Victor Alvarez
M.D./Ph.D. Student
About Me
I’m from Pharr, Texas, a small city in the Rio Grande Valley, where I grew up with a strong sense of family and community. Being raised in a medically underserved border town sparked my interest in healthcare early on, and I’ve been following that path ever since. I studied Psychological Sciences at Rice University, where I explored research at the intersection of mental health and health disparities. After graduating, I worked in clinical research on HPV-related head and neck cancer before shifting to basic science work in cancer immunology and T cell exhaustion through a PREP program at Baylor College of Medicine. Outside the lab, you’ll usually find me playing or watching soccer, lifting weights, or spending time with friends.
Hobbies/Interests
soccer, weight training
Research Topic
Cancer biology, immunology, and immunotherapy
Why I chose MD/PhD
I chose the MD/PhD path to integrate patient care with scientific discovery. My experiences in clinical and basic research revealed the potential of translational science to improve outcomes for patients with limited access to care. I want to be a physician-scientist who understands the needs of underserved communities and develops innovative therapies that are both impactful and accessible.
Why I chose MD/PhD at UT Health San Antonio
UT Health San Antonio stood out for its deeply supportive environment, personalized mentorship, and commitment to serving underserved communities. As someone from South Texas, I value the program’s focus on health equity and its collaborative approach to research and clinical training—an ideal setting to grow as a physician-scientist.
Post-bac work or other affiliations
Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) at Baylor College of Medicine
Education
B.A., Psychological Sciences, Rice University, 2023
Publications
Dahlstrom, K. R., Day, A. T., Alvarez, V. M., Chirinos, S. R., Santillana, G., Guo, M., Anderson, K. S., & Sturgis, E. M. (2025). Circulating tumor HPV DNA, antibodies to HPV16 early proteins, and oral HPV16 DNA as biomarkers for HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer screening. Cancer Biomarkers: Section A of Disease Markers, 42(1), 18758592241313323. https://doi.org/10.1177/18758592241313323