Leading with curiosity to advance discovery and student success

In every healthcare university, there are leaders whose journeys, passions, and commitments shape the experiences of students and the future.

The Beyond the CV series looks past the bios of the deans leading UTHealth Houston’s schools to explore their personal motivations, defining moments, and guiding philosophies.

In this installment, Alejandro Aballay, PhD, dean of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, reflects on his path from a curious young scientist fascinated by genetics and the immune system to an academic leader dedicated to fostering independent, adaptable, and data-fluent scientists.

Why did you pursue a career in science?

Since I was a young kid, I knew I wanted to be a scientist. Very early on, I used to read a lot about genetics, how the universe was formed, and I was always excited about asking those questions. Since a very young age, I knew that this was the right path for me.

What is incredibly rewarding about science is having an idea, testing it experimentally, and seeing the data support that idea. Most of the time, of course, the experiments do not go the way you expected. You develop hypotheses, plan experiments, and many times you are disappointed. But when things work, and the data support your hypothesis, that process is extremely rewarding. That is what drives many scientists to continue asking questions and pushing discovery forward.

There were really two things that drew me into my field. Early on, when I started working with C. elegans, it was the only organism with a fully sequenced genome, which gave us a unique opportunity to ask biological questions in a very precise way using genetic approaches that were not possible in other systems at the time. At the same time, I was always fascinated by how organisms defend themselves, how the immune system protects against infections, cancer, and different forms of stress. That combination of powerful experimental tools and fundamental biological questions is what ultimately pulled me into that area of research.

I still maintain a research lab, although as dean my role has shifted more toward higher education leadership and administration. Part of that transition has also been incredibly rewarding. While I am no longer the one doing experiments at the bench, I still think about science every day, and I now have the opportunity to help create pathways and opportunities for others to succeed in science. It is still deeply connected to science, just at a different level.

You've accomplished so much in your career—you've published, won awards, and lived all over the country. How do you keep evolving and stay motivated?

In science, you are always evolving. Every discovery opens new questions, so you are constantly learning new concepts, new technologies, and new ways of thinking about problems. It really never stops, and that is part of what makes science so exciting.

As dean, the role is different but equally dynamic. I spend a lot of time thinking about where graduate education needs to go, what skills our students will need in the future, and what the scientific workforce will look like over the next 10 to 20 years. Biomedical science is changing very quickly right now, so part of our responsibility is to make sure students are prepared for that future.

The motivation is built into the work itself. In science, it is curiosity. In leadership and education, it is seeing students succeed and knowing we helped create part of their path.

Can you tell us about a proud moment in your career when you greatly impacted a student?

There isn't a single moment in my career that made me particularly proud; it's more of a pattern you see over time. What I find most rewarding is when students really take ownership of their research projects. At some point, it shifts from following guidance to driving the project themselves. You see the confidence, the independence, the excitement in their eyes, and that's most rewarding.

That particular transition is incredibly meaningful because that's when they truly become scientists, independent thinkers.

Are there several moments during your tenure as dean that stand out?

Yes, there are several moments during my tenure as dean that stand out. Commencement is always special. Seeing students walk across the stage and knowing where they started and where they are going never gets old.

I also really enjoy the lab coat ceremony. It happens earlier in the students’ journey, when they commit to joining a lab and beginning the next stage of their scientific training. They are there with mentors, family, and friends, and you can really feel the excitement surrounding that new beginning. It is a different kind of milestone, but equally meaningful.

What makes The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences unique?

As dean of the graduate school, I have the privilege of leading a school that represents a true partnership between two extraordinary institutions: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Houston. Because of that partnership, our students have access to an incredible breadth of mentors.

We have about 700 labs and research environments where students can pursue their graduate studies. We have programs spanning everything from infectious diseases and neurodegeneration to cancer and data science. That breadth allows students to find the right fit scientifically, personally, and professionally, which is critical for success.

We are also a very student-centric school. We spend a lot of time advising and mentoring students, not only once they arrive, but throughout their entire path to graduation and into the next stages of their careers. We are also fortunate to provide substantial scholarship and fellowship support through our endowments, with more than 130 scholarships and fellowships supporting our trainees.

What qualities do you want graduates to leave with as they pursue the next steps in their careers?

First and foremost, we want our students to leave the school as independent and critical thinkers. We want them to be able to analyze data rigorously, question assumptions, and not take things for granted. Beyond that, adaptability is extremely important because science evolves very quickly, and students need to be comfortable learning new concepts, incorporating new technologies, and changing directions when necessary.

At the end of the day, we want students to be able to define problems, not simply solve them. That level of independence is what will carry them forward regardless of the career path they pursue.

Science has always required scientific discourse, proposing ideas, hearing different perspectives, and being challenged by colleagues and experts in the field. Today, because research is increasingly interdisciplinary, collaboration has become even more essential. No single individual can know everything required to tackle complex multidisciplinary problems.

What excites you most about the future of biomedical sciences and biomedical sciences education, and how is your school preparing for that future?

The scale at which we are generating data right now is unprecedented. We can ask questions today that were simply not possible before.

Data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the integration between biology and engineering are transforming biomedical sciences and medicine. What excites me the most is the ability to integrate concepts across disciplines, from molecular biology all the way to systems-level understanding.

At our school, we are adapting to these changes by incorporating quantitative and computational approaches into training and making sure students are fluent not only in biology but also in these emerging areas. That combination will define the next generation of scientists.

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people don't know.

Most people know that I love music and going to concerts, but many people probably do not know that I absolutely cannot sing. No matter how hard I try, I cannot hold a note.

And I also love doing experiments. It's been a while since I did an experiment in the lab. I do not do that anymore, but I continue to experiment. Right now, I just do that in the kitchen over different recipes.

Is there anything that you're passionate about in life right now outside of your career?

I still love reading, especially science fiction. I'm a scientist. I love science fiction. I have always been fascinated by science, the future, technology, and discovery. I'm a geek, I've seen all the Star Trek movies, all the Star Trek series and spin-offs. I also love sports and have practiced sports since childhood. Right now, I'm getting back into tennis, and I also love skiing. I grew up in Mendoza, Argentina, surrounded by beautiful mountains, where I started skiing since I was a kid. It's a little bit more challenging to do that from Texas, but I manage to do at least one ski trip a year.