Name: Mukund Bhandari

Program: PhD in IBMS, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Molecular Medicine

Graduation: 2024

Dissertation Title: “Benchmarking Mouse Contamination Removing Protocols in Patient-Derived Xenografts Genomic Profiling”

Mentor Name: Siyuan Zheng, PhD

Please tell me about yourself, why did you pick UT Health San Antonio, and your program.

After completing my MS in Biotechnology from UT Stephen F. Austin State University, I worked as a research associate at UTMB Galveston, where I had the opportunity to apply computational tools to solve complex biological questions. I chose the IBMS program at UT Health San Antonio because it offered a diverse range of seven distinct disciplines, providing the flexibility to tailor my studies to my specific interests in bioinformatics and computational biology.

What has been the highlight of graduate school so far? Have you won any awards or have there been any achievements you’ve been proud of?

The highlight of graduate school has been the numerous opportunities for advanced research, collaboration, and professional growth that the program offers. Serving in leadership positions and executive roles within four different student committees and organizations has been particularly rewarding. One of my proudest achievements was co-founding the student-led organization ‘BIG Bioinformatics,’ which successfully trained over 100 biomedical scientists through various courses and bootcamps. Collaborating on diverse research projects with principal investigators, fellow graduate students, and medical residents has also been an invaluable learning experience.

Please provide a few sentences summarizing your dissertation. What was the experience like for you?

My dissertation involved investigating RNA, WES, and WGS data from tumor and patient-derived xenografts to benchmark mouse genome contamination protocols. This research was conducted using high-performance computing (HPC) and Azure for NGS multi-omics data analysis. The experience has been deeply fulfilling, especially working under the supervision of Dr. Zheng, whose guidance and support were exceptional. Additionally, the collaborative and supportive environment in the lab made the research process highly enjoyable.

Why are you passionate about your research topic? How did you first become interested in it?

With the rapid advancement of sequencing technologies, there has been an exponential growth in biomedical data generation. I believe that applying advanced computational tools and bioinformatics is a powerful approach to exploring new scientific questions and accelerating scientific discoveries. My passion lies in leveraging big biomedical data to uncover and tell meaningful scientific stories.

What’s next?

I am excited to join UT Southwestern in Dallas as a Computational Biologist.

Any advice for your fellow graduate students?

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I had at UT Health San Antonio. My advice to fellow graduate students is to fully embrace and enjoy your time and learning experiences. Seek out leadership and entrepreneurial opportunities whenever possible, and if you have the chance, pursue co-ops or internships during your graduate program. These experiences will be invaluable in your professional development.