THINC News - 2025
THINC hosts successful beyond academia career panel
December 3, 2025 - The Center invited a panel of scientists to speak about their unique career paths outside of the traditional academic environment. The panelist candidly shared their experiences, lessons learned and advice with trainees and early career scientists from across THINC, BCM and TMC.
The Westbrook Lab is awarded an individual investigator CPRIT Grant
November 20, 2025 - Dr. Trey Westbrook, Executive Director of THINC and Professor of Molecular and Human Genetics and Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, received an individual investigator award of $900,000 to perform research on the HuSH complex as an immune-oncology target in TNBC. Overall, Baylor College of Medicine researchers were awarded more than $15 million in grants by the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to support innovative cancer research, treatments and prevention measures.
Congratulations: 2025 Research Mentor Champion for Medical Students
November 17, 2025 - Dr. Angela Yu, THINC faculty member and assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology, was recognized as one of Baylor College of Medicine distinguished 2025 Research Mentor Champions for Medical Students!
Recent Cancer Discovery Publication from the Westbrook Lab
August 11, 2025 - Dr. Trey Westbrook, Executive Director of THINC and Professor in Molecular and Human Genetic and Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and Dr. Nick Neill, Staff Scientist in the Westbrook Lab, published their work revealing a new vulnerability in triple negative breast cancer. The study can be found in Cancer Discovery!
The Mustoe Lab publishes in Nature Communications
July 25, 2025 - Dr. Tony Mustoe, THINC faculty member and assistant professor in Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and Khoa Dao, graduate student in the Mustoe lab, published their work describing the unexpected discovery that cryptic splicing significantly impacts measurements made in 3' UTR massively parallel reporter assays. Read all about their findings in Nature Communications!
Dr. Jeffrey Rosen receives Komen Leadership grant
June 23, 2025 - Dr. Rosen, THINC member and Distinguished Service Professor in molecular and cellular biology, was awarded the Susan G. Komen Leadership Grant to support his work at the intersection of breast cancer disease mechanisms and models.
THINC attends 30th Annual RNA Society Meeting
May 27, 2025 - Several THINC faculty and trainees headed to San Diego for a week of seminars covering all aspects of the latest RNA science. Congratulations to Surbhi Sharma, Ritwika Bose, Zhuoyi Song and Rebekah Rothacher for presenting excellent talks and Justin Van Riper for winning a poster award!
Dr. Angela Yu featured in RNA society member spotlight
May 6, 2025 - Dr. Angela Yu, THINC faculty member and assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology, was featured in May’s RNA society member spotlight.
Dr. Peggy Goodell elected to the national academy of sciences
April 29, 2025 - Dr. Goodell, THINC member professor and chair of molecular and cellular biology, was elected to the National Academy of Sciences joining 120 new members this year. Her election was in recognition of her distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Congratulations on this honor!
THINC moves to Dynamic one in helix park
March 14, 2025 - THINC completes its much-anticipated move to Dynamic One in Helix Park, a 37-acre ecosystem bringing together the brightest minds in medicine, science and academia to rapidly advance new breakthroughs. THINC will join the Tailored Antibacterials and Innovative Laboratories for phage (Φ) Research (TAILΦR) and the Alkek Center for Metagenomics and Microbiome Research (CMMR), which together are poised to accelerate research and commercialization through an entrepreneurial spirit.
DR. Eric van nostrand and colleagues publish in genome biology
February 25, 2025 - Dr. Eric Van Nostrand, THINC faculty member and assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular pharmacology, and Joey Song, a graduate student in the Van Nostrand lab, published their work describing new technology to map snoRNA interactions with their RNA targets via snoRNA binding proteins. Read about this exciting work in Genome Biology!
Dr. Angela yu joins THINC as a new faculty member
January 6, 2025 - Dr. Angela Yu, THINC’s newest faculty recruit, has officially opened her lab. Her group will utilize AI and machine learning approaches to better understand RNA regulation and structure and apply her learnings to the development of new therapeutics.