Ricardo Martinez
M.D./Ph.D. Student
Ricardo Martinez is a graduate student in the (MD/PhD Program) studying liver cancer under the mentorship of Ratna K. Vadlamudi, PhD and Suryavathi Viswanadhapalli, PhD. For his research, Ricardo is studying novel small molecule therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma. For his clinical specialty, he is considering Hematology/Oncology.
About Me
I am a South 17³Ô¹ÏÍø native originally from the border city of Laredo. I completed my Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology with a minor in Music Performance at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø A&M International University. Throughout my undergraduate years, I actively participated in the symphonic band and the 'Mariachi Internacional' group. Additionally, I gained valuable experience as an academic tutor at the university learning center, where I assisted students with biology, math, and music theory classes. After graduating, I continued my educational journey at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø, where I obtained my Master of Science degree in Biology. My graduate thesis focused on the genomic and transcriptomic analysis of Shiga-toxin producing enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. Following my graduate studies, I spent a gap year in Dickinson, 17³Ô¹ÏÍø, where I lived with my wife and worked as a medical scribe. Now, I am thrilled to be back in San Antonio as a trainee in the South 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Medical Scientist Training Program.
Hobbies/Interests
I enjoy playing the trumpet, chess, video games, cooking and tasting new foods, and going for walks in the park.
Research Topic
Cancer Biology
Why I chose MD/PhD
By choosing to pursue a joint MD/PhD program, I sought to integrate my goal of becoming a physician who could help patients on an individual basis and my goal of becoming a medical researcher who could work to improve the quality of life for patients around the world.
Why I chose MD/PhD at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø
Ever since my first interview at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø, the strength of the community between students in the program and the passion exhibited by program leadership have been immediately apparent. This, combined with the excellent faculty mentors and research opportunities on campus, made selecting this program for my MD/PhD training an easy choice.
Education
B.A., Biology/Music, 17³Ô¹ÏÍø A & M International University, 2018
M.S., Biology, University of 17³Ô¹ÏÍø at San Antonio, 2021
Publications
Allué-Guardia, A., Koenig, S. S., Martinez, R. A., Rodriguez, A. L., Bosilevac, J. M., Feng, P.,
& Eppinger, M. (2022). Pathogenomes and variations in shiga toxin production among
geographically distinct clones of escherichia coli O113:H21. Microbial Genomics, 8(4).