Persephone Alicea
M.D./Ph.D. Student
Persephone Alicea is a medical student in the South Texas Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD Program). She will enter into the graduate school portion of the training program in 2026.
About Me
I was born and raised in San Antonio and earned my B.S.A in Biochemistry at the University of Texas at Austin. During my undergraduate training, I had the opportunity to work clinically and recover ocular tissue for research and transplant. Following my undergraduate degree, I moved to Vancouver, BC and worked as a research technician at International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) under the supervision of Dr. Brain Kwon. This was a transformative experience that inspired me to pursue neuroscience, but most importantly, translation research. I am honored to return home and serve the San Antonio community.
Hobbies/Interests
Rugby, hiking, cooking, board games, video games
Research Topic
Neuroscience, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Computational Biology
Why I chose MD/PhD
I chose an MD/PhD program because it is a unique training opportunity that offers the expertise to serve through traditional clinical means while also driving new innovations. These abilities are essential for the evolution of medicine and its practice.
Why I chose MD/PhD at UT Health San Antonio
UT Health SA is an amazing institution comprised of compassionate faculty, excellent researchers, and dedicated students. The culture of UT health SA is unlike any other, and it’s only here that I can learn from and serve the community that got me where I am today.
Education
Biochemistry, BS, University of Texas at Austin