St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences

St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences unparalleled science, resources and clinical experiences for the next generation of scientists Jude faculty. Jude.

Located in the heart of one of the world’s premier children’s research hospitals, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers a unique PhD program for students seeking a collaborative, translational research culture. Designed to allow graduation in five years, the graduate school offers a focused training experience with scientific resources. Students ma

y select from more than 60 labs across 16 departments and work closely with internationally renowned St. Students also gain experience in the clinic to learn how treatment decisions are made. Both basic science and clinical graduate faculty teach the curriculum, which emphasizes translational research in cancer biology, infectious diseases and genetic disorders. The program provides excellent benefits and support, including access to more than 30 state-of-the-art shared resources and core facilities at St. Learn more, and apply now: www.stjude.org/graduate-school.

At this year’s “Research in 3" competition, 19 students from the Biomedical Sciences, Global Child Health and Clinical I...
06/03/2026

At this year’s “Research in 3" competition, 19 students from the Biomedical Sciences, Global Child Health and Clinical Investigations programs accepted the challenge of condensing their research into compelling three-minute presentations using a single slide for a broad audience.

Through engaging storytelling, students took the audience on a journey of discovery, breaking down complex ideas into accessible insights.

After audience votes were cast and a panel of three judges deliberated, four awards were presented: Best Overall Presentation, Runner-Up Presentation, Best Slide and Audience Choice.

Taiye Taibat Ibiyeye, MS in Global Child Health, earned Best Overall Presentation for “Optimizing Childhood Cancer Care in Nigeria: Cost-Effectiveness of Centralized and Decentralized Models,” while Mahmoud Elzembely, MS in Global Child Health, received Runner-Up for “Strengthening Childhood Cancer Care in Egypt Using the C5 Tool.” Arika Feils, PhD in Biomedical Sciences, was recognized for Best Slide with “Building an Orchestra: Harmonizing CAR and TCR Engineering Strategies to Target AML,” and Jemma Clary, PhD in Biomedical Sciences, earned Audience Choice for “Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus: Bacterial Warfare in the Nose.”

Congratulations to all winners and students who participated! Through clarity and creativity, they demonstrated a commitment to advancing knowledge and making a difference in their fields.

Over the next two weeks, students in the Global Child Health and Global Scholars programs will take part in the Summer I...
06/03/2026

Over the next two weeks, students in the Global Child Health and Global Scholars programs will take part in the Summer Intersession, engaging in learning, collaboration and discussion focused on advancing child health worldwide.

“For this Summer Intersession, we convene a global community of change agents committed to bold thinking and collective action,” said Shaloo Puri, MD, MPH, MPA, senior director of the Global Scholars Program and associate dean of the Global Child Health MS program. “I look forward to the energy they bring, along with the deep conversations and reflections on innovative strategies that will enhance access, improve survivorship and advance equity so that no child is left behind.”

Following the conclusion of Summer Intersession, we will share student reflections on their two-week experience on campus. Stay tuned for more!

The Applied Biomedical Data Sciences (ABDS) Master’s Program celebrated the end of its first year with the ABDS Honors C...
06/02/2026

The Applied Biomedical Data Sciences (ABDS) Master’s Program celebrated the end of its first year with the ABDS Honors Ceremony, recognizing the students, staff and institutional leaders who helped bring the program to life and make it a success.

Over the past year, the inaugural cohort of seven students completed a rigorous curriculum, building technical and professional skills while growing as scholars and collaborators.

Through the Applied Science Career & Educational Network for Data Scientists (ASCEND) mentorship program, ABDS students were placed in mentoring circles and received guidance on navigating their academic and professional journeys from mentors of all career levels. During the ceremony, ASCEND participants reflected on a year of collaboration, growth and impact. Through their Career Impact Projects, students addressed needs across academic, professional and broader communities while strengthening their leadership and mentorship skills.

“When I first came to St. Jude, I thought, ‘Where can I take my skills?’” said Abby Kaur, ABDS student. “ASCEND helped me plan a roadmap for what I wanted to do in my future career, and my mentoring group emphasized choosing the right lab for me to grow in.”

Awards were presented to students, faculty and staff whose contributions strengthened the program and enriched the ABDS community. Student award recipients included Jewel Wilson (Outstanding Graduate Scholar Award), Naamna Modi (Dean’s Student Award for Program Distinction) and Liane Muir (Rising Star Award).

Now, students will transition into immersive research practicums, applying what they have learned to real-world scientific questions. We are proud of this cohort’s accomplishments and look forward to the impact they will continue to make as emerging biomedical data scientists!

05/27/2026

See what a day in the life looks like for student Jewel Wilson at the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. From classes to study sessions and time to recharge, she shares a glimpse into the Applied Biomedical Data Sciences master’s program, where students develop skills in advanced computing, biostatistics and machine learning to drive discovery in biomedical research.

Faculty shape the Graduate School experience at St. Jude. Through their teaching and mentorship, they support students a...
05/21/2026

Faculty shape the Graduate School experience at St. Jude. Through their teaching and mentorship, they support students as they grow into independent scientists, clinicians, and global change agents.

During Graduate Faculty Appreciation Week, that impact was recognized at the inaugural Graduate Faculty Awards ceremony hosted yesterday.

“Our Graduate Faculty form the core structure of the St. Jude Graduate School,” said Kelly Oman, Graduate School Director of Faculty Affairs. “They teach, mentor, design curriculum and lead in many ways, offering their time, care and expertise to support our students. These awards are one way we recognize and elevate the contributions they make to education, students and our mission every day.”

The Excellence in Teaching award highlights faculty who engage students, introduce new ways of learning, and drive meaningful outcomes in the classroom. The Outstanding Mentorship award recognizes those who provide guidance, support professional development, and help students grow as researchers.

All four programs recognized faculty who are committed to teaching and mentorship across the Graduate School. Honorees include Stan Pounds, PhD, in Applied Biomedical Data Sciences; Stacey Ogden, PhD, Joe Opferman, PhD, and Richard Lee, PhD, in Biomedical Sciences; Josh Wolf, PhD, MBBS, and Swati Naik, MBBS, in Clinical Investigations; and Stephen Ceccoli, PhD, and Erica Kaye, MD, MPH, in Global Child Health.

Thank you to all faculty who contribute to the Graduate School community and invest in our students every day.

Matthew Fisher’s path to becoming a scientist began with a deeply personal experience. After witnessing the impact of a ...
05/15/2026

Matthew Fisher’s path to becoming a scientist began with a deeply personal experience. After witnessing the impact of a brain tumor on a loved one, he was motivated to better understand the disease and left an established teaching career to pursue a PhD.

“I lost my late wife to brain cancer after 14 years with the disease,” Fisher said. “During that time, there was no improvement in available treatments. After her passing, I realized that I had the capacity to do something—that I could work towards a future where patients and their families don’t have to suffer under the terrible burden of this disease.”

Now in his second year in the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences PhD program, Fisher is focused on translational research working jointly with Christopher Ti**le, MD, PhD, and Anang Shelat, PhD. He is advancing new approaches in pediatric brain cancer treatment that could improve outcomes and the patient and family experience.

“I’m excited about the future of brain cancer research, because I’ve learned that there are many talented people devoting their time to studying it,” said Fisher. “That gives me hope, because I know that with time and resources, this hard work will eventually pay off for patients and their families.”

This Brain Tumor Awareness Month, his story highlights how lived experience can spark the drive to pursue meaningful scientific progress.

Learn more about his journey: ow.ly/ZMc350Z0fWP

Each year the Graduate School sponsors a group of students to attend the Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering ...
04/30/2026

Each year the Graduate School sponsors a group of students to attend the Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering (CASE) Workshop, organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, in Washington, D.C.

CASE is an immersive program that introduces early career scientists to the federal policymaking process, covering topics such as congressional structure, federal budgeting, science communication and civic engagement. The workshop also gave students the opportunity to meet with members of Congress on Capitol Hill.

Representing St. Jude at the workshop were Biomedical Sciences PhD students Alissa Jackson and Taylor Bugbee, Clinical Investigations master’s student Jason Hodges and Applied Biomedical Data Sciences master’s student Naamna Modi. The students attended the workshop to gain a clearer understanding of how science connects to federal policymaking and research funding, while also building skills in science communication and advocacy. They viewed CASE as a way to learn how scientists can use their voices to support research and the communities it serves.

Read the students’ reflections to learn more about their experiences and takeaways from the CASE Workshop.

Four Biomedical Sciences PhD students recently attended the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual ...
04/23/2026

Four Biomedical Sciences PhD students recently attended the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in San Diego to share their research.

Hayden Malone from the lab of Charles W. M. Roberts, MD, PhD, presented a late-breaking poster on a paper recently published in Nature Communications, which identified PHIP as a key vulnerability in cancers driven by broad SWI/SNF inactivation. “It’s an exciting opportunity to be at AACR and hear about all the other impactful research occurring in both pediatric and adult cancer,” said Malone.

Jake Friske, from the lab of Martine Roussel, PhD, presented a poster on a paper that was simultaneously published in Cancer Discovery, revealing that tumors amplify MYC through extrachromosomal DNA and identifying a crucial enhancer located within tumor ecDNA that regulates its expression.

Bradley Stevens, from the lab of Mark Hatley, MD, PhD, presented a poster discussing the elucidation of PAX3::FOXO1 tumor initiation mechanisms in human induced pluripotent stem cell models. Additionally, Samantha Turk, who works in the lab of Michael Dyer, PhD, shared a novel reporter tool for visualizing neuroblastoma cell states

Attending AACR is beneficial for sharing research and learning from experts in plenary meetings, symposiums, networking events, and more. “A conference such as AACR is one of the best conferences we can attend,” said Turk. “To be able to do this through the St. Jude Graduate School is life changing.”

A new study led by St. Jude researchers identified PHIP as a key vulnerability in cancers driven by broad SWI/SNF inacti...
04/14/2026

A new study led by St. Jude researchers identified PHIP as a key vulnerability in cancers driven by broad SWI/SNF inactivation, including rhabdoid tumors in children.

The work includes contributions from Hayden Malone, Jake Friske and Sandra Kietlinska, Biomedical Sciences PhD students working in the lab of Charles W.M. Roberts, MD, PhD.

“We’ve identified both a new target and a new mechanism of chromatin regulation that becomes critical when SWI/SNF is broadly inactivated,” said Malone, who was a first author of the recently published paper in Nature Communications.

Malone’s ability to lead the project, with support and collaboration of fellow students, is an example of the hands-on experiences and opportunities available through the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Learn more about their research: https://ow.ly/i7O450YIR8b

04/10/2026

Within the St. Jude community, the Graduate School offers a close‑knit environment shaped by strong mentorship, small cohorts and shared experiences. From the classroom to the lab and beyond, students learn and grow together throughout their training.

As Graduate Student Appreciation Week comes to a close, hear directly from our students about what makes this community special.

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