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Molecular and Human Genetics News

Dr. Susan Rosenberg

Rosenberg named recipient of 2026 TAMEST Hill Prize

Congratulations to Dr. Susan Rosenberg who has been named the recipient of the 2026 Hill Prize in Biological Sciences from The Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology
HCOA Dr. Li

Li named Hevolution/AFAR New Investigator

Congratulations to Dr. Hongjie Li who is one of the New Investigator Awardees in Aging Biology and Geroscience Research from the Hevolution Foundation / American Federation for Aging Research. 
Pengfei Liu

Liu named 2026 TAMEST O’Donnell Award Recipient

Congratulations to Dr. Pengfei Liu on being honored with a 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology (TAMEST)
Graham Erwin

Erwin receives NIH New Innovator Award

Congratulations to Dr. Graham Erwin who has been awarded a 2025 National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award.
Read more about Erwin and the Award

Molecular and Human Genetics Press Releases

A promising potential therapeutic strategy for Rett syndrome -
Understanding the path from genetic changes to Parkinson’s disease opens possibilities for early diagnosis -
‘Sticky coat’ boosts triple negative breast cancer’s ability to metastasize -
Finding new cell markers to track the most aggressive breast cancer in blood -
Fruit fly pigmentation guides discovery of genes that control brain dopamine and sleep -
Center for Precision Medicine Models receives $10 million NIH grant -
Fruit flies offer new insights into how human AD risk genes affect the brain -
Researchers show benefit of ultra-deep RNA sequencing in Mendelian disorder diagnostics -
Dr. Graham Erwin receives NIH New Innovator Award -
Researchers develop new tool to improve accuracy of genetic testing -
NIH awards more than $15 million to fund two rare diseases consortia -
New statistical tool reveals hidden genetic pathways in complex diseases -
Integrative exome sequencing and machine learning identify new genes contributing to systemic sclerosis risk -
Study reveals new indicators for HER2+ breast cancer response to therapy -
A new treatment for patients with Alagille syndrome -
FDA IND Clearance for STXBP1-developmental and epileptic encephalopathy therapy -
Study reveals impacts of Alzheimer’s disease on the whole body -
Rare variants in GPKOW associated with multisystemic X-linked developmental disorder -
Integrative approach reveals promising candidates for AD risk factors or targets for treatments -
New CDKL genes linked to neurodevelopmental disorders -
Kenneth Scott Mentor Award 2024 went to Jennifer Posey
Dr. Brendan Lee presenting the 2024 Kenneth Scott Mentor Award

Department Endowed Awards

The Arthur L. Beaudet Lifetime Mentorship Award is a college-wide award recognizing the lifetime mentoring of faculty, staff, and trainees.

  • 2025: Sharon Plon, M.D., Ph.D.
  • 2024: Jeffrey M. Rosen, Ph.D.
  • 2023: Mary K. Estes, Ph.D. & Malcolm K Brenner, M.D., Ph.D.
  • 2022: Hugo Bellen, D.V.M., Ph.D.

The Shan and Lee-Jun Wong Fellowship was established to support those working in the areas of translational science or diagnostics, with a particular emphasis on mitochondrial biology and disease or cancer biology.

  • Shenglan Li, M.D., M.S. - "Development of Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Enzyme Analysis Blood - Derived Neuron and Skeletal Muscle Cells for the Diagnosis of Mitochondrial Diseases" (2025)
  • Yuki Kageyama, M.D., Ph.D. - "The role of HIV Vif in clonal hematopoiesis and malignant transformation." (2024)
  • Debdeep Dutta, Ph.D. - "Understanding the role of mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis in ceramide metabolism and neurodegeneration." (2022)

The Rolanette and Berdon Lawrence Family Achievement Award in Genetics recognizes department scientific, clinical, educational, and service achievements in support of our missions. 

  • 2025: Lindsay Burrage, M.D., Ph.D. (Faculty), English Laserna (Trainee), Jefferson Sinson (Scientific Staff Awardee), Sherri Weaver (Administration)
  • 2024: Sandesh Nagamani, M.D. (Faculty), Benjamin Belfort (Trainee), Olga Medina-Martinez (Clinical), Lisa Folloder (Administration)
  • 2023: Seema Lalani, M.D. (Faculty), Janel Peterson (Trainee), Demetria Dalco  (Administration)
  • 2022: Carlos Bacino, M.D. & Richard Lewis, M.D., M.S. (Faculty), Jessica Swanson (Trainee), Alyssa Crowder (Scientific Staff), Charlotte Cherry (Administration)
  • 2021: Shinya Yamamoto, D.V.M., Ph.D. (Faculty), Patrick Hunt (Trainee), Oguz Kanca (Scientific Staff), Judi Coleman (Administration)

Kenneth Scott Graduate Mentor Award is an annual award given to department faculty for outstanding mentorship and service to the genetics and genomics graduate program

  • Shinya Yamamoto, D.V.M., Ph.D. (2025)
  • Jennifer Posey, M.D., Ph.D. (2024)
  • Christophe Herman, Ph.D. (2023)
  • Herman Dierick, Ph.D. (2022)
  • Benjamin Arenkiel, Ph.D. (2021)
  • Andy Groves, Ph.D. (2020)
  • Gad Shaulsky, Ph.D. (2019)
  • Sharon Plon, M.D., Ph.D. (2018)