Rodriguez earns 2025 Crow Scholarship
The Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at McGovern Medical School has named Mya Rodriguez the 2025 recipient of the Terry J. Crow, PhD, Scholarship in Neuroscience.
Rodriguez received her Master of Science degree in experimental psychology – behavioral neuroscience from Angelo State University. Her master’s research focused on investigating how Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus), an edible mushroom with nootropic properties, impacted murine models of tauopathy.
Following completion of her degree, Rodriguez joined the lab of Andrea Stavoe, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, as a PhD candidate at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. For her doctoral thesis research, Rodriguez is using a combination of live, preclinical model microscopy and primary mammalian neurons to investigate how neuronal identity regulates the autophagy pathway during aging.
Rodriguez’s faculty mentors describe her as a highly ambitious, hardworking, and resourceful student who has demonstrated impressive intellectual curiosity. Outside the lab, Rodriguez is involved in leadership activities in the Neuroscience Program and throughout the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School. She is a member of the Neuroscience Program Student Council and secretary of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Student Council.
“I am deeply grateful to my PI and my department to have been selected for this award,” Rodriguez said. “Their constant support drives me to continue growing, learning, and striving for excellence.”
The Terry J. Crow, PhD, Scholarship in Neuroscience was established in honor of the late Crow, professor emeritus in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy. Crow was an outstanding neuroscientist who studied the cellular and molecular mechanisms of learning and memory. He made seminal contributions to the field, for which he received national and international recognition.
In addition to Crow’s substantial contributions to the medical school’s research activities, he was also an exceptional educator who, during his 27-year tenure, made significant contributions to the institution’s academic mission. He was recognized as one of the best lecturers by medical students and received the Dean’s Teaching Excellence Award for 18 consecutive years.