Office
of Education, Training & International Services
OETIS Launches Innovative Business Development Workshop Series to Bridge Science and Commercialization
By: Nisha Cavanaugh, PhD
Recognizing the growing importance of translating research into market-ready solutions, the Institute is expanding business development knowledge among faculty, postdocs, and graduate students. The Office of Education, Training, and International Services (OETIS) successfully launched two brand-new workshop series designed to increase Institute researchers' business development education and knowledge of translating scientific discoveries:
• The Business of Drug Discovery (BDD) for postdocs and graduate students (October 2024 – April 2025)
• Lab to Market for faculty (October & November 2024)
In this Issue
New Business Development Workshop Series
2025 GSBS Retreat Highlights
NPA Meeting: Collaboration & Mentorship
Postdoc Town Hall Launches
SBP Hosts 4th Annual Pride Flag Raising Dr. Kumsta Named Educator of the Year
Mentorship at 2025 ASBMB Meeting
Graduate Student & Postdoc Highlights
Graduate Student & Postdoc Counts
Both series were taught by Dr Vish Krishnan (Chaired Professor at UC San Diego) who guided participants through essential concepts including economic principles, start-up company formation, and market analysis
A highlight of the BDD series was an innovative startup simulation where student pairs received virtual funding to launch their own companies and track their financial performance over one week Graduate students Sophie Hao (Dong lab) and Te-Xia Loh (Wang lab) emerged as winners, crediting their success to a systematic approach: "This experience helped us understand how consumer and business actions can be broken down into mathematical optimization problems "
The series culminated with student-led presentations where participants pitched hypothetical companies, incorporating business principles and strategies learned throughout the program This capstone experience allowed students to demonstrate their mastery of key concepts in a practical, career-relevant format
OETIS and Business Development plan to expand business development programming with workshops and seminars featuring successful entrepreneurs The success of these inaugural workshop series represents a significant step forward in preparing Institute researchers to navigate the complex landscape of scientific commercialization and entrepreneurship.
Celebrating Student-Led Science at the 2025 GSBS Retreat
The 2025 GSBS Retreat, held May 7-9 at the Lakehouse in San Marcos, offered a collaborative and inspiring space for students to connect, share their science, and strengthen our graduate community. This three-day, student-led event featured poster presentations from firstand second-year students, and oral presentations from students in their third year and beyond.
By: Megan Elyamani
Dr. Ryo Sanabria, Assistant Professor of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, delivered the keynote address, sharing insights into his research and academic journey By popular vote, the Retreat also featured two informative workshops on strategic career planning led by Dr Diane Klotz and on impactful graphic design in science led by Dr Will Wang
The Retreat concluded with a celebration of student achievements: Michaela Romero, a sixth-year student, received the Howling Coyote trophy for best oral presentation (pictured left), while Caitlin Lange and Jeffrey Snowbarger, both second-year students, tied for the Coyote Paw award for best poster presentation (pictured right).
Sharing Best Practices at the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) Annual Meeting: MultiInstitutional Collaboration and Mentor Communication
By: Nisha Cavanaugh, PhD
The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) enhances the postdoctoral experience through professional development, awareness initiatives, and community collaboration. The 2025 Annual Meeting (March 21-22, Boston) brought together postdocs, faculty, and postdoc office administrators to share best practices and address postdoctoral community challenges In my role as the NPA representative for Sanford Burnham Prebys, I submitted two abstracts and was selected to give two talks at this year’s annual meeting
Torrey
Pines Training Consortium (TPTC): A model for expanding professional development through multi-institutional collaborations
This short talk, in collaboration with Heather Dillon at UC San Diego and B Bea Rajsombath at Salk, showcased how postdoc offices on the Torrey Pines Mesa have shared resources for nearly fifteen years to create high-impact career development programs for postdocs The presentation proposed this collaborative model for other geographically proximate institutions to adopt and expand their programming.
Mentoring Up: Effective strategies for approaching difficult conversations with your faculty mentor.
This workshop, in collaboration with Heather Dillon at UC San Diego, equipped postdocs with practical strategies for navigating challenging conversations with faculty mentors. More than 100 postdocs and postdoc office administrators interacted in small group activities that helped them to identify underlying conflict issues and emotions, clarify their goals for having a difficult conversation, and create a plan of action for approaching the conversation with their mentor.
These talks were emblematic of Sanford Burnham Prebys' strategic efforts to partner with other institutions on the Torrey Pines Mesa to achieve a community impact that is much larger than the size of our Institute In continuing these efforts, we aim for the Institute to be recognized as a hub for scientific community engagement
Postdoc Town Hall Launches to Elevate Voices and Foster Community
By: Jessica Proulx, PhD (Postdoctoral Associate, Adams Lab; PTAG Representative)
The new Postdoc Town Hall series, launched on April 24, 2025, marks an exciting initiative led by the postdoctoral members of the Postdoctoral Training Advisory Group (PTAG). Hosted quarterly, these events are designed to keep the SBP postdoc community informed and engaged
The Town Halls provide updates on key initiatives from PTAG, OETIS, and the SBP Science Network (SBP-SN), while also offering a platform for postdocs to share ideas, feedback, and questions. PTAG representatives meet monthly with OETIS to advocate for the postdoc community, using insights gathered through these sessions to shape future programming.
Sanford Burnham Pre Celebrates 4th Annual Flag Raising Ceremon
By: Lauren Mitchell, MS
For the fourth consecutive year, th proudly raised the Pride flag o campus, continuing a deeply cherishe that underscores our unwavering co to creating a supportive commu every individual is celebrated for wh
The inaugural event saw strong attendance and active discussion, with valuable feedback shared on current professional development activities and ongoing initiatives to improve the postdoctoral training and experience at SBP. Attendees had the opportunity to connect directly with PTAG and leadership in a candid, collaborative setting
Looking ahead, the Town Halls aim to deepen engagement, enhance transparency, and highlight opportunities that support postdoc growth. The next Postdoc Town Hall will be hosted during the National Postdoc Appreciation Week, September 16th, 2025. We encourage all postdocs to attend future sessions and make their voices heard.
As in years past, the ceremony brought together employees, students, and leadership to celebrate this meaningful symbol of acceptance and belonging as it was hoisted along with the Institute’s standard American flag.
The annual event has become a cornerstone moment that invites all members of the community to briefly step away from their labs and offices to remind each other of our mutual dedication to ensuring that everyone at Sanford Burnham Prebys feels valued, respected, and empowered to bring their authentic selves to work.
Honoring Excellence: Dr. Caroline Kumsta Named Educator of the Year
By: Megan Elyamani
The flag will remain prominently displayed throughout Pride Month and into July, as San Diego’s Pride festivities are always scheduled to avoid “June gloom” This year’s flag raising marks another milestone in the Institute’s journey toward becoming a beacon of engagement and belonging for the Torrey Pines Mesa research community.
Dr Caroline Kumsta was honored with the Educator of the Year Award at the 2025 GSBS Retreat Banquet Dinner in recognition of her exceptional contributions to graduate education, mentorship, and leadership. As Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Kumsta plays a pivotal role in supporting student success across the graduate school She currently mentors two graduate students, serves on four thesis committees, serves as a module lead for Molecules to Systems, and teaches two separate tutorials. Her dedication to students, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to academic excellence make her a key member of the GSBS community This award recognizes Dr Kumsta’s efforts to enhance the graduate training experience and her lasting impact on students.
Dr Alessandra Sacco (pictured right), Dean of the Graduate School, presenting Dr. Caroline Kumsta (pictured left) with the Crystal Apple Award.
Mentorship and Career Development at the 2025 ASBMB Annual Meeting
By: Nisha Cavanaugh, PhD
I have actively served on the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Education & Professional Development Committee for four years, including two years as Chair of the Grad/Postdoc Subcommittee The ASBMB Annual Meeting (April 12-15, Chicago) convened biomedical researchers from undergraduate students to faculty members to share the latest scientific discoveries and discuss best practices in biomedical education and training. I was invited to chair a symposium session entitled “Mentoring reimagined: Elevating careers and empowering talent” and present a Career Hub workshop.
Fostering Scientific Talent: Mentorship & Career Growth for Early-Career Scientists
This symposium presentation highlighted tools and resources developed at Sanford Burnham Prebys to cultivate effective mentoring practices for the professional growth and career development of postdocs and graduate students
Other symposium speakers included Professors Kenzie Cameron (Northwestern University), Jorge Torres (UCLA), and Laura de Lorenzo Barrios (University of New Mexico)
Preparing Your Resume for an Industry or NonAcademic Job
This short talk addressed key differences between CVs and resumes for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs Attendees learned practical strategies for crafting resumes that effectively highlight relevant skills and research experience for industry and non-faculty positions.
I strongly believe in the value of our professional and career development opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys, and it was an honor to represent the Institute in sharing this value with the broader research community
Upcoming Events
Congratulations to Dr. Rema Iyer!
Dr. Rema Iyer successfully defended her PhD thesis on June 6, 2025
Dr. Iyer conducted her thesis research “Breaking Bad Fusions: Targeting the SS18::SSX Oncofusion in Synovial Sarcoma,” under the mentorship of Dr. Ani Deshpande.
Recent Postdoc & Graduate Student Accomplishments
In May, Jessica Proulx, PhD, a postdoc in the Adams Lab gave a talk at the Annual American Aging Association Meeting in Anchorage, Alaska! The title of her talk was, “Investigating the role and therapeutic potential of HNF4 in loss of hepatocyte cell identity with age.”.
Congratula graduate s group, for fellowship regulates p in pancreat
In April, Emily Wu, a graduate student in the Cosford Lab, received a Poster Award at the Drug Discovery Chemistry conference for her work on developing degrader for striatalenriched protein tyrosine phosphastase (STEP) in Alzheimer’s disease
GRADUATE STUDENTS
Office of Education, Training & International Services
Diane Klotz, PhD Chief Learning Officer
Associate Dean, Administration & Professional Development
Education & Training
Nisha Cavanaugh, PhD
Associate Director, Career Development & Postdoctoral Programs
Nicole Villa, MA Program Coordinator, OETIS
International Services
Mitchell Furumoto, MSEd
Associate Director, International Services
Angelica Rocha, PhD Associate Director, Institutional Research & Academic Planning
Megan Elyamani Academic Programs Specialist & Registrar
Susie Bolor Senior International Advisor
Workforce Engagement & Belonging (WEB)
Lauren Mitchell, MS Director, WEB
Leadership Support
Alessandra Sacco, PhD Dean, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Linda Bradley, PhD Faculty Advisor, Postdoctoral Training
Sara Sandoval, MS Recruitment, Admissions, and PhD Pathways Programs Manager