Program Outcomes
100% of our PREP scholars have matriculated into doctoral programs in a biomedical sciences research field.
Kaejaren Caldwell, BS
Undergraduate Institution: Jarvis Christian College, TX
Graduate Institution: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Neuroscience Graduate Program
Current position: Ph.D. student at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Research: Understanding necroptosis through behavioral physiology (specifically, pain models), biochemistry and anatomy that leads to chronic pain and inflammation
Mentor: Armen N. Akopian
Quote: "The program provided me the opportunity to understand what I needed to improve and the skills I needed to develop in order to be successful in graduate school. I was able to improve on my reading and writing skills especially when it comes to scientific articles and understanding them."
Highlight: KC was nominated to the Albert C. Yates Fellowship Program at the University of Cincinnati that supports doctoral students from underrepresented minority groups who demonstrate high potential for academic success and provides an additional $25,000 stipend over multiple years in addition to regular stipend provided by the graduate program as well as a designated mentor to support them academically throughout their doctoral program.
Valerie Caro, BS
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at El Paso, TX
Graduate Institution: UT Health San Antonio
Current position: Ph.D. student at UT Health San Antonio
Research: CRISPR/Cas9 gene scanning technology used to interrogate 6 genes essential to Ewing sarcoma
Mentor: Alexander Bishop
Quote: "Though I was exposed to research during my undergraduate studies, I wanted to expand my research experiences by having a project of my own that would allow me to hone my critical thinking skills and thus mold me into a more independent scientist. I also wanted to be a part of a program that helped me with professional development and the PREP program offers multiple opportunities / activities to accomplish this. Overall, the PREP program was an excellent choice that helped me grow in more ways than I could have possibly imagined."
Lois Randolph, BS
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at San Antonio, TX
Graduate Institution: UT Health San Antonio
Current position: Ph.D. student at UT Health San Antonio
Research: Understanding the Structural Dynamics of EWS-FLI1 and its Self-Associative Behavior
Mentor: David S. Libich
Quote: “I 100% believe the PREP program has prepared me for grad school. The classes we were enrolled in have conditioned me to always ask questions and be curious about everything. I can now read and comprehend research articles a lot quicker. While in the PREP program I became fascinated with data science and really wanted to learn more so I started to learn a programming language. I am committed to pursuing a career in research with a heavy focus on bioinformatics.
Highlight: While in the PREP program, I became fascinated with data science; I spent my summer at the Genome Sequencing Center at Baylor College of Medicine, learning the basics of bioinformatics
Justin Sharp, BS
Undergraduate Institution: Jarvis Christian College, TX
Graduate Institution: University of Kentucky
Current position: Ph.D. student at The University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy
Research: Pharmacology and drug discovery targeting signal transduction pathways in pancreatic cancer
Mentor: Addanki Pratap Kumar
Quote: "When I first read about the PREP program, I thought ‘this is just to give me more research experience’ It quickly became apparent that the program had much more to offer. I am grateful for the help in preparing my resume/CV and personal statement. I also appreciated the organization and time management skills we learned."
