Caroline McCauley shares academic experience with UNT System Board of Regents

Caroline McCauley, a fourth-year PhD student in the College of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, recently shared highlights from her educational journey with the UNT System Board of Regents.

After earning her master’s degree, Caroline wasn’t exactly sure where her career path would lead. She accepted a position as a lab technician with Dr. Bruce Bunnell, chair of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics at UNT Health. His research on adipose-derived stem cells aligned with the focus of her master’s thesis and inspired her to join the PhD program in Cell Biology, Immunology and Microbiology.

Working closely with Dr. Bunnell, her interests evolved toward breast cancer research, exploring how stem cells in breast adipose tissue are linked to cancer progression. Today, her work is focused on identifying kinase targets for potential breast cancer treatments.

Caroline also shared how interprofessional education opportunities at UNT Health have shaped her as a scientist. In a memorable session with Nurse Anesthesiology students at TCU, she and her fellow PhD students teamed up with nursing students to tackle a unique challenge: the effects of microgravity on the cardiovascular system.

“Beyond improving my collaboration skills, this experience deepened my appreciation for interdisciplinary communication. It bridged the gap between bench work and practical clinical application and helped me to refine how I explain scientific concepts to people outside of my field,” Caroline said.

“The workshop challenged us to think beyond our areas of expertise and encouraged interdisciplinary teamwork, an essential skill for success in both science and healthcare.”