Difeo-lab News Archive
Resilience, Discipline, Focus, and Relentless Hard Work
The Keys to Dr. Analisa DiFeo's Success
Jessica Teitel becomes Dr. Jessica Teitel
On June 5, 2025, Jessica Teitel completed her doctoral journey in Molecular and Cellular Pathology, defending her thesis, Pan-Cancer Myc Modulator Induces Selective Cell Death Following Mitotic Catastrophe, and earning her PhD. Teitel’s journey began with a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree with Distinction in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware. This is when she discovered her interest in research and completed a senior honors thesis in a neuroscience/psychology laboratory. Over the summers of her undergraduate years, she interned at Merck. There, she learned molecular biology techniques and was encouraged to pursue graduate studies.
DiFeo Lab Undergraduate, Harini Ram, named 2025 Astronaut Scholar
In the Department of Pathology, we have scholars at all levels working in our laboratories. One of these, undergraduate Harini Ram, was recently recognized as the recipient of the 2025 Astronaut Scholarship, the only one to receive this scholarship from the University of Michigan this year, and only the 18th in the history of this award. According to the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, this award is presented to students in their junior or senior year of college who are pursuing a STEM field (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) with the intention of conducting research or advancing their field upon completion of their final degree. These scholars represent the “best and brightest minds in STEM who show initiative, creativity, and excellence in their chosen field,” reports the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation.
MCP Student Grace McIntyre Awarded Rogel Cancer Center Graduate Student Scholarship
Richard and Susan Rogel were passionate about supporting the education of the next generation of physicians and researchers. In their honor, the Rogel Cancer Center Graduate Student Scholarship was established. These scholarships are awarded to graduate students who display outstanding potential in the field of cancer research. This year, Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Student Grace McIntyre was selected to receive this $25,000 award.
DiFeo Lab Recognized with Outstanding Journal Article Award
The Molecular and Cancer Therapeutics journal recently awarded Dr. Analisa DiFeo, professor, with their annual Outstanding Journal Article Award for 2025 for her article “Small Molecule Mediated Stabilization of PP2A Modulates the Homologous Recombination Pathway and Potentiates DNA Damage Induced Cell Death.” The journal editors select the best article published over the previous two years, focusing on “articles that have the potential to shift paradigms, inspire translational activity, and raise awareness of new scientific areas.” Articles that exhibit novelty, scientific merit, and impact are prioritized.
Noah Puleo becomes Dr. Noah Puleo
We are excited to announce another new PhD from our Molecular and Cellular Graduate Program! Noah Puleo, PhD, successfully defended his thesis “Identification of Novel Mechanisms and Drivers of Ovarian Cancer Carcinogenesis and Chemotherapy Resistance,” the culmination of his educational journey, which also included a graduate certificate in Precision Health.