Biochemistry graduate student Mai Abdusamad (Torres group) has been awarded a prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (NIH F31).

The NIH F31 award, formally known as the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows, is a prestigious grant given by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It aims to support promising predoctoral students in their research endeavors, providing them with the necessary resources to pursue advanced training in biomedical, behavioral, or clinical research.

Working with her mentor, Professor Jorge Torres, Mai’s research focuses on elucidating the mechanism of novel cell cycle checkpoints in the context of cancer cell division and death. Specifically, Mai received the award for her work centered around defining how the phosphatase DUSP12 regulates cancer cell division and apoptosis. Disruptions in cell division can lead to mitotic errors, resulting in cell death or tumorigenesis. As protein phosphatases—like DUSP12—emerge as promising targets for cancer treatment due to their role in regulating critical cell cycle pathways, clarifying their function in cell division becomes increasingly critical to understanding the genetic and molecular basis of cancer progression. Using a combination of genetic, imaging, and proteomic methods, Mai’s proposed research will provide insights into the importance of DUSP12 in mediating cell fate and investigate how its misregulation contributes to abnormal proliferation. These studies can lead to an improved understanding of cancer biology and ultimately to new therapeutic options for cancer patients.

Mai received her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from UCLA. As an undergraduate student, she developed an interest in cancer biology while working in the Torres group, where she characterized the role of a novel protein in cell division and its implications in cancer. After graduation, Mai joined the Broad Institute as a research associate and Broad Cancer Genomics Scholar in the lab of Professor Todd Golub. At the Broad, she worked on multiple projects that contribute to the generation of a Cancer Dependency Map—a comprehensive preclinical reference map linking genetic features of cancers to vulnerabilities to identify targets for therapeutic discovery. She then entered the M.D./Ph.D. program at University of California, Davis, where she completed her first two years of medical school before joining the biochemistry graduate program at UCLA, working in the Torres group. After graduating, Mai will complete her medical training at UC Davis with plans to pursue a career as a physician-scientist.

Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.