Graduate student earns PhD, helps grow therapeutics and pharmacology program along the way

Rolando Vedia in the lab with co-mentor Sijie Lu, PhD (left) and advisor Jeffrey Molldrem, MD (right). (Photo by UTHealth Houston)

For Rolando Vedia, MS, the path to earning his PhD at the The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) began more than eight years ago—as a summer student still deciding his future.

“I originally learned about GSBS when I was a summer student in 2015 at UTHealth and Rice University. At the time, I was on the fence about pursuing a career in medicine, but I really enjoyed research,” he said. 

That early experience set him on a path that would define the next chapter of his life. Eight years later, after earning his Master of Science and continuing into doctoral training, Vedia is now graduating with his PhD in the Therapeutics and Pharmacology (TAP) program.

Finding the right path

Vedia describes his time at the Graduate School as both challenging and deeply rewarding.

His experience in the TAP program was especially formative. Vedia joined TAP during a period of transition and growth, when students were encouraged to take an active role in shaping the program’s direction.

“I was lucky to have joined TAP at a time when the previous director, Bill Plunkett, PhD, empowered us to grow the program and show everything it has to offer,” Vedia said. “Therapeutics plays a role in everything—I enjoyed helping build the program into its next phase alongside the current co-directors, Ali Azhdarinia, PhD, and Sunil Krishnan, MD, and the student leadership team.”

A community of support

Throughout his training, Vedia credits his success to the people around him—from mentors and lab members to Graduate School staff.

He spent seven years in the lab of his advisor, Jeffrey Molldrem, MD, alongside co-mentor Sijie Lu, PhD.

“They were absolutely incredible. Every challenge I faced came with a village of support that made it easier,” Vedia said. 

That sense of support extended across the Graduate School—including GSBS staff Natalie Sirisaengtaksin, PhD; Raquel Salinas, PhD; Dawn Wolf-Taylor, MA; Laura Rademacher, MEd; and Cherilynn R. Shadding, PhD, as well as former staff members including Cheryl (Spitz) Spitzenberger; Lily D'Agostino; Barbara Gaughan, PhD; and Eric Swindell, PhD—for helping guide him through the demands of graduate training.

Advancing cancer therapies

Vedia’s research focused on improving the safety of cutting-edge immunotherapies.

His work explored ways to reduce off-tumor toxicities in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies—powerful treatments that have shown promising outcomes for patients but can come with significant side effects.

“My work focused on finding ways to minimize those side effects using the foundational building blocks of our genome,” Vedia said. 

Research excellence and student leadership

During his time at the Graduate School, Vedia received multiple honors, including the Sylvan Rodriguez Foundation Scholarship Honoring George M. Stancel and the Helmuth and Mary Fuchs and James Waterston Jr. Endowed Scholarship. He also earned a Minority Graduate Student Abstract Achievement Award at the American Society of Hematology annual meeting.

Beyond research, he made a lasting impact through service and leadership. As a GSBS Student Ambassador, he helped recruit future students, and as a leader in the LGBTQ+ Student Alliance, he contributed to building a more inclusive community.

Extending impact beyond the lab

Vedia has already begun the next phase of his career as a Research Scientist and Laboratory Manager at UT MD Anderson, where he is combining bench science with research operations, finance, and compliance.

“My hope is to continue along the administrative and management path in either academia or industry, and continue to enable the progression of research,” he said. 

The people behind the journey

As he prepares to walk the commencement stage, Vedia reflects on the people who made the journey possible.

“None of this would have been possible without my parents, my brother, my friends, and the lifelong friendships I made here,” he said.” 

Vedia's message to others considering the same path is simple:

“It takes a village. So, thank you. And to anyone considering graduate school—choose GSBS,” Vedia said.