Scripps Research’s Skaggs Graduate School conferred doctoral degrees on 61 graduate students during the institute’s 33rd commencement on May 16, 2025, breaking the previous year’s record for largest graduating class and marking the 1,000th student to earn a doctoral degree since the program’s first graduation in 1993. The graduates’ research has already been cited over 9,000 times, with more than 220 journal articles published. Members of this class were awarded 23 competitive student fellowships by organizations like the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, and they received support from 28 awards and endowed fellowships made possible by the generosity of individuals, foundations, faculty and board members.
Learn more about graduation here.
Read what several of the newly minted PhD scientists took away from their experience in the program.
“As I move into this next stage, I remain committed to working at the intersection of immunology and global health—advancing impactful therapies and vaccines to improve human health worldwide.”
Nathan Beutler | Advisor: Michael J. Bollong
“I’m excited to transition into industry, where I look forward to continuing my growth as a scientist and contributing to research that makes a meaningful impact on patients’ lives.”
Wenqian Chen | Advisor: Gabriel C. Lander
“My favorite part of my PhD was the ability to directly work on every aspect of a project from processing patients’ samples to writing code. Furthermore, the opportunity to develop a novel technology from the ground up helped me to face the challenges of the start-up world.”
Roberto Modesto Salatino | Advisor: Michalina Janiszewska
“From the resilience and knowledge gained at the bench to the friendships forged beyond it, my Scripps experience taught me that science is both a pursuit and a community. The guidance of my mentors, the camaraderie of my lab mates, and the unwavering support of my friends have all shaped me in ways that will stay with me long after graduation.”
Ines Forrest | Christopher G. Parker
“I’m excited to continue working at the intersection of AI and healthcare, with a focus on making personalized medicine more equitable and accessible. I hope to carry my computational knowledge into clinical practice, bridging the gap between data science and patient care to drive meaningful impact.”
Ahmed Khattab | Advisors: Ali Torkamani and Eric P. Zorrilla
“Scripps Research has pushed me to think on a larger scale and pursue bold, visionary scientific endeavors. This mindset was deeply shaped by the brilliant minds I had the privilege of learning from—over lunches, surf sessions and late nights in the lab—and made possible by the generous access to world-class scientific resources throughout my graduate training.”
Colleen A. Maillie | AdvisorS: Marco Mravic and Andrew B. Ward
“I chose to pursue my doctoral studies at Scripps because of its exceptional research and supportive community. Reflecting on my journey, I’ve been fortunate to learn from outstanding mentors—both official and unofficial—and to grow alongside an inspiring group of peers; together, they have been instrumental in shaping my development as a scientist.”
Michaela Medina | Advisor: Danielle A. Grotjahn
“A PhD and a D.Phil in five years, across two continents, and two disease spaces would have been impossible without the support of my advisors, Dr. Jeff Kelly and Dr. Angela Russell, as well as Dr. Ian Wilson. Thank you to everyone at Scripps and Oxford for supporting me on this fun and challenging academic adventure.”
Caroline A. Cuoco | Advisor: Jeffery W. Kelly
“Looking back on my time in graduate school I most appreciate the collaborative spirit and innovation-forward community at Scripps. There is nowhere else where a graduate student can gain the same amount of exposure to cutting edge drug discovery embedded in a friendly and welcoming community.”
Philipp Nikolaus Sander | Advisor: Luke L. Lairson