|
 My
initial interest in applying and attending
graduate school began with my desire to further
my understanding of biological processes. For my
undergraduate education, I attended a small
liberal arts university allowing me the
opportunity to establish a firm foundation in
biology. My investigation into the career
opportunities of science revealed to me I could
take one of two roads. I could attend medical
school and take the road more traveled at my
university or I could try a new less traveled
road represented by graduate school. I chose
graduate school because it offered me a
challenge and an opportunity to pursue my
overall interest of understanding and further
characterizing the underpinnings of human
physiology and pathophysiology. My initial
choice to study pharmacology was fostered by my
undergraduate mentor who gave me invaluable
information on how to apply and choose a
graduate school. Upon choosing to attend
graduate school, I decided to pursue a Ph.D.
instead of a Masters Degree with the goal to
become an independent researcher in charge of my
own laboratory.
When applying to graduate school I applied to
multiple schools in Texas based on my general
interest of pharmacology. My final decision to
attend UTMB was based on my interview with the
faculty in the Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology and the GSBS. One of my deciding
factors was that the BBSC gave students the
freedom to choose their department and mentor
after they had experienced the laboratories
during rotations. Another key factor in my
decision was the open door policy that many of
the faculty in pharmacology presented to me on
my interview. I was naïve of the research
environment, so the openness and friendliness of
the faculty was important in my decision to
attend UTMB and future success at UTMB. The
interview process at UTMB was similar to other
schools that I applied to in that it involved
interactions both with students and faculty. I
believe the interview process was helpful in not
only allowing the faculty to evaluate my
qualifications and learn my interests but also
allowed me the opportunity to determine which
faculty’s laboratories I should pursue further
and which ones I should avoid. Additional
beneficial part of the interview process was the
numerous interactions with current graduate
students. These interactions at meals and in
small groups allowed me to gather information
pertinent to the educational pro and cons of
UTMB and general information on life in
Galveston. One main difference between my
interview at UTMB and the other schools I
applied to is that at the time of my visit to
UTMB I had not been previously accepted. My
visit to UTMB was the last of the schools I
interviewed at so after weighing the pros and
cons I decided on UTMB. After receiving the
acceptance letter from UTMB I experienced a
sense of elation and relief that the process had
been successful.
When I arrived to UTMB and started my classes I
was fearful of the difficulty of the curriculum.
My initial anxiety resided after taking my first
couple of tests. The first year curriculum
allowed me to expand on the knowledge I obtained
from my undergraduate education. The team
teaching approach gave me the opportunity to
learn from experts of the field and be
introduced to new faculty and the focus of their
laboratories. One positive was that the courses
focused on learning the basic principles instead
of focusing too much on the details. This
knowledge of basic biological principles helped
me with my 2nd year pharmacology
classes and the design and execution of my
research project. The only major disappointment
I experienced with the 1st year
coursework was the BBSC modules. In my year the
modules were in their early state of development
so the breadth and depth of the modules were
lacking in some cases. I know these have since
been changed showing that UTMB is willing to
listen and adapt the coursework to meet the
needs of the students.
I chose the Department of Pharmacology based on
expertise of the department in my two interests
of drug discovery/characterization and the
central nervous system. However, I found that
the departmental curriculum was too condensed.
Pharmacology provides a vast, intricate, and
difficult field of study. The field requires
students to learn human physiology in
combination with how the drugs work on the
different systems and disease states of the
human body. This means students miss out on the
proper breadth and depth necessary to adequately
understand the field of pharmacology due to the
condensed nature of the courses. Once again, the
input of the students was taken into account and
appropriate changes have been made to better the
curriculum.
My choice for my first rotation was based on my
interest in neuropharmacology. When I came to
UTMB I had only a small amount of previous
experience. After an initial talk with my
current mentor, I felt he would provide me with
the training and support that I would need in my
first extensive laboratory experiences.
Following my first rotation, I had decided that
I would stay in the laboratory. Based on this I
designed my second rotation to learn advanced
techniques to use on my research project. I
believe being upfront with the professors you
are doing rotations with is essential. I
originally planned to do three rotations but
decided to remain in my second rotation for an
extra eight weeks. The person I was going to do
my third rotation with was very understanding
and preferred I stayed in laboratory where I
could gain the most information.
In the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
the qualifying examinations are administered in
the spring of the 2nd year. Upon
completion of my qualifying exams, my mentor
encouraged me to apply for a predoctoral
fellowship from NIH to acquire my own source of
funding. The application date for the grant fell
in December so I set up my proposal to coincide
with the grant due date. I feel this approach
allowed me to gain invaluable experience in
grant writing. Following my admittance to
candidacy I felt a load off my shoulders. This
event marked my transition to be fully devoted
to my research project, which is a significant
accomplishment in the career of graduate
students.
Currently I have begun my fourth year of
graduate school and have been admitted to
candidacy for almost one year. My experiences in
the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology
have been positive. The faculty in Department of
Pharmacology and Toxicology are all willing to
help in any way they can. The faculty in the
department provides students not only help with
required coursework but with other invaluable
skills such as grant writing and critiquing
papers. I have realized help and advice comes
from new assistant professors up to the
chairman. The chairman of the department is very
student oriented and very concerned with the
success and proper progression of graduate
students through their graduate careers. This
concern can be found through all positions and
levels in the department. The support staff of
the department provides an important resource
for graduate students. I have found the
administrative staff to be key players in
helping with the small things that sometimes go
overlooked in the everyday life of a graduate
student. For instance, the administrative staff
supplies help with tasks like scheduling,
travel, and grant submission. Although these
tasks may be overlooked they are key to the
success of most graduate students and should be
utilized as much as possible.
I had very limited experience in the laboratory
before entering my first laboratory rotation at
UTMB. I chose my mentor based on his willingness
to sit down and walk me through the early
learning process necessary to become a
productive laboratory member. My mentor was a
relatively new when I came to UTMB so he still
spent a good amount of time in the laboratory.
His presence in the laboratory afforded me the
valuable hands on teaching necessary for
learning a rather challenging technique. Without
his tutelage I feel I would have struggled in my
initial introduction to bench science. This
approach to learning the in and outs of the
laboratory allowed me the opportunity to
gradually progress into understanding how to
become an independent researcher. I believe the
hallmark of a graduate education is the ability
to become an independent thinker and researcher.
In order to progress into an independent
scientist it is important for graduate students
to take away as many skills as they can while
they are in graduate school. I try to seek out
every possibility available to enhance my
knowledge of my chosen field and tips for
becoming a better scientist. Along with my
mentor my committee members have been crucial in
guiding my scientific career at UTMB. The
committee members play a pivotal role by
providing an extra voice in your graduate school
education. My committee has given me key advice
on the design and execution of my dissertation
project. The members of the committee are an
excellent resource and probably are underused.
Overall, my experience to this point in my
laboratory has been uniformly positive. The
guidance I have received so far I feel has
provided me with the skills necessary to succeed
as an independent researcher.
Outside of the department and laboratory I made
many key contacts with other faculty and
students. My faculty contacts outside of our
laboratory supplied me with techniques
previously unavailable in our laboratory. I
found collaborations both inside and outside our
laboratory to be very rewarding. Through
collaborations, I was able to obtain three
publications that would not have been possible
without making these key contacts. I would
strongly encourage students to pursue as many
contacts and collaborations as they can during
their stay at UTMB. These contacts facilitate
the process of finding a job and future
networking at scientific meetings. I have
attended scientific meetings annually which are
instrumental in the development of my career.
The scientific meetings afford me the chance to
investigate new ideas in the field and network
with researchers in my field.
My experiences during my time at UTMB have
supplied me the skills to succeed as an
independent researcher. My original plans upon
entering UTMB were to pursue a career in
industry performing pharmaceutical research. I
have changed my plans now to include a career in
the clinical arena. I now would prefer to pursue
a career involving hands on experience with
patients utilizing the information gained from
the bench and applying it to clinical research.
I am still not completely decided on my exact
future plans. Options I plan to explore include
obtaining further education in a medical related
field and/or pursuing a job working in clinical
trials.
If I could go back and change my decisions
coming out college I would still happily make
the same decision to attend graduate school.
Even though there are many peaks and valleys
with science, the peaks outweigh the valleys. I
believe the skills and information I have
obtained at UTMB will play a pivotal role in my
future. Graduate level education has given me
the ability to think and work more independently
while still playing a leadership role. In
addition, it has supplied me with communication
and thought process skills that are applicable
in most aspects of life.
James
Sanders
Tarleton State University
25 years old
Male
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 John
Papaconstantinou, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Human Biological Chemistry &
Genetics
Bertha and Robert Bucksch Distinguished Research
Professor of Aging
Mary and J. Palmer Saunders Professor for
Excellence in Teaching
Dear Professor Papaconstantinou,
I feel very honored to have the opportunity to
be able to provide you and other members of the
organizing committee with my personal
experiences in graduate school.
I hope these experiences can provide you some
help in your pursuit, and I look forward to
hearing from you soon.
Sincerely
Verónica Tovar Sepúlveda
Graduate Assistant,
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology,
University of Texas Medical Branch
My professional and personal experience as a
student at UTMB Graduate School of Biomedical
Sciences
I decided to go to graduate school early on my
undergraduate studies in Germany, because that
would prepare me better and increase my
possibilities to get a superior position in the
future.
After I finished my Master degree (Diplom Arbeit)
at the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg,
Germany, I wanted to come to United States to
complete my postgraduate education. The reasons
for doing so were several, including my desire
to learn English language and my desire to see
the other site of the coin in research. I
already had eight years of experience of the
German view of research and wanted to complement
my acquired skills with the ones that I could
get here.
I applied to different graduate schools
including UTMB after learning English and
passing the pertinent tests (TOEFL, GRE).
However, I was not accepted to the graduate
school the first time that I applied. Here I
need to clarify that German colleges do not give
the same type of transcript as the American
colleges do; they normally give to students
certificates for each required course that
students attend instead of credit hours. Those
certificates represent the transcripts and the
colleges themselves do not keep copies of them,
German colleges just keep an informal, hand
written records that the students acquired the
necessary amount of certificates, passed the
pertinent tests (Vordiplom- and Diplompruefungen)
and that they completed the master dissertation
(Diplom Arbeit) to be able to graduate. So
taking all these facts into account, it was very
difficult for me to give American colleges
acceptable transcripts from the German
University that I graduated from.
UTMB was the only graduate school, from a total
of eight that I applied to, that even considered
my application. However, I was still not
admitted, because after explaining to my German
University that they needed to send the
“transcripts” directly to UTMB, they kept
sending those “transcripts” to me and I kept
forwarding them even without opening the envelop
to UTMB. Therefore, I missed the application
deadline.
After this horrible and regrettable experience,
I decided to work in research for a while, until
the next deadline. I chose UTMB over other
research institutions because I figured that if
they were the only ones that even considered my
graduate school application in the first place,
then this was a place worthwhile and more
reasonable to work for. Thus, I sent my
application to the Human resources of UTMB and
they forwarded my CV to different faculty that
needed a Research Associate.
I worked for one and half year as Research
Associate in the Department of Pharmacology and
Toxicology before trying my luck again at the
graduate school. During that time, my
ex-supervisor and current mentor and I were able
to publish three papers with the data that I
collected and that experience was very
encouraging, so I decided to apply again to
graduate school. As soon as I made my decision,
I talked to my supervisor and asked for her
support in my application. She was very excited
that I wanted to extend my academic
qualification and offered me more than her
support. She suggested that I apply as an
advanced student directly to the GSBS and to the
PHTO program, because the PHTO program was
already considering two further students as
advanced student. Thus, I applied in September
2001 and was accepted by the GSBS as an advanced
student for the PHTO program in November. In
January 2002, I started under a special
curriculum that took in consideration my strong
background in Molecular Biology and
Biochemistry.
This special curriculum waived me several of the
GSBS courses that I had already taken in Germany
and concentrated more in giving me the necessary
background to get a PhD in Pharmacology and
Toxicology, allowing me more time to start a new
research project under my ex-supervisor and
actual mentor’s directions. Considering that she
was providing for my education, paying my
stipend and giving me all her support, I felt
very encouraged in continuing my research in her
area of expertise.
Although I did not have a formal interview at
UTMB because of the special circumstances of my
application to the GSBS, during my graduate
studies at the PHTO program, I have volunteered
to be part of the recruitment interview of
several students and have been able to get these
students’ point of view about the interviewing
process here. In general, the comments that I
heard during those experiences were very
positive and put the GSBS well above other
institutions. I was also very glad to hear that
the prospective students also thought that
faculty at the GSBS were very supportive and
flexible to consider each student’s particular
situation. This feeling of more consideration to
students’ needs was a very motivating factor in
their decision.
The waiting period to finding out the GSBS
decision about my application was very anxious,
because of the uncertainty of what was about to
happen. Even though I knew that I could continue
to work with my ex-supervisor, in case that I
did not make it to the graduate school, I was
very relieved and happy when I found out that I
was accepted. The reason being, that for me the
main motivation to come to the United States was
to get a PhD and I felt that the best place to
do that was here at UTMB.
Although I did not take part of the integrated
first year curriculum of the BBSC, I have heard
enough about it to get an opinion. Thus, my
impression is that the core curriculum can be
very useful for students that do not have enough
background in a particular area of research and
need a broad view of each area available for
them to finding out which one appeals to them
the most before to taking a decision. On the
other hand, this could be a waste of time for
students like me that already have enough
experience, background and know what they want
to do with their lives. Then again, as I said
before, one of the factors that I like about
UTMB is that people here are very open to
suggestions and there is always a way to work
things out.
My departmental specific curriculum has been
changing in the last couple of years and my
opinion is that these changes were made in
consideration to the current students’ need and
opinion. The ability to adapt to current needs
is an excellent quality of my department,
because it shows that the department cares and
grows according the current students and job
market demands.
While I did not have the need to do lab
rotations, I think it is very important for
students to experiment in different labs before
taking a decision. This experience gives the
students a first hand feeling of what is going
on in a particular lab, the way things are done,
how a particular faculty can mentor a student
under day-to-day circumstances and how the lab
team gets along.
Taking into consideration that I took my
qualifying examination just six months into
graduate school and that this experience is a
little bit different for each student, I would
say that the process of applying for candidacy
is difficult and extensive, but anyway
necessary. The whole process is an experience
necessary to prepare students for the different
stages of a researcher’s life. Where the core
curriculum and the qualifying examination
represent the time a researcher takes to get the
background information and preliminary data for
a particular project, the dissertation proposal
and defense would show students the
grant-writing process and actual submission and
revision.
I was accepted into Candidacy in July 2003. The
Post-candidacy time was finally the time when I
was able to concentrate in my research, so for
me it was very easy to lose connection with the
rest of the world besides my own lab mates and
the wonderful people that help to get things
done, like secretaries. Nevertheless, our
program director and the chairman of the
department have taken good care of trying to get
people to connect with each other, create a nice
working environment and the relationships that
build the scientific world, like future
connections for departmental collaborations.
They have done so by offering departmental
journal clubs, where students can discuss and
learn other scientists’ work; the seminars,
where both faculties and students present their
current work; and departmental activities, like
floor parties.
Besides the support provided by my department
administrative personnel, I have gotten
excellent assistance from the Dean’s office and
other GSBS administrative personnel any time
that I have needed it.
The fact that I was working with my actual
mentor for one half year before entering the
graduate school helped to create a good
mentor/student relationship that is based in
confidence in each other and mutual respect. My
mentor has given my enough freedom to choose the
direction of my dissertation project without
neglecting me as a student. Furthermore, my
mentor has given me all the means necessary to
accomplish my research proposal.
The time that I have spent in this lab has been
very rewarding and my mentor helped me to choose
a wonderful dissertation committee, whose
members have provided me with great advice and
the necessary collaborations to accomplish my
research so far. I would not change any of them
for any reason. I have met so far with my
dissertation committee twice a year and the fact
that the majority of the members of dissertation
committee are also part of our lab meeting team,
has provided me with more opportunities to
discuss and solve with them any problem that I
have encounter in my research.
During my dissertation I have published two
articles so far, one about the data that I used
as preliminary data for my dissertation proposal
and one in collaboration with one of my
dissertation committee members. Furthermore, I
am planning to write one more article that will
include the final data of my dissertation. The
amount and quality of my publications so far
reflect very well my research when considering
the difficulty of the techniques required for
accomplishing my dissertation proposal.
My mentor also provided me with the opportunity
to attend a major national scientific meeting to
present some of my preliminary results. In the
meeting, I was able to interact with other
students, postdocs and faculty at other
universities within and outside the United
States, an experience unlike any other. I got
great feedback and comments about my work from
the people that I met and was able to learn a
lot from other posters and oral presentations. I
realize that many important researches in my
field were also following our work throughout
our publications and this feedback encouraged me
to improve my research.
My experience at UTMB has enhanced my desire to
improve myself. Thus, after graduating, my major
purpose is to expand my academic skills by
completing a postdoctoral fellowship.
Furthermore, the time that I have spent at this
graduate school has prepared me enough to
accomplish this purpose and to overcome any
obstacles that I could encounter in the future.
For this reason, I feel in great debt to this
wonderful institution.
Besides the great academic experience at the
graduate school, I have been able to connect
with people at UTMB also at a more personal
level, developing good friendships with
classmates, other students, administrative
personnel and lab staff which extend beyond my
own department. The nice and more relaxed
environment of UTMB and the fact of living on an
isle allows this kind of relationships.
While studying I have also taken part of several
extra-curricular activities that enhance my
personal and academic training at this graduate
school. In the last one and half year I have
being a Co-chair at the International Student
Organization, a task that has allowed me and the
rest of the group to connect with different
cultures and as a foreigner myself (I am from
south America) to learn more about American
customs and traditions. On the other hand, I
have also helped medical and nursing students to
improve their knowledge of Spanish by
volunteering as a tutor for the QQD café (“Que
quiere decir café”). This undertaking has also
allowed me to connect with students attending
other schools at UTMB besides giving me some
teaching experience.
In summary, my whole experience of attending the
graduate school at UTMB has being very
satisfying. The GSBS with the help of the
international affairs office is an institution
very concerned about diversity. Probably my role
in the International Student Organization has
contributed further to my opinion that the GSBS
pays very close attention to diversity and
considering that UTMB is a very diverse
community, this characteristic is extremely
important. The GSBS and their faculty are also
very open to students with kids or married (this
is very important for me, because I am married),
allowing them a chance to continuing their
education without further problems. In general,
the GSBS has provided all students with enough
tools to be successful, well-rounded and
competitive scientists. Some of this tools
included grant-writing workshops, academic skill
classes, the opportunity provided by most
departments to present my work in front of a
large group and great bench experience.
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Travis Young
Graduated August 2004
 Introduction
Due to an inquisitive temperament, from an early
age I knew that I would pursue a scientific
career path, which ultimately would entail
graduate studies. When I began my education at
Texas A&M, I originally intended to study plant
genetics with the intent to one day perform
research to develop better varies of
agricultural crops through genetic manipulation.
However, while at Texas A&M, I began to develop
an interest in human disease research as opposed
to plant genetics research. My interest in human
disease research is what led to my application
to several graduate schools for the pursuit of a
Ph.D. I sought a future career in the
biotechnology field, but realized that I would
not proceed as far as I planned to go with only
a bachelor’s degree. I also reasoned that with
only a few years additional effort, I could
obtain a Ph.D. as opposed to a master’s degree.
This would enable me to be prepared for whatever
paths my career would take and limit the
ceilings which I might encounter. Thus with a
little additional effort, I would be able to
obtain that maximal scientific education.
Furthermore, as the biotechnology field becomes
ever more competitive, a higher degree could
help enhance my prospects. In addition to
preparing for a career in the biotechnology
industry, a Ph.D. also trains me to pursue an
academic career, which I still am currently
considering.
Application to Graduate School
While in my final year of studies at Texas A&M,
I began to research graduate school options. One
such investigative trip led me to a preliminary
interview with numerous different department
heads in December of 1998. This trip was very
informative and allowed exposure to a wide array
of research being conducted at UTMB. This trip
also left a good impression due to the warm
reception I received and the openness and
enthusiasm of the faculty and students I spoke
with. This is of note because the small amount
of time these faculty members and graduate
students took before I had even applied to UTMB
later played a significant role in my decision
to attend graduate school at UTMB.
The spring of 1999 was indeed a time of dramatic
change in my life. I was soon to be married in
May and currently in the hunt for a graduate
school while my fiancé was in the process of
applying to numerous physicians’ assistant
schools. Due to our dual application process, I
decided to stay focused on Graduate schools
within the state of Texas. The interview
experience in the spring of 1999 was by all
accounts a pleasant experience. Since
departments at that time were recruiting
students on a departmental basis, I actually
interviewed for acceptance into the Pharmacology
department as well as the department of
Preventive Medicine and Community Health.
Between the two, I was the most impressed with
the department of Pharmacology. I was impressed
not only by the diversity of research taking
place, but also by the atmosphere of the
department and the interactions among the
students and the faculty. At the end of the
interviews, Dr. James Halpert informed me in a
private meeting that the Pharmacology department
had accepted me, and now the decision was in my
hands. This was a relief, and I spent a couple
of weeks deliberating before my official
acceptance was given to attend graduate school
at UTMB.
One of the primary reasons for my decision to
attend UTMB over any other Texas school with
comparable offerings was the openness of the
research community and the student environment.
During the interview process I was forthright
with individuals concerning my intentions to
pursue a career in the biotech/pharmaceutical
industry. At one institution, this intention was
welcomed by a rather cold reception. However, at
UTMB, this seemed to raise few eyebrows, at
least in the Pharmacology department. The
faculty at UTMB understood that a career track
leading into the pharmaceutical industry was
perfectly acceptable and were attentive to my
career goals. Several individuals were very
encouraging of this career path. Acceptance of
my career choice, along with a very
collaborative atmosphere, persuaded me to accept
UTMB as the institution to pursue my graduate
studies.
Another aspect that left a favorable impression
on me involved the length that faculty would go
to make accommodation for students with special
circumstances. After getting married in May, I
needed a way to begin school earlier than the
end of August, because I felt that it would be
difficult to continue working in the Medical
Center in Houston, while establishing a
residence in Galveston. Dr. Halpert was happy to
work with me and enabled me to start a rotation
in his laboratory and begin taking classes in
the summer of 1999. This willingness to
accommodate my special needs and allow me to
begin classes early greatly enhanced my
experience at UTMB.
Initial Experiences at UTMB
In the fall of 1999, we began our studies as the
first class trained under the interdepartmental
Basic Biomedical Science Curriculum. The first
semester of courses presented material that was
fairly familiar to me, given the rigorous
training I received in these subjects while at
Texas A&M. However, the coursework did offer
some new insights. The primary difficulty
concerned some of the material presented in the
problem sets, and often this had to do with the
manner different professors worded particular
questions. Numerous students also seemed to have
trouble understanding a great deal of the
material, particularly in the biochemistry
classes. In subsequent years, this problem was
remedied in large part through the availability
of student tutors provided by the graduate
school who had previously covered the material.
The difficulty many students experienced was
partly due to the amount and breadth of
material. Some students anticipated on entrance
into graduate school that they would study only
a narrow field of knowledge. I was a proponent
of a broader base of curriculum, because I think
it helps a budding scientist have a better
understanding and appreciation for many
different types of research. I believe that the
difficulty some students had in mastering the
material involved their academic backgrounds.
Those students who had minimal science training
either due to attendance at a smaller, less
research-intensive campus, or those students who
took less demanding scientific undergraduate
courses understandably had a more difficult time
mastering the material. However, most students
could overcome whatever initial limitation
existed and by the spring of 2000 were able to
master the material.
Being the initial class of the BBSC curriculum,
we had already been accepted into specific
departments. This led to the complaints that we
were learning subjects that our specialties
would never require. I found, however, that the
more broad base of the curriculum was a good
thing and in some ways wished that I had been
able to come into graduate school a year or two
later so that I might be able to take advantage
of being able to select a department with more
knowledge in hand. This being said, I still was
quite happy with the pharmacology department.
During the spring semester of 2000, I took the
first of many module courses newly designed for
the BBSC curriculum. Most of the courses I found
to be beneficial and I got something new from
each one. However, the main unpleasant
experience involved the newness of the
curriculum, which often resulted in ignorance of
what was coming next from semester to semester.
I remember having to register just short of the
deadline on several occasions because our
department was not sure what courses would be
required. This was mostly a minor annoyance, and
the Pharmacology faculty members heading the
graduate program were always helpful. Many of
these problems were due to the fact that the
Pharmacology department tried to replace core
curriculum with newly minted courses that often
didn’t cover all of the subjects pertinent to
pharmacologists. However, in discussions with
current students, these problems have largely
been alleviated through new courses that teach
subjects previously lacking, such as systems
anatomy.
Another preliminary disadvantage of the module
curriculum was the brevity of the classes. At
the time, modules consisted of only 5 weeks.
This system allowed only a minor introduction to
the material, and in most cases, instructors
merely crammed a typical 16-week course into a
much shorter timeframe. The packing of the
material caused many students to loose valuable
information. This was most evident in the
pharmacokinetics course that was required of
students enrolled in the department of
pharmacology. Since this time, due to student
input, module time courses have been extended
and therefore this problem has been largely
remedied. Even with these discrepancies, I
believe the module system is beneficial given
the exposure that it gives students to numerous
different topics and the choices that were
available.
The curriculum stressed by the pharmacology
department was very helpful in improving my
presentation skills, basic scientific knowledge,
and critical assessment of the literature. One
subject that could have been addressed better
would be that of grant writing. Although the
department specifically did not have any classes
pertaining to this subject, other resources were
available through the graduate school, such as
seminars and workshops, which I gladly took
advantage of when the opportunity arose.
Precandidacy Experience
The experience of obtaining candidacy from an
academic standpoint in the pharmacology
department was not unduly rigorous, but it was a
sufficient assessment of my knowledge in this
field. The qualifying exam for the department of
pharmacology was fairly simple and
straightforward, containing a closed book exam
portion, followed by a take home exam whereby
individuals were given a choice of several
pharmacological papers with the results and
discussion sections omitted. Given the
information available, students had to finish
the papers by determining what the expected
results should be and what future experiments
might be expected given the data presented. The
qualifying examination was not quite as rigorous
as was required by other departments at UTMB.
However, this examination was quite adequate at
testing our knowledge of the pharmacological
field.
There were a number of research options open in
the Pharmacology department during my early
years of graduate school at UTMB. These
opportunities provided a means to experience the
culture of different labs and determine which
research best suited my interests. Upon first
arriving at UTMB, due to my unique situation, I
was able to begin a rotation immediately in Dr.
James Halpert’s lab. At first, the study of P450
enzymes was intriguing. However, I soon realized
that I was more interested in cell biological
studies than in biochemistry. Dr Halpert was
understanding of my choice to pursue other
rotations, and I have maintained an excellent
working relationship with him ever since. Due to
this interest in cellular biology, I sought a
rotation in the laboratory of Dr. Xiaodong
Cheng, during which I studied the cAMP enzyme
EPAC and the biological functions of this novel
enzyme. I enjoyed the experience working with
Dr. Cheng, but due to his recent hiring and
pending funding, I decided to pursue other
research opportunities in the lab of Dr. Ricardo
Saban. He was conducting research using gene
array technology to study interstitial cystitis.
This research was intriguing to me because I had
become interested in the power of gene array
technology and enjoyed being able to study
numerous genes simultaneously. After this
rotation, I had decided that I was interested in
a project that used a broad based technique such
as gene array, or the emerging field of
proteomics.
After the rotation in Dr. Saban’s laboratory, I
approached Dr. Cheng once more because I
understood that he was interested in pursuing a
proteomic project to study differences in RI and
RII subunits of protein kinase A. At this time,
Dr. Cheng was ready to provide financially for a
graduate student, and I was ready to begin a
project with a large scope that entailed the use
of 2-D proteomics. I did of course have some
reservations about joining his lab, primarily
because I would be his first and presently only
student, and he had no prior experience training
graduate students. This reservation however was
counterbalanced by the fact that Dr. Cheng was
very involved in the lab and could provide much
more supervisory input than a more senior
professor, which I would need at that stage of
my graduate career. As Dr. Cheng’s inaugural
student, he was more apt to help me to expedite
my completion of my graduate training as much as
possible.
Through the course of my rotation experience, I
was able to find what I was looking for in a
mentor and in a lab environment. A mentor who
was connected with the everyday coming and going
of a lab appealed to me. I enjoyed having a
mentor who would be there to assist me when
needed and who would motivate me when I needed a
little extra push. I found what I was looking
for as a mentor in Dr. Cheng. He has provided me
with excellent guidance and given me an extra
push when it was necessary. I would also like to
think that he has learned from me, since I was
his first experience shepherding a student
through this process. Future students in his lab
will hopefully gain from his trials and
experiences with me.
Post-Candidacy Experience
Upon successfully completing the qualifying
exam, I began to prepare for my initial proposal
for my dissertation project. My dissertation
proposal was given almost one year following the
successful completion of the qualifying exam. I
originally intended to defend my proposal much
sooner, but due to a change in my dissertation
project, the proposal was postponed. After
approximately 1 year of research working with
Dr. Cheng and approximately 6 months after
completing my qualifying exam, I found myself
presented with an intriguing proposition. Our
lab was one of the first labs on campus to begin
studies using the 2-D gel proteomic technique.
Given the relative novelty of the technique,
some associates at the M.D. Anderson Cancer
Center presented us with the opportunity to
study a genetically defined model of ovarian
cancer using our 2-D proteomic technique. Dr.
Cheng gave me a choice of continuing with the
PKA project, or begin a project based on the
ovarian cancer model system. I decided to pursue
the study of Ras in ovarian cancer as the basis
for my dissertation project. Although this meant
a sacrifice of some time already spent pursuing
the PKA project, I found the project and
question much more intriguing, and therefore it
was in retrospect an excellent decision.
At the time of my proposal, members of my
committee informed me that the project was very
ambitious, and not completely feasible within a
typical graduate student time frame. In my zeal
and inexperience, I thought that my project was
feasible in a modest time frame. With more
experience behind me, I now realize that my
original project was grossly over ambitious. I
was amazed at how my final dissertation research
defense varied from my original proposal.
I have learned a number of things along the way
to becoming a Ph.D. recipient. One of key
lessons I have learned is to be wary of using
untested techniques to base a major portion of
one’s dissertation research. This was the case
with one of the specific aims of my research
project. I had decided to base one of my
specific aims on a protein purification
technique that had been proven in bacterial
cells, but was unproven in mammalian cells. We
later discovered that the expression of this
protein in mammalian cells causes massive cell
death, likely due to a calcium sequestration
domain on the purification tag. In retrospect,
we should have tested this technique prior to
making it part of my dissertation proposal.
Even with these shortfalls, my committee allowed
me to proceed with my project. One secondary
lesson I learned was the necessity to proceed
with the research in the direction that the
science takes you. There were several dead end
avenues along the way, which at times appeared
promising, but did not pan out. This is one of
the pitfalls of doing proteomic research, due to
the large amount of potentially interesting
candidate proteins that are generated when
looking at a complex system At first, I had a
difficult time relinquishing these projects
because of the time investment. I have learned
however, that a scientific story, no matter how
interesting, will not work if the data simply
don’t back it up.
During my dissertation research, I have also
required the assistance of numerous individuals,
including individuals within the lab, but also
in other labs within the pharmacology department
and within the greater UTMB community. From
something as simple as borrowing reagents when
necessary, or as complex as mastering new
techniques, my experience has been that most
individuals have been very generous. This
congenial atmosphere is one of the primary
environmental aspects that attracted me to UTMB,
and I was not disappointed throughout my
graduate dissertation research. The support that
I received from the faculty and administrative
staff in our department great helped to expedite
my graduate education. When problems did arise
along the way, the faculty and secretaries went
above and beyond to find creative solutions.
Some problems arose with acquiring equipment to
complete a given set of experiments. When these
problems arose, the pharmacology administrative
staff was very helpful in alleviating problems
and making things happen.
Upon completing my doctoral thesis, I have
several options open to me. Currently I am
working as a post-doctoral scientist in Dr.
Cheng’s lab while looking for a position
elsewhere in the greater Houston area, while my
wife completes her education. After completing a
post-doctoral fellowship, most likely in the
field of oncology or cellular biology, I will
seek a position in the biotech/pharmaceutical
industry. I would like to eventually be at the
helm of a research group within a major
pharmaceutical company, with the possibility to
go into a more managerial position. I feel that
my experiences at UTMB have prepared me for a
research career. Other opportunities at UTMB
such as career seminars, business courses, and
other events have been very helpful, and have
helped to expand my understanding of the career
options available to me. My graduate experience
at UTMB has not altered my ultimate career
goals, but has allowed me to come closer to
realizing those goals.
UTMB indeed was a unique place to conduct my
graduate work, and I have benefited from my time
here. Our graduate class has a cohesion that not
many other previous classes had, because we all
shared similar educational experiences for the
first year of our studies. I received a fairly
well rounded educational experience in a
collegial environment. My environmental
experience was also enhanced by the many
students and faculty from numerous
nationalities, giving me an appreciation for
other cultures that I did not have previously.
This is especially true of my advisor and lab
members, who have exposed me to numerous aspects
of the Chinese culture I was previously unaware
of. Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed the years
spent in Galveston, and participating in the
numerous local community events that make this
island a special place.
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