UTEP Postdoc Association
Upcoming Events
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PDA Leadership Committee
Meet the members of the leadership committee. Together, they advocate for UTEP postdoctoral development, mentorship, and scientific collaboration.
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Dr. Yohannes Getahun is a postdoctoral researcher in the Nanomagnetic Materials Laboratory, specializing in nanomaterials and 2D materials for sustainable energy and spintronic applications. His work on renewable energy and room-temperature van der Waals magnets has earned recognition, including the Best Presenter Award at New Mexico State Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental/Material Science and Engineering, where he developed nano-engineered biomaterials for environmental and biomedical applications. A first-generation student from Africa, Dr. Getahun’s passion for science has driven him to excel in academia, with his research gaining media attention. |
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Dr. Edwin Perez is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success here at UTEP. Dr. Perez is the son of immigrants from Oaxaca, Mexico and comes from a first-generation and low-income background. These identities have been central in shaping his experiences through higher education, serving as both challenges and motivators to work toward transforming our institutions into environments where students who have been historically excluded from higher education can thrive. Dr. Perez received a B.A. in Political Science from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Merced and an M.Ed in Student Affairs from the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles. Most recently, he received a Ph.D. from the Higher Education and Organizational Change program at the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of California, Los Angeles. |
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Dr. Lauren Mena Shook is a postdoctoral fellow at the Diana Natalicio Institute for Hispanic Student Success. Her research agenda examines how discourse, policy, and practice shape inclusion and exclusion within educational systems. |
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Dr. Priscila S. G. Farani will soon transition to an Assistant Professor at UTEP’s School of Pharmacy. With a strong interdisciplinary background in biochemistry, molecular biology, and immunology, her research primarily focuses on tropical infectious diseases, host-pathogen interactions, and biomarker discovery for Chagas disease. |
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Dr. Fabian R. Villagomez is a postdoctoral fellow studying KRAS and oxidative stress in pancreatic cancer. With expertise in therapy resistance, autophagy, and tumor microenvironments, he has led research at top institutions, including the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Colorado Anschutz. A recipient of the HERA Ovarian Cancer Foundation Seed Grant, his work is published in high-impact journals and presented at major conferences. Find out more about his research through his . |
Postdoc Spotlight
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| Priscila Silva Grijó Farani, Ph.D. is a recent Postdoctoral Fellow-turned-Assistant Professor of Research and will soon transition to an Assistant Professor at UTEP’s School of Pharmacy. With a strong interdisciplinary background in biochemistry, molecular biology, and immunology, her research primarily focuses on tropical infectious diseases, host-pathogen interactions, and biomarker discovery for Chagas disease. Dr. Farani earned her Pharmacy degree (B.Sc. Pharm.) and Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Brazil, followed by a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the prestigious Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz). During her doctoral research, she investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy, identifying key microRNAs as potential therapeutic targets, a study that earned her the Oswaldo Cruz Best Dissertation Award in Applied Biological Sciences and Biomedicine (2022). Currently, her research at UTEP, under the mentorship of Dr. Igor de Almeida, involves multi-omics approaches to uncover diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for Chagas disease. She plays a crucial role in the New Therapies and Biomarkers for Chagas Infection (TESEO) clinical trial in Bolivia, aiming to improve treatment strategies for this neglected disease. Her expertise spans mass spectrometry-based proteomics, transcriptomics, and molecular parasitology, making significant contributions to the field. Beyond her research, Dr. Farani is deeply involved in mentoring, scientific leadership, and professional development. She was the founder and the first chair of the UTEP Postdoctoral Association, co-chair of the Gordon Research Conferences, and serves as a Review Editor for Frontiers in Microbiology. Fun fact, she founded the UTEP Postdoctoral Association! |
Resources for Postdocs
Best Practices
Mentoring
The Graduate School recognizes the value of mentoring and recommends that postdocs actively seek mentoring relationships with faculty members and administrators at UTEP and in their field at other institutions or through professional associations. Different mentors may provide different types of assistance. Mentors should introduce postdocs to established people in the field, teach norms and best practices of the discipline, and work with mentees to create an Individual Development Plan.
The links at the bottom of the page provide information and resources on a number of topics related to mentoring. Importantly, opportunities are provided by the Director of Postdoctoral Affairs and Graduate Fellowships as well as other UTEP departments such as the Institute for Scholarship, Pedagogy, Innovation, and Research Excellence (InSPIRE). A good mentoring relationship is crucial to the success of postdoctoral scholars as they develop original research ideas and move toward greater independence and maturity. Indeed, mentoring the next generation of scholars is a shared professional responsibility of all members of the academy.
Inclusive Excellence
The Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é of Texas at El Paso is committed to providing equal opportunity to all employees and individuals seeking employment or access to its programs, facilities or services, and will not discriminate against these persons on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, or gender identity. In addition to this commitment, the Ãå±±ÂÖ¼é will take affirmative steps to insure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated, during all aspects of employment, in a non-discriminatory manner. The National Postdoctoral Association website provides a .
Additional Resources
Contacts
Stephen Crites, Ph.D.
scrites@utep.edu
Dean of the Graduate School &
Associate Provost for Graduate Studies
mlong3@utep.edu
Director of Postdoctoral Affairs & Graduate Fellowships
Graduate School
PDA Photo Gallery
