Student Profile in Therapy Resistance in Cancer
Carla Rodriguez Tirado
Cancer Biology Graduate Program
Mentor: Ping Mu, Ph.D.
Undergraduate Degree: Biology
Undergraduate Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
Hometown: Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
Awards/Fellowships: Graduate: William F. and Grace H. Kirkpatrick Award, NRSA F31 fellowship (funded by the NIH)
How did you become interested in science and/or research?
Since I was kid my favorite classes were math or science related, which is why I decided to pursue a bachelors in Biology. I remember first being interested in research when I was taking the course of Biology of the Cell. Learning how cells work and how intricate the system is was fascinating. It was even more interesting learning that there is a lot left to learn about how cells work and that we really do not have all the answers. Towards the end of the course I learned a little bit about cancer and cancer cells hijack mechanisms to overgrow and form tumors.
Please describe your research.
My research is focused on discovering mechanisms of resistance to therapy in prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second cause of cancer related deaths in American men. Understanding how prostate cancer cells acquire resistance to therapy is critical to finding new therapeutic avenues
Why did you choose UT Southwestern?
One of the many reasons I chose UTSW for graduate school is because it is an umbrella program, meaning you have access to all of the labs in UTSW, regardless of the program you want to join. It really gives you the option to explore all kinds of research before you choose to join a lab. Additionally, you have access to so many resources, such as, proteomics core, flow cytometry core, libraries, histology core, among many others, that make exploring any question plausible. The research environment is very collaborative, you are not just limited to what the lab you join is an expert on.
What do you think makes the Cancer Biology Program one of the best?
The Cancer Biology program offers broad research in the cancer field, from all different types of cancer, to cancer immunology related research, metastasis research, cancer initiation, therapy resistance and so many more. The program is designed in way that you can really focus on you research with the option to attend seminars in different topics as well as different journal clubs.
What do you love about the Cancer Biology Program?
The Cancer Biology program offers broad research in the cancer field, from all different types of cancer, to cancer immunology related research, metastasis research, cancer initiation, therapy resistance and so many more. The program is designed in way that you can really focus on you research with the option to attend seminars in different topics as well as different journal clubs.
– Carla Rodriguez Tirado
