THE UNI V ERSIT Y OF TE X A S AT EL PA S O
AS SAY ER OF STUDENT OPINION
December 2, 2025
VOL. 111, NO. 4
THEPROSPECTORDAILY.COM
OPINION Page 2
NEWS Page 5
ARTS & CULTURE Page 22
SPORTS Page 28
That’s a wrap— better late than never
Behind the spotlight
The artist inspired by two borderlands
From underdog to Coach of the Year
From the lab to
graduation B VIVIEN NOE C. Y STAFF REPORTER • THE PROSPECTOR
Hoping to pursue a dual MD-Ph.D degree, senior Angela Cole is planning on giving back to her community through scientific research, or hands-on service for others. Photos by Nate Flores /The Prospector
Angela Cole is a senior biomedical sciences student at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), who will be graduating this fall semester. In her undergraduate career she worked as a laboratory research assistant at Cushing, Ph.D neuroscience laboratory, where she was able to step out of her comfort zone and gain valuable skills. Cole presented her research at the Society for Neuroscience Convention in San Diego, California, which was held from Nov. 15 to Nov. 19. Cole has been participating in research since the summer of 2024, however, her curiosity for scientific inquiry came long before. “I had always loved asking questions ever since I was a kid, and then I was inspired to pursue medical school,” Cole said. “I applied to the program under COURI [Campus Office of Undergraduate Research Initiatives] which helps
students get research. I applied to SMARTMIND, which is a neuroscience program, because I love neuroscience, and that’s where I got into the Cushing lab. And now I’m here, and I just love what I do, and I really hope to continue helping the science community.” As a first-generation student, Cole knew of the challenges that come with carving one’s own path, and the struggles of finding opportunities. However, she has found mentorship at UTEP where she has learned how to grow academically and professionally. “I think I really was very fortunate to have stumbled upon all the people that I’ve met. And faculty wise, my mentor is just amazing. Cushing really advocates for his students, and I noticed a lot of other professors, they really want the undergrads to succeed, as well as their graduate students. You know, my mentors have told me a lot about his experience and their experience, and finding a good mentor is really, important [for] going into [a] tougher field, like research,” Cole said. At the laboratory, Cole’s research focuses on creating a map of the hypothalamus, which is the part
of the brain that regulates functions like homeostasis, emotional responses and consolidating memories. She does this by using prairie vole models, which are used because of their similarities with human brains. “My project is called Cytoarchitectural Atlas. It’s a big word, but cytoarchitecture is basically the architecture of the brain and creating a cyto architectural atlas for the hypothalamus,” Cole said. “The hypothalamus regulates a lot of the emotions that we feel and other animals feel, so it’s a hub of emotions. We want to look at prairie voles, because they’re translational to humans and currently there are no prairie voles atlas so that’s my work.” Cole was able to present her findings this past November an experience that highly encouraged her to continue deepening her research as she continues in her pursuit of a career in medicine. “SFN was really an eye-opening moment,” Cole said. read MORE at theprospectordaily.com