Jack Prochnau
M.D./Ph.D. Student
Jack Prochnau is a graduate student in the South Texas Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD Program) studying cancer biology under the mentorship of Manjeet Rao, PhD. His work focuses on uncovering the mechanisms driving cancer growth and resistance, with a particular emphasis on drug discovery and development. For his clinical specialty, Jack is considering pursuing medical oncology.
About Me
Hello! My name is Jack Prochnau. I was born and raised in and around Boulder, Colorado. I grew up with my head in the books with my go-tos primarily being sci-fi, fiction, and fantasy. I still enjoy putting in plenty of time into reading and hey, if you’re looking for a good read, check out the Stormlight Archive series by Brandon Sanderson. I explored plenty of sports growing up and occasionally still do recreational gymnastics and enjoy swimming. My family are avid hikers so whenever we get the chance we’ll spend a weekend day checking out a new spot. When I was 15, my family and I moved to Eugene, Oregon. There, I finished high school and undergrad (University of Oregon) while enjoying everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer. After completing a post-bac at the National Institutes of Health, I am happy to be starting in the MD/PhD program here at the STX MSTP. While I don’t currently have pets, I always grew up with family animals ranging from birds to dogs. I am hoping to adopt a furry companion to join me on my journey through the program soon!
Hobbies/Interests
One of my biggest hobbies/interests is the general consumption of anything and everything sci-fi, fiction, and fantasy. I love reading and frequently watch most movie or show adaptations - can we please redo the last few seasons of Game of Thrones? I enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities and like to explore whenever possible.
Research Topic
Cancer biology. Cancer immunology.
Why I chose MD/PhD
I chose an MD/PhD because it provides the training and opportunity to directly work on the identification and translation of clinical problems to the bench where solutions can be produced, refined, and applied through research. To not just use the medicines of today, but to discover the ones of tomorrow.
Why I chose MD/PhD at UT Health San Antonio
I chose to pursue my MD/PhD training at UT Health San Antonio because it provides everything I’ve hoped for in my training to become a physician scientist. UT Health San Antonio provides wonderful clinical and research opportunities that align with my interests, excellent training, and is a great city to live in with family not too far away.
Post-bac work or other affiliations
Postbac (IRTA) at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Education
B.S., Biochemistry, University of Oregon, 2019
Publications
Sutton, E. C., McDevitt, C. E., Prochnau, J. Y., Yglesias, M. V., Mroz, A. M., Yang, M. C., Cunningham, R. M., Hendon, C. H., & DeRose, V. J. (2019). Nucleolar stress induction by Oxaliplatin and derivatives. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 141(46), 18411–18415. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.9b10319