Office of Postdoctoral Affairs

UP

UT Health San Antonio Postdoctoral Association (UP) is a volunteer organization dedicated to addressing the needs and concerns of all UT Health San Antonio postdocs. Our vision is to foster success among postdoctoral scholars today that will enhance their professional endeavors tomorrow. Our mission is to enhance, support and promote postdoctoral training at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio and help to prepare postdoctoral scholars for successful careers. UP serves postdoctoral scholars in all disciplines, schools, and colleges across the University. Our hope is to foster a sense of community, provide resources for career and personal development, and provide a framework for representation on campus and in the local community for postdoctoral scholars from all departments of the University.

We are here...

  • To build effective career management skills and develop the professional skills postdoctoral scholars need both in and outside of lab.

  • To organize events and seminars that enriches the scientific experience of postdocs and encourages social interaction with the community.

  • To collaborate with other university organizations and services to address concerns that are unique to the postdoctoral scholar population.

  • To advocate for postdoctoral scholars at UT Health San Antonio and educate them regarding university policy and postdoctoral rights.

2024 - 2025 UP Officers

Dr. Francisca Acosta, President

Dr. Francisca Acosta

President

Dr. Francisca Acosta was born in El Salvador, but raised primarily in Houston, Texas. She is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology former NCI T32 Scholar and current NCAT TL1 Scholar. Currently, she is studying the role of Osteocytic Connexin43 hemichannels in metabolic function. Her research interests are Metabolism, Musculoskeletal, Diabetes, Aging, Cancer Biology, and Biomedical Engineering/Regenerative Medicine. Beyond research, Dr. Acosta is incredibly passionate about scientific outreach, mentorship, and science communication.

As UP’s President, her goal is work in conjunction with fellow UP Officers/OPA to engage, promote, empower, and grow the postdoctoral community here at UT Health San Antonio.

Dr. Michael Wedemeyer, Treasurer

Dr. Michael Wedemeyer

Treasurer

Dr. Wedemeyer received his PhD in Biochemistry from the Medical College of Wisconsin and is currently a postdoctoral fellow working under the guidance of Dr. William Clarke and Dr. Kelly Berg in the Department of Pharmacology at UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Wedemeyer's research is focused on improving pain therapies through understanding novel pathways of opioid receptor signaling and regulation.

As UP’s Financial Officer, Michael's current role is organizing financial documents and maintaining the association records in coordination with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. He also works with the other UP Officers to create opportunities for Postdocs to network and build soft skills.

Dr. Bojana Stefanovska, Public Relations

Dr. Bojana Stefanovska

Public Relations

Dr. Bojana Stefanovska was born and raised in Bitola, North Macedonia. She is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology. Currently, she is working on discovering synthetic lethal vulnerabilities in APOBEC-high breast and ovarian cancers.

As UP’s Communication Officer, her goal is to distribute information to promote the association among current and upcoming postdocs, and to enhance the dissemination of information about scientific achievements of postdocs within the community of UT Health San Antonio.

Dr. Stefanovska is fluent in Italian, French, and Macedonian.