Toby Tao

PhD and master’s studentship positions are open in the lab of Dr. Zhipeng (Toby) Tao in the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas Woman’s University. The lab focuses on the molecular mechanisms of cancer and metabolic diseases, including obesity, liver disease, and type 2 diabetes, and develops mechanism-based strategies for early diagnosis and treatment. Research topics include chemical biology, molecular biology, physiological methods, protein fatty acylation, signal transduction, drug resistance, and studies using in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo, and human specimen models. Applicants should have an M.S. in biological sciences or a related field such as nutrition, chemical biology, biochemistry, or molecular/cell biology. If you do not yet have an M.S. degree, a master’s program may be an option before pursuing the Ph.D. Research experience in cancer, diabetes, protein lipidation, and mouse models is considered a plus, and publications in international journals are also valued. The positions are supported by NIH and other funds. The post mentions scholarship competitiveness, but does not provide a specific stipend or tuition package. Texas Woman’s University is a public university in Denton, Texas, with health science center campuses in Dallas and Houston. Interested applicants should email their materials (CV, personal statement, TOEFL/IELTS) to Dr. Tao and complete the online graduate application. For scholarship consideration, the online application deadline is October 1, 2026 for Spring 2027 or June 15, 2027 for Fall 2027.