (REGMS) Fellowship
MTB Symposium Rising Star Talk Award
UTHealth Innovation in Cancer Prevention Research Training Program Fellowship
Cara Biddle
Graduate School GSRD Talk Award
Schissler Foundation Fellowship
Clinical & Translational Research Symposium Poster Award
McGovern Medical School Retreat Poster Award
MTB Symposium Poster Award
Ralph B. Arlinghaus, PhD Scholarship
Jose Enriquez-Ortiz
Ellen Taylor Goldin Legacy Scholarship
Stephen Farmer, Jr.
GSBS Presidents' Research Scholarship
Larry Deaven Ph.D. Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences
Thomas F Burks Scholarship for Academic Merit (UTHealth)
MTB Symposium Poster Award
John J. Kopchick Renewal
NINDS F99/K00 Fellowship
Chrystine Gallegos
John J. Kopchick Renewal
Peyton High
Graduate School GSRD Poster Award
Sowell-Huggins Fellowship and Faculty Mentor Recognition Award
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
McGovern Medical School Dean's Research Award
Training Interdisciplinary Pharmacology Scientists (TIPS) T32
MTB Symposium Transformative Science Talk Award
Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang
John J. Kopchick Renewal
Ya Xiang (Sophia) Huang
Graduate School GSRD Poster Award
McGovern Medical School Research Retreat Poster Award
Clinical and Translational Research Symposium Podium Presentation Award
American Heart Association Award
FEBS Open Bio Poster Prize at the 2025 ASMB Meeting
MTB Symposium Rising Star Talk Award
Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award
Chase Hutchins
MTB Symposium Poster Award
Sseu-Pei Hwang
McGovern Medical School Dean's Research Award
MTB Symposium Poster Award
R.W. Butcher Student Achievement Scholarship
Ester Lujan
American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research Renewal
Endocrine Society's Annual Conference Poster Award
MTB Symposium Transformative Science Talk Award
Nicolas Moreno
McGovern Medical School Dean's Research Award
Institute of Preoperative Medicine Symposium Poster Award
MTB Symposium Transformative Science Talk Award
Henry W. Strobel, PhD Endowed Scholarship
Anna Naglis
City Federation of Women’s Clubs Endowed Scholarship in Biomedical Sciences
Sarah Shin
McGovern Medical School Retreat Poster Award
McGovern MSTP Retreat Poster Award
Rachel Shoemaker
Investing in Student Futures Scholarship
Biomedical Informatics and Genomics and Translational Cancer Research (BIG-TCR) Predoctoral Fellowship
Beatriz Schueng Zancanela
Graduate School GSRD Poster Award
MTB Symposium Poster Award
Julia Zickus
MTB Symposium Rising Star Talk Award
2023-2024 Student Awards and Fellowships
Caitlyn Barrows
MTB Poster Award
Hong Anh (Nikki) Cao
CPRIT Graduate Scholar Award
Endocrine Society Research Experiences for Graduate and Medical Students (REGMS) Fellow
Marilyn and Frederick R. Lummis, Jr., MD, Fellowship
Andrew Sowell-Wade Huggins Scholarship in Cancer Research
Rene Girard
MTB Poster Award
Stephen Farmer
Dean's Research Scholarship
Dee S. and Patricia Osborne Endowed Scholarship in the Neurosciences (NGP Symposium)
MTB Symposium Talk Award
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
Neuro Work in Progress Presentation Award
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Training Interdisciplinary Pharmacology Scientists (TIPS) T32
Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez
GSBS Presidents' Research Scholarships
MTB Poster Award
Cara Guernsey
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Peyton High
GSRD Poster Award
GSEC Poster Award
MTB Symposium Talk Award and Best Pre-Candidacy Talk
Investing in Student Futures Scholarship
TIPS fellowship
Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang
Dean's Research Scholarship
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Sophia Huang
GSRD Poster Award
IMSD T32
Chase Hutchins
2024-2025 American Legion Auxiliary Fellow in Cancer Research
Dean's Research Scholarship
TIPS Fellowship
MTB Symposium Talk Award
GSEC Poster Award
Sseu-Pei Hwang
CPRIT BIG-TCR Predoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Research, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
Michael Longmire
Fernando Aron Yarrito Scholarship
Ester Lujan
American Legion Auxiliary Fellowship in Cancer Research
Endocrine Society Research Experiences for Graduate and Medical Students (REGMS) Fellow
Sarah Shin
Published a review article titled, “From Epithelium to Therapy: Transitional Cells in Lung Fibrosis” in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology
Poster Award MSTP Retreat
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Endowment Scholarship
Julia Zickus
GSRD Poster Award
Yangxi Zheng
T.C. Hsu Memorial Scholarship
2022-2023 Student Awards and Fellowships
Alexander Andersohn
AHA Predoctoral Fellowship
Jose Enriquez
NCI Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Fellow Transition (F99/K00) Award
Lasher and Longoria Graduate Student Research Award in Cancer Biology
Yale Ciencia Academy Fellow
iSRS Travel Award (Conference)
ISRMRM Educational Trainee Stipend Award (Conference)
2nd Place Post-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Stephen Farmer
Gigli Family Endowed Scholarship
NINDS-Research Supplement to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research
NIDA-Graduate Summer Opportunities to Advance Research Award
Honorable Mention-Ford Foundation Fellowship
National Academy of Science
Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez
DSPAN F99/K00 Scholar
Charlene Kopchik Fellow
ASPET Washington Fellow
Yale Ciencia Academy Fellow
Dean’s Research Scholarship
1st Place Post-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Cara Guernsey
Dean's Excellence Scholarship
Peyton High
Pre-Candidacy Oral Presentation Skills - GSBS Research Day
First place elevator pitch presentation-BCB Spring Symposium
Chase Hutchins
2nd Place Pre-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Mo-Fan (Elena) Huang
The Antje Wuelfrath Gee and Harry Gee, Jr. Family Legacy Scholarship
1st Place Pre-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Sseu-Pei Hwang
CPRIT BIG-TCR Predoctoral Fellowship in Cancer Research, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas
Joan Jacob
1st Place Transformative Science - BCB Symposium
2023 McGovern Medical School Research Retreat Poster Competition-2nd place
Dr. John J. Kopchick Fellowship
Floyd Haar, MD Endowed Memorial Scholarship
Michael Longmire
1st Place Post-Candidacy Poster - BCB Symposium
Nico Moreno
TTS Student Ambassadors program travel award
CCTS Training Grant: TL1 TR003169, 2022-2023
Jesse B. Heath, Jr. Family Legacy Award for Translational Research
3rd Place Pre-Candidacy Elevator Pitch Talks - BCB Symposium
Sarah Shin
2nd Place Elevator Pitch BCB Symposium
3rd Place Elevator Pitch BMB Retreat
1st Place Research Image BMB Retreat
Marvin Wirianto
Transformative Science Oral Talks - BCB Symposium
MTB Quarterly Newsletter
December 2025
August 2025
MTB Faculty Awards
Distinguished Faculty Awards
Breakthrough Science Award
Distinguished Faculty Awards
2025
Vihang Narkar, PhD
2024 Kyle Poulsen, PhD
2023
Kendra Carmon, PhD
and
Joseph Alcorn, PhD
2022
Guangwei Du, PhD
2021 Ghislain Breton, PhD
2020
Shane Cunha, PhD
Breakthrough Science Award
2024
Jun Wang, PhD
2023
Dung-Fang Lee, PhD
2022
Jake Chen
, PhD and
Kartik Venkatachalam, PhD
2020 Xia Yang, PhD
MTB Faculty Awards
Distinguished Faculty Awards
Distinguished Faculty Awards
2025
Vihang Narkar, PhD
2024 Kyle Poulsen, PhD
2023
Kendra Carmon, PhD
and
Joseph Alcorn, PhD
2022
Guangwei Du, PhD
2021 Ghislain Breton, PhD
2020
Shane Cunha, PhD
Breakthrough Science Award
Breakthrough Science Award
2024
Jun Wang, PhD
2023
Dung-Fang Lee, PhD
2022
Jake Chen
, PhD and
Kartik Venkatachalam, PhD
2020 Xia Yang, PhD
MTB Social Media
Dr. Kristin Eckel-Mahan
Program Director
[email protected]
Dr. Kendra Carmon
Program Co-Director
[email protected]
Amanda Williamson
Manager, Educational Programs
[email protected]