Goldman Award | Doctoral and Post-doctoral Studies in Pathobiology and Translational Science

The Goldman Family Endowed Award was established by Dr. Myla Lai Goldman, a former hematopathology fellow in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, to honor her father, who passed away from lung cancer. The award supports the training and professional development of Pathobiology and Translational Science graduate students through funding for research supplies, UNC core facility expenses, and travel to a domestic conference that broadens the student’s understanding of cancer pathology, testing, and diagnosis. All applicants to the Pathobiology and Translational Science Ph.D. program will be considered for this distinction.

Current Goldman Scholar
We are pleased to share that the 2025 Goldman Family Endowed Award recipient is Xiaolu Pan, M.S., a graduate student in the lab of Dr. Jonathan Serody.

This recognition celebrates students who bring both excellence and intention to their training. Xiaolu’s continues to stand out through strong scholarship, sustained curiosity, and a thoughtful approach to research that reflects the spirit of this award.

Thank you for your continued generosity and support. Because of you, students in our program gain opportunities to grow as researchers, expand their professional development, and help shape the future of science.

About Xiaolu
“Shelly” Xiaolu Pan earned her MD from Guizhou Medical University in China in 2012. Xiaolu Pan then joined the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for basic research training, earning an MS degree in Genetics and Cancer Biology in 2015. Her thesis research under the supervision of Dr. Xin Lu and Dr. Ronald DePinho led to the identification of prostate cancer–driver genes using high-throughput functional genomics (co-first author, Cancer Res 2018). Driven by an interest in applying genetics to personalized medicine, Xiaolu Pan transitioned to cardiovascular research in Xander Wehrens’s lab at Baylor College of Medicine to focus on gene therapy of inherited arrhythmia syndromes using the CRISPR/Cas9 system(co-first author. Circ Res 2018). Currently, Xiaolu Pan joined Dr. Jonathan Serody’s Lab at UNC Chapel Hill to study cancer immunology. She has an intensive interest in cancer research.

Past Goldman Scholars
2024: Zachary Schrank
2023: Anna Goddard