Diabetes scientist wins McNair Scholarship

Dr. Malgorzata Borowiak

Baylor College of Medicine has awarded Dr. Malgorzata Borowiak a McNair Scholarship.

The biomedical scholarships are awarded to preeminent researchers in the areas of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, juvenile diabetes and neuroscience research.

"I am honored to be one of the McNair scholars, "Borowiak said via a press release. "With the McNair support, I can accelerate my research at BCM and in the Texas Medical Center."

Borowiak is an assistant professor of molecular and cellular biology at BCM who specializes in type 1 diabetes and works to identify new cellular treatments using stem-cell technology.

"This is an excellent community for scientists and allows us to combine basic research with medical application to solve the problems we work on."

Borowiak is a member of the Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center and the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy at BCM, Texas Children's Hospital and Methodist Hospital.

"We are very excited to welcome Dr. Borowiak, who will act as the crucial 'missing link' in our program to develop stem cell therapy for diabetes," said Dr. Malcolm Brenner, director of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy.

Borowiak studied biotechnology in Poland, her native country. She received a doctorate in developmental biology/signaling in Berlin, Germany. There, she became interested in methods of liver regeneration. Next, she trained at Harvard University under stem cell biologist Douglas Melton.

The McNair Scholar program at BCM is supported by the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation and managed by the McNair Medical Institute.