Written by Jacob Essif

I started my career at UT Health San Antonio as a research assistant in the lab of Dr. Daruka Mahadevan, after the lab relocated from the University of Arizona to the well-regarded UT Health San Antonio. I joined UT Health in January of 2020, and right as I had started to get settled, the world was suddenly changed due to Covid-19. However, the commitment UT Health San Antonio had to ensuring the safety of the staff and students, while still being committed to making patients’ lives better, was admirable. The institution remained open and kept the critical research, not just research related to Covid-19, but all research, including cancer research, aging and Alzheimer’s research, to name a few, going and strong, while still promoting a culture of safety. Other institutes became paralyzed by the unknown and completely shut down the research that was being performed. Any delay in research is a delay in getting life-saving innovations to the patients who need them most.

This commitment to safety and innovation further validated my decision to pursue my Ph.D. at UT Health San Antonio in the Integrated Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.  I started my Ph.D. studies in August 2020, which provided its own set of challenges. With classes being virtual, our cohort did not have the same first year bonding experiences as past cohorts. That is not to say that we did not make our own, just that we had to improvise a bit. Instead of hanging out at a restaurant after our exams to relax and commiserate, we hung out at the park instead, making sure to obey social distancing rules. Despite the unusual circumstances, we managed to find small silver linings in our new routines. One benefit to having virtual 8 AM classes was that we were able to wake up at 7:50 AM and still make it to class on time.

After our first semester, we split into our respective disciplines, and while we tried to maintain the connections, it was difficult. However, I must give the GSBS and Office of Student Life credit for providing opportunities for us to get together, such as Graduate Student Appreciation week and various events held by the Student Government Association. Over time, life returned to a “new normal” and we were all able to take advantage of everything San Antonio and UT Health had to offer.

During my five years, I have worked to advance breast cancer research. My dissertation project was on identifying biomarkers of response to taxane-treatment in breast cancer. While I performed pre-clinical lab work, such as cell culture, immunoblotting, RNA analysis and mouse studies, I was also fortunate to be involved in a retrospective and a prospective clinical study.  The studies looking at RNA expression in breast cancer patient samples correlated to how the patients responded to taxane-treatment. At times, this was emotionally challenging for me, as I was dealing with real people. Even though the data was deidentified, and thus I did not know who these patients were, it still hit hard knowing that not all of these patients likely survived. However, I knew that what I was doing was important and would lead to helping other cancer patients. This allowed me to persevere when times were rough.

I utilized my time out of the lab to get involved with the University and the greater San Antonio community. I was a student representative for the GSBS for the Student Government Association (SGA), where I was able to advocate as the voice of the GSBS students. Additionally, I served as Secretary, informally known as the “Trivia Master,” for the Graduate Student Association (GSA). GSA held monthly science trivia at Oak Hills Tavern, (a nearby restaurant that makes a great grilled cheese), and I was responsible for the trivia questions each month. I had a blast coming up with questions that were both interesting and challenging. (Did you know that in 2019, doctors found a live ladybug in a patient’s transverse colon during a screening colonoscopy? If you attended science trivia, you would have known.)  It was a great way for students to hang out and support each other.

I was also one of the founding members of the Science Policy Group, where we promoted the importance of scientific research to the general public by holding a panel discussion at Viva Science. Additionally, I participated in the 2023 NAMI Texas Hill Day, where I advocated for mental health legislation.  I was selected to participate in the 2025 AACR Hill Day, where I met with elected officials to advocate for maintaining, if not increasing, national funding for healthcare and scientific research. I was also involved with Enventure San Antonio, a non-profit that helps early-career life science professionals transition into the life science industry. Through Enventure San Antonio, I was able to meet with leaders of the San Antonio life science ecosystem. Finally, I played French horn as a member of the South Texas Symphonic Orchestra. I was recruited by both Dr. Kristi (Guerrero) Dietert and Dr. Naomi Sayer, who also play French horn. Playing with STXSO was a great way to relax and decompress after stressful days in the lab.

As I am transitioning to the next part of my journey, it is funny that so too is UT Health as it merges with UTSA. While this merger will result in changes, some good and some not-as-good, it is important to remember that what makes UT Health great will not change. What makes UT Health great is not its name, but its people. While there are many people that have helped and influenced my time here at UT Health, there are a few people that I would like to give a shout-out to by name. First, I’d like to thank Dr. Andrea Giuffrida and Dr. Charles Mathias for their support of the Science Policy Group, and for providing me with opportunities to advocate for science. I’d like to thank the UT Health Office of Student Life, specifically Le’Keisha Johnson and Austin Cervantes for being great SGA advisors. I’d like to thank the Team Science Training team, including Dr. Tim Raabe and Dr. Christopher Frei, for promoting the importance of cross-disciplinary team science. I’d like to thank the Office of Student Success, specifically Dr. Amanda Rameriez, for providing career advice and support. I’d like to thank Madison Vega for helping support events such as Terry M. Mikiten Graduate Student Symposium and Biomed Careerfest, which were crucial for establishing a sense of community. I’d like to thank my PI, Dr. April Risinger, for taking a chance on me and accepting me into the lab. I’d like to finally thank the students at UT Health San Antonio, who are too numerous to list by name. Thank you all for a wonderful five years, and may the future be bright.