Adam Sacks
Alumni Student
Adam Sacks is a student in the South 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD program) who recently completed his PhD studying DNA repair under the mentorship of Patrick Sung, D.Phil. For his research, Adam studied the mechanism by which the Shieldin complex controls DNA end resection via its inhibitory action on the 5’-3’ exonuclease EXO1. His work provides information beneficial for helping predict cancer drug response and identifying new targets for the development of cancer therapeutics. He hopes to use his research training to improve long-term care for patients living with disability. Adam has a particular interest in cancer survivorship and rehabilitation and will be applying to Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R).
About Me
Born in Miami, raised in Pittsburgh, and living in 17³Ô¹ÏÍø for the past 15 years, I am fortunate to have ended up here in San Antonio. I have enjoyed getting to know this city and the many good people at our school. Regarding my interest in medicine, I first chose to pursue a medical career after having open-heart surgery during high school. My career aspirations further focused through numerous personal and professional experiences. I’m now dedicated to working in the field of rehabilitation medicine and using my dual degree-training to help those living with chronic illness. More personally, I’m married to my wonderful wife Michelle, who is currently an MFM fellow here at UT Health SA. We are proud cat parents, and I am always happy to provide complimentary cat pictures.
Hobbies/Interests
Outside medicine, I stay active through cycling, rowing, swimming, and weightlifting. I love history, languages, and niche YouTube Deep Dives. I also enjoy reading, movies (especially Lord of the Rings), video games, and cooking new recipes.
Research Topic
Functional complications of malignancy, disability medicine, neuromuscular medicine, pediatric rehabilitation
Why I chose MD/PhD
During the summer after my senior year of college, I rode a charity bike-ride from Austin, 17³Ô¹ÏÍø to Anchorage, Alaska. During this ride, I met with many researchers and was deeply inspired by their work. Motivated by this experience, I pursued a dual-degree training so that I could combine my passions for patient care and science, ultimately allowing me to bring long-lasting change to my future patients.
Why I chose MD/PhD at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø
As an internal transfer, I chose to switch from an MD-only education to the MD/PhD training because I felt that this path better suited my professional goals. It was clear that STX MSTP was a very welcoming, collaborative program that would support me over my many years of training. I am very grateful for the training that I have received, and I feel fully prepared for my future career.
Post-bac work or other affiliations
Research Assistant, Xhemalce lab
University of 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Austin
Education
B.S., Neuroscience, University of 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Austin, 2017
Ph.D., Integrated Biomedical Sciences, UT Health San Antonio, 2025