Houston Daily

Cole Woody, a sophomore at the University of Houston, has earned the distinguished Barry Goldwater Scholarship for his pioneering work in cancer research. The award is one of the most prominent honors for students pursuing careers in natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

Woody’s research is centered on the development of cancer vaccines through chimeric RNAs, focusing on how these vaccines may provide more targeted treatment compared to traditional methods. "Chemotherapy is like a nuclear bomb. It’s not specific, and it damages healthy cells," said Woody. "These vaccines are more like a sniper. A lot more precise, only targeting cancer and leaving the rest unaffected."

To advance his research, Woody developed the MHCole Pipeline, a bioinformatic tool that significantly enhances the efficiency of predicting peptide-HLA binding affinities. The objective is to identify cancer-specific targets and create personalized vaccines, potentially increasing survival rates and reducing the chances of cancer recurrence.

“Cole’s work ethic and dedication are unmatched,” remarked Preethi Gunaratne, Woody's mentor and director of the UH Sequencing Core. She commended Woody's commitment, noting his relentless effort, often clocking 60-70 hours a week, to learn new techniques and refine the MHCole Pipeline.

Apart from his role as a junior research associate at UH, Woody contributes to Dr. Steven Hsesheng Lin’s lab at MD Anderson Cancer Center. His future plans include earning an MD-PhD, for which he has been accepted into the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Early Access to Research Training program. He will work with Dr. Arlene Sharpe at Harvard Medical School to explore the use of genetic engineering in enhancing cancer vaccine efficacy.

“Most of the principal investigators I know who lead labs at the National Institute of Health are MD-PhDs, and that’s something I’m interested in doing in the future,” Woody stated.

Woody aims for his vaccines and the MHCole Pipeline to offer patients a better chance at life through precise and personalized care. Gunaratne added, "Cole’s ability to independently design and implement such a transformative tool at such an early stage in his career demonstrates his exceptional technical acumen and creative problem-solving skills, which should go a long way towards a promising career in immuno-oncology."