Aaron Cheng
M.D./Ph.D. Student
Aaron is a medical student in the South Texas Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD Program). He will enter into graduate school portion of the training program in 2024.
About Me
Hi everyone! My name is Aaron Cheng, and I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. After completing a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Neuroscience at UNLV, I entered the STX-MSTP to explore my passions for translational research and medicine. During my gap semester, I joined the restaurant/hospitality industry in Vegas, where I served guests and mixed drinks at one of my favorite venues. I am also an avid Marvel and Star Wars fan though it is super hard to keep up with everything. I’m also a big fan of YouTubers Rhett and Link, Friends, and anything with Ryan Reynolds is usually solid.
Hobbies/Interests
Cooking, mixology, traveling the national parks, yoga
Research Topic
Cancer biology, tumor evolution, DNA-mutating enzymes
Why I chose MD/PhD
I chose the MD/PhD path because I am passionate about translational research, especially in the context of drug discovery. I feel that an MD/PhD, and the training that comes with it, gears me for a very impactful career that mixes both clinicals and research.
Why I chose MD/PhD at UT Health San Antonio
I chose the MD/PhD program at UT Health San Antonio because of the community and the impressive array of research that is being done on our campus.
Education
B.S., B.A., Molecular Biology, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, 2021
Publications
Cheng, A., King, B., Barrita, A., King, A., & Wong-Padoongpatt, G. (2020). Asian Americans experience microassaults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal, 1(1), 56-62. https://doi.org/10.9741/2766-7227.1004