Student Profile in Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) Therapeutics
Anthony Grichuk
Cancer Biology Graduate Program
Mentors: Jerry Shay, Ph.D. and Jinming Gao, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Degree: Molecular and Cellular Biology, B.S.
Undergraduate Institution: University of Houston-Clear Lake
Hometown: Houston, TX
Awards/Fellowships: Graduate School 2022 - T32 awarded trainee on the MoDTS track, UT Southwestern; Undergraduate 2018 - Leadership Award in the College of Science & Engineering, University of Houston-Clear Lake
How did you become interested in science and/or research?
From a young age and as a result of growing up with autism I was surrounded by physicians and researchers hoping to help me learn how to manage my learning differences. As a result, the dedication and ingenuity of those dedicated to improving lives through medicine and research became instilled in me as well. As my understanding of the sciences developed I also found a passion for primary research and translational science. Then during my undergraduate degree my grandfather and then my father both passed away from metastatic melanoma that had formed second tumor lesions in their brains. This quickly shifted my attention to the pursuit of cancer biology. After graduation I worked as a research technician in a lab dedicated to the study of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). During my time as a technician I came to realize the huge disparity in survival for patients suffering from brain cancer whether or not it was a primary or secondary tumor. As a result of my personal experience with brain cancer and my work in the lab, I was fascinated by the challenge of developing novel therapeutics that could hopefully one day change the medical landscape for patients suffering from this deadly disease.
Please describe your research.
Brain tumors are one of the most difficult to treat cancers due to immunological silencing, drug penitence due to the blood brain barrier, and limited FDA approved treatment options. My passion in the pursuit of new therapeutic strategies to treat brain cancer but also a keen interest in telomere biology, lead me to investigate ways to selectively target GBMs based on cancer hallmarks. As a result, my thesis work is centered around the development of novel nanoparticle technologies that leverage acidosis, telomere biology, and hypoxia to improve specificity and sensitivity of pre-existing drugs to enhance the treatment of Gliomas, GBMs, and brain metastases.
Why did you choose UT Southwestern?
UTSW's well-known scientific contributions and pursuit of translational research were definitely one of the major factors in my decision to apply to its graduate school. However, during my interview and after joining the program, what really caught my eye was the sense of collaboration and willingness to help one another pursue high-impact multidisciplinary science. The support from the graduate school, faculty, and students was apparent at every step of the interview process and has continued throughout my time as a graduate student. Furthermore, as a research institution and medical center, it was clear that the research opportunities available to graduate students were highly competitive, with a breadth of learning opportunities ranging from learning new research techniques to participating in the Mechanisms of Disease and Translational Science track (MoDTS) dedicated to helping researchers interested in translational science connect with the clinic. I immediately knew these unique experiences would help me understand the full range of knowledge needed to take an idea from the bench to the bedside. UTSW is also involved in the expansion of Dallas's ever-growing biotech industry, providing students ample opportunities to explore career options in industry and academia as their graduate career develops. As a result, between all of these excellent opportunities, a sense of community, and fun things to pursue in the greater DFW area in my free time UT Southwestern was the obvious choice for me.
What do you think makes the Cancer Biology Program one of the best?
UT Southwestern's distinguished faculty in the Cancer Biology (CB) program provides a great opportunity to pursue high-impact science with mentors who value the pursuit of science but also value their graduate students' input, which fosters strong mentor-mentee relationships. Additionally, the CB program is designed to impart an understanding of cancer biology from both a molecular and translational perspective, allowing for a deep understanding of the mechanisms driving cancer and the translational shortcomings and current challenges in the field of cancer biology. As a result, the classes are relatable for those who have been out of the classroom setting for a few years and those coming into a graduate program straight out of an undergraduate degree. The CB program also helps students find journal clubs in order to stay up-to-date on cancer biology throughout their training.
What do you love about the Cancer Biology Program?
As someone with learning differences: Autism, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, ADHD, etc. and someone who had been out of a classroom setting for several years before entering graduate school, a sense of community and support was high on my list. The CB program has this in spades between annual CB retreats to practice presenting scientific research, weekly work-in-progress seminars weekly to get an idea of other research happening in the program, supportive administrative staff, and an open door policy, the program genuinely seeks to make sure every student has every opportunity to succeed!
– Anthony Grichuk, Cancer Biology Graduate Program
