Student Representatives & Mentors

Hi GSBS Students! I am currently a fourth year in the Neuro program under the guidance of Drs. McBride and Cisneros. I have always been active in Student Organizations and am excited to bring my experience to the GSO! Having the GSO provide opportunities for GSBS programs to make connections and foster relationships is key to our success and survival as we proceed down this incredibly challenging graduate school journey!

Paityn Warwick, Executive Vice President

Hello everyone! I’m a fifth-year student in the PHTO program studying evolutionary genomics and cardiovascular disease in Dr. Michelle Ward's lab. I have been honored to serve as Executive Secretary of GSO this past year, and I am excited to continue within this amazing organization. I am passionate about representing the interests of our graduate student community and working with new student recruitment! This year, I’ll be contributing my budgeting and organization skills to ensure that GSO can continue to put on high-quality, fun events for our students.

Emma Pfortmiller Elmore, Executive Treasurer

I am a third-year student in the PharmTox program studying the neurobiological and behavioral interactions that govern impulsivity and addiction in Dr. Noelle Anastasio's lab. I am passionate about doing my part in organizing all the exciting events that help make the GSO the connected and inviting community it is! I strive to help foster an inclusive and welcoming environment and look forward to expanding my support to all GSBS students as we march through graduate school together.

Lauren LeDay, Executive Secretary

Executive President

I am a third-year PhD student in the Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology program. Prior to coming to UTMB, I conducted research on emerging avian retroviruses and taught course-based research experiences about bacteriophage isolation and characterization. Currently, my research in the Smith lab focuses on conformational changes of murine norovirus in response to environmental conditions and how those changes correlate to immune evasion and disease pathologies. 

As president of the Graduate Student Organization (GSO), I am committed to serving our students. My goal is the foster a sense of community within our students, act as a voice to bring attention to their needs and continue to work to make graduate school a pleasant experience. Students can reach out to your GSO officers by emailing gso@UTMB.edu. 

Executive Vice President

Greetings, my name is John Hurley, and I am your GSO Vice President. I am a Ph. D. Candidate in the Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology Graduate Program studying within the Cell Biology Track. My research focuses on understanding the role of Transposable Elements in regulating DNA transcription and its impacts on heart development and cardiovascular disease. I am a non-traditional student and believe strongly in supporting student mental health and well-being and believe the best start to addressing those issues is building a strong community and support system for students.

Outside of school and lab, I am passionate about music and am actively searching for choirs and orchestras to join! I am always down for a field trip to Houston for a musical, opera, ballet, concert, etc.

Executive Treasurer

I am a 2nd year student in the Experimental Pathology Program. I received my BS in microbiology from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, CA. While earning my BS, I worked at Promega Sciences synthesizing fluorescent spectroscopy dyes and helped in my university lab to investigate pesticide induced antibiotic resistance.

This past summer I joined the lab of Dr. Vineet Menachery’s which studies pathogenesis mechanisms and identifies potential antiviral targets for Coronaviruses. My project focuses on how SARS-CoV-2 spike protein mutations affect pathogenicity in vivo and in vitro.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as treasurer for GSO and excited to interact with incoming and current students!

Executive Secretary

I am a second-year Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology Ph.D. at UTMB. Before coming to UTMB, I completed my BA in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Anthropology from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon. While there, I researched a specific gene and its effect on the progression of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Post-graduation, I worked as a research tech in a Pancreatic and Leukemia lab studying the gene MYC and its role in those cancers. My current research interests are centered around cancer disparities in minority populations. I am in Dr. Guy Nir’s lab studying genome organization in Leukemia lines, looking specifically at the Philadelphia Chromosome.As the new Secretary of the

Graduate Student Organization (GSO), I am committed to serving the graduate students at UTMB. My goal as secretary is to be a voice for students while working to bring the different programs together.