Biomolecular Sciences Institute
Professor’s Research in Biomolecular Sciences Helps Cancer Patients
Biomolecular sciences, genome topology and bacterial infections – these are just a few of Dr. Yuk-Ching Tse-Dinh’s favorite topics. And as the director of the Biomolecular Sciences Institute in the FIU College of Arts & Sciences’ School of Integrated Science and Humanity, she is able to pursue them all with the added benefit that the results of this research will quite literally change lives.
Specifically, using multidisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Tse-Dinh and her colleagues are currently researching new drugs that can be used to treat cancer and bacterial infections.
“I believe that scientists with unique expertise need to work together so that breakthrough progress can be made on important research problems,” said Dr. Tse-Dinh, who began her research as a graduate student at Harvard University in 1977.
Now, thanks to a $75,000 gift, Dr. Tse-Dinh and several other FIU scientists have received the funding they need to further their research and help make a positive difference in the lives of cancer patients.
As is common practice at FIU, students also have the opportunity to learn firsthand and discover cutting-edge research during the course of their academic career. Involving students in her team’s research is one of the things Dr. Tse-Dinh says inspires her the most.
“Students are the source of the dedication, hard work and critical thinking that are needed for gaining new knowledge and solving scientific problems,” she said about the importance of including students in the lab. “They have become my intellectual partners in formulating the research strategy and deciphering how the experimental results fit the puzzle.”
Ultimately, thanks to the support of donors, Dr. Tse-Dinh said she is excited that she, her colleagues and students at the Biomolecular Sciences Institute are on the cusp of identifying predictive biomarkers that will improve the success of treatment options for brain cancer patients with glioblastoma.
“We strive to make significant discoveries in molecular sciences that would have translational impact on human health and wellness,” Dr. Tse-Dinh said.
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