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.
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.
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.
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.
Department of Pathology faculty member, Analisa DiFeo, PhD, has been named a 2024 Rogel Scholar by Michigan Medicine. The award supports exceptional faculty dedicated to achieving impact on cancer prevention, patient outcomes, and quality of life. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Analisa DiFeo on this prestigious award!
The American Association for Cancer Research recently released their 2024 Women in Cancer Research Scholar Awards and Rita A. Avelar, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow in the DiFeo Laboratory, was one of just twelve women scholars awarded. This award is presented to early-career, meritorious female scientists at the AACR Annual Meeting, which will be held April 5-10, 2024, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California.