Ph.D. student testimonials
"My experience in the OHR PhD Program built a wonderful foundation for my career in the life sciences. My mentor, Dr. Todd Kitten, was incredibly receptive to my ideas and initiatives. He always supported my desires to present my research at conferences, write grant proposals, and learn new techniques. His mentorship, as well as the support of the entire OHR program, provided me with the skills and knowledge to succeed in my position at a contract research organization. Although I'm not currently in the field of microbiology research, I use the expertise I obtained from navigating the challenges of graduate research projects in my work every day."
Dr. (Puccio) Traynor (2020), Scientist III/Bioanalytical Project Manager at BioAgilytix
"The mentorship I received at VCU’s Philips Institute was deeply affirming, and the program’s curricular flexibility let me explore research that truly resonated with me. With strong support for grant writing, conferences, and career prep, I graduated feeling confident and connected, ready to step into the next chapter with clarity and purpose. More than anything, this graduate program nurtured my growth not only as a researcher, but as a person."
Dr. Prabhakar (2021), Assistant Professor, VCU
"The PhD program at VCU Philips Institute provided me with an excellent mentor, Dr. Anthony Faber. I am very interested in work on personalized medicine for subsets of genetically defined cancers. Under his guidance, I transformed from a student into an independent researcher making significant original contributions resulting in publications."
Dr. Kurupi (2022) Post-doc Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Oncology. Washington University Medicine
"My time in the OHR PhD program afforded me the space and experiences to grow at both the professional and personal levels. My mentor Dr. Huizhi Wang provided unwavering support during my dissertation project and always found time to discuss the progress of my research. As a student, I had various opportunities to practice presenting my dissertation research through annual seminar presentations and poster presentations, which simultaneously provided awards for travel to two different international conferences. I discovered a passion for science communication which the Philips Institute allowed me to explore through extracurricular article writing and lecture teaching. Within the Philips Institute there is a unifying commitment to teamwork, scientific rigor, and the discovery of novel treatments. As a graduate of the PhD program, I feel fully prepared to enter postdoctoral positions and confident in my ability to make a difference in the dissemination of science to widespread audiences."
Dr. Lohner (2024) Post-doc, VCU