SW New Mexico News

Mike Lopez, a recent graduate of New Mexico State University (NMSU), has been selected as one of 10 post-baccalaureate genome analysts for the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG)-National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Genomics and Public Service Fellowship. This fellowship is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and will span two years starting July 1.

“I believe this opportunity is going to help boost my credibility as a scientist and help take me closer towards my future goals,” said Lopez. “My personal and professional goals center around human genomics. I am focused on how I can try to help improve personalized healthcare, whether that be through making it more accessible to more of the general population or improving upon its accuracy.”

The fellowship program has expanded to include new training opportunities for graduate and post-baccalaureate fellows in genetics education, engagement, public policy, and genomics communications. NHGRI Director Eric Green expressed enthusiasm about the initiative: “NHGRI is delighted to partner with ASHG in establishing the Genomics and Public Service Fellowship Program and welcoming our inaugural class of fellows. The future of genomics depends on recruiting and training a rainbow of career professionals, including those with expertise in education, communications, policy, scientific programming and beyond.”

As part of his role, Lopez will collaborate with program directors from the NHGRI Extramural Research Program to understand how genomics research is funded, conducted, and disseminated within the scientific community. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in computational biology with a focus on using genomics to enhance personalized healthcare.

Lopez's decision to attend NMSU was influenced by his desire to stay close to family and continue a legacy; both his parents are alumni. His involvement in NMSU’s Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program played a significant role in his academic journey. Under the mentorship of biology professor Donovan Bailey, Lopez learned about bioinformatics' application in research.

“In my junior year, I joined the Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program where my amazing mentor Donovan Bailey taught me how bioinformatics is used in research and showed me how to be an effective researcher,” Lopez said.

The MARC Program has since evolved into the Undergraduate Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (U-RISE) Program at NMSU. This initiative aims to broaden participation in biomedical research by strengthening training environments for students like Lopez. Recently, U-RISE received a five-year $1.6 million grant from NIH.

Reflecting on his time at NMSU, Lopez remarked: “I can’t say enough about the amazing faculty I’ve met at NMSU. The dedication they have for their students and passion for amazing research has inspired me to strive for greatness in my own research as well as my personal and professional goals.”

-30-

CUTLINE: Mike Lopez graduated from New Mexico State University in fall 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

CUTLINE 2: New Mexico State University graduate Mike Lopez attributes much of his success to his time spent at NMSU.

###