Event Description

Masuda Akther

Masuda Akther is a third-year graduate student in the Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology program, currently conducting research in Dr. Alexander Valvezan's lab at the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM). With a strong interest in translational studies, she has focused her research career on bridging fundamental science and clinical applications. Her current work centers on developing cancer therapeutics, specifically targeting cancer metabolism to identify new treatment strategies for patients with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC). Outside the lab, she enjoys spending time in nature, finding inspiration and balance in the outdoors.

Exploiting the unique metabolism of tumor cells to develop new therapies.

Mutations in the tumor-suppressor genes TSC1 and TSC2 cause Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), a genetic disorder that can lead to tumor growth, and are also linked to certain cancers. Tumors lacking TSC1or TSC2 show increased activity of mTORC1, a protein complex that drives cell growth and metabolism. Our research has revealed that TSC2-deficient cells are highly dependent on the enzyme IMPDH, which is crucial for producing guanine nucleotides—essential building blocks for DNA and RNA. Blocking IMPDH with a drug called Mizoribine, which is already approved for clinical use, creates stress on DNA replication and damages the DNA in TSC2-deficientcells, ultimately causing them to die.

However, these cells can adapt to this treatment by activating pathways that repair DNA damage and manage replication stress, making them less sensitive to the drug. To overcome this resistance, we tested combining Mizoribine with drugs that block key proteins in these pathways, such as ATR, CHK1, CHK2, DNA-PK, WEE1, and ATM.

Our preliminary results show that combining Mizoribine with an ATR inhibitor (AZD6738), which is being tested in cancer clinical trials, significantly increases cell death in TSC2-deficient cells compared to using Mizoribine alone. Similarly, inhibitors targeting WEE1 (AZD1775) and CHK1/CHK2 (AZD7762) also boost Mizoribine effects. These findings suggest a promising new treatment strategy: combining drugs that block DNA repair and replication stress pathways with IMPDH inhibitors to more effectively kill cancer cells lacking TSC2.

 

V. Armour

Veronica Armour is a PhD student in the Department of Library and Information Science and the Director for the Innovation, Design, & Entrepreneurship Academy at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Her research is inspired by the pathways she has constructed as she’s navigated her career journey and her observations of the ways in which undergraduates’ career pathways are constructed and evolve while at university.

Mapping Pathways: How Information Shapes Transitional Journeys

My research tells the story of how and why information is used to create a pathway to support the navigation of a transitional period in an individual's life. Pathways can be constructed (think of planned or designed paths) or informal, sometimes called desire paths, that emerge as shortcuts taken by individuals when an official path does not exist or is not practical to take.

This presentation will discuss how we might use a socio-material perspective to tell the story of pathways through mapping information structures to see what shapes a pathway and mapping information sources to see who is found along the way. By emphasizing the actors and relations involved in our information interactions, I expand our view of information behavior beyond the individual/cognitive perspective to encompass a community/social perspective.

 

 

Join us for our next Research Café on Tuesday, April 16 at 3:00 PM (via Zoom) for an inspiring session showcasing the diverse and innovative work of graduate students at Rutgers.

Allison Bond & Rebecca Risman

  • March 26, 2025
Awards & Honors

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) is pleased to announce the winners of the second annual SGS Community Engagement Award, recognizing graduate students who have demonstrated ethical, collaborative engagement through their research, teaching, and advocacy to advance the public good.

2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Finals

  • March 19, 2025
Awards & Honors

March 14, 2025 – New Brunswick, NJ – The 2025 Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Final Round at Rutgers University School of Graduate Studies (SGS) brought together eight doctoral finalists for an engaging competition that challenged them to present their research in just three minutes.

2025 Aaron Shatkin Scholarship Award winners

  • October 29, 2025

Please join us in congratulating the 2025 Aaron Shatkin Scholarship Award winners who were honored at the Aaron Shatkin Memorial Lecture on Tuesday October 28. The award recognizes outstanding current graduate students who have excelled in their research and coursework with a plaque and $3000.

Payton Harmon, Nutritional Sciences

  • October 21, 2025
Grad CareerCraft

Payton Harmon’s research brings a remarkable combination of compassion, curiosity, and scientific rigor to one of the most urgent global health challenges facing children today. As a Ph.D. candidate in Nutritional Sciences at SGS, she is working to improve the effectiveness of oral rehydration therapy, a lifesaving treatment for pediatric diarrhea that has saved millions of lives but still leaves too many children vulnerable. Her work in Dr.

Event Description

Many of our recent iJOBS alumni have gone into careers in science writing at medical communications agencies or at pharma companies where they use their skills at translating complex concepts into clear and concise presentations for diverse audiences including other scientists, physicians, and patients. Come hear from a panel of medical communications professionals all of whom have a PhD to learn how you can jump start your career in this field.

 

Event Description

Edwin Collier, PhD will first share his personal career path from academia to industry, starting with his role at a small biotech company and progressing to a senior leadership position at Johnson & Johnson. He’ll discuss the key decisions that shaped his transition from R&D into supply chain, the challenges he faced along the way, and practical lessons that PhD students and postdocs can apply as they plan their own careers in the pharmaceutical or biotech industries.

Event Description

Good laboratory practice (GLP) and Good manufacturing practice (GMP) are a set of principles intended to assure the quality and integrity of non-clinical laboratory studies to support research or marketing permits for products regulated by government agencies. The terms GLP and GMP are most commonly associated with the pharmaceutical industry but also applies to agents such as food products and medical devices. David Cragin of Teva Pharmaceuticals and Don Stump of Charles River will give an overview of these topics so that when are interviewing with a company, you can tell them that you are familiar with GLP and GMP. 

Event Description

Business development professionals help the pharma and biotech industry stay at the cutting edge of research by deciding which technology is worth acquiring or selling. Join us to hear from a panel of PhD scientists who have made the transition from the bench into the field of business development to learn what it takes to land a job in this space. With a career in business development you will always have your eye on the future of the field.

Event Description

This is a two and a half day in-person only workshop. You only need to register once, however, all sessions are required.


SciPhD is run by Human Workflows, LLC (http://sciphd.com/) and helps trainees assess their current skill set, express it in business-friendly language as well as recognize/fill skill gaps in areas such as communication, leadership, team building, negotiation and project management. This workshop focuses on 24 essential core competencies valued by industry and business, relates those competencies to activities and behaviors commonly experienced by academic scientists through the scientific method, and demonstrates how those competencies work together to form the operational competencies that are essential in business.  These transition business competencies can also be applied by academic and government scientists in running their laboratories.  SciPhD is a very interactive and hands-on exposure to these concepts with real action items to take away from the workshop.  Throughout the program, students and postdocs will experience at least four behavioral-based interview experiences in which they will play the role of the candidate and the interviewer.

Topics include:

The Business of Science
Successful Communications as a Scientist
Six Leadership Styles
Developing Your People
Negotiation and Finance
Building Effective Teams
Strategic Project Management for Scientists
Applying What You've Learned

Dates and Times – ALL OF THE SESSIONS ARE REQUIRED

January 14 (12 PM – 5 PM)

January 15 (9 AM -5 PM)

January 16 (9 AM -5 PM)

IN PERSON ONLY at College Ave Student Center, 126 College Ave, Multipurpose Room, New Brunswick