Director Dr. Chris Williams and Dr. Stuart Orkin with APSA reps Yash Pershad (G2) and Neil Chada (G3).
On March 27, 2025, the Vanderbilt MSTP had the honor of hosting Dr. Stuart Orkin for the Spring 2025 Physician-Scientist Speaker Series (PSSS) as part of the VUMC Discovery Lecture Series. Dr. Orkin is the David G. Nathan Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of hematologic diseases, most notably sickle cell disease and thalassemias, and for translating fundamental discoveries into transformative gene therapies. Read more about Dr. Orkin and his visit here.
Congratulations to our MSTP students on their recent publications! Special congratulations to Jeewoo Kim (G3), Donald Okoye, PhD (M4), Nicholas Petersen, PhD (M4), and Mark Rusznak (G4) on their first-author publications! Jeewoo's paper was also featured by VUMC News here.
Our Lunches with Leaders series continued this month with the dean of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences, Dean John Kuriyan. Thank you to Dean Kuriyan for meeting with our students!
Honors and Awards
Congratulations to Dr. Chris Williams, MSTP Director, for receiving the Harvie Branscomb Distinguished Professor Award! This award recognizes faculty accomplishments that further the aims of the university through creative research, teaching and service. Read more here.
Congraulations to Candace Grisham (G4) for being named the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center Graduate Student of the Year!
Congratulations to Jeewoo Kim (G3) for receiving a Best New Investigator Poster Presenter Award at the 2025 Society of Reproductive Investigation Conference!
Congratulations to Atlee Witt (G2), Ansley Kunnath (G4), and Allie Lake (G4) on receiving P.E.O. Scholar Awards! P.E.O. Scholar Award recipients are a select group of women pursuing a doctoral-level degree chosen for their high level of academic achievement and their potential for having a positive impact on society.
Congratulations to Stirling Argabright (G1) and Sharon Fernandez (G2) on receiving the Robert F. Miller Service Award this year!
Congratulations to our students for receiving Graduate Leadership Anchor Awards - Kevin Zhang (G2) won Best Overall and Jeewoo Kim (G3) won Best Mentorship!
Congratulations to Yasminye Pettway, Eric Donahue, Avery Bogart, Thomas Li, Xavier Bledsoe, and Candace Grisham on successfully defending their theses!
Life in the MSTP
Congratulations to Stephanie Cajigas Gabriel (G5) and her husband, Christopher, on the birth of their daughter Isla Louise Gabriel on April 6th!
Congratulations to Hailey Adegboye (G3) and her husband, Feyi, on their wedding last month!
Avery Bogart (G4) presented her work at the 2025 ARDS International Conference, as did Vanderbilt MSTP alum Dr. Matt Stier ('19)!
-LT Office Hours 1-2 pm on Wednesday, April 30 -G2 Halftime Celebration on Thursday, May 1 -LT Office Hours 1-2 pm on Monday, May 5 -Commencement on Friday, May 9 -Memorial Day - Vanderbilt University Closed on Monday, May 26 -MSTPicnic on Saturday, June 14
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