The Carolyn Slayman Prize in Genetics honors students who have demonstrated exceptional scientific achievement and outstanding service to the scientific community. Named for Dr. Carolyn Walch Slayman, Sterling Professor of Genetics, the prize recognizes individuals who embody her dedication to rigorous scholarship, mentorship, and collegiality. This year, the prize is awarded to Monique Pedroza, Atreyo Pal, and Yubao Cheng.
Monique Pedroza completed their PhD in Genetics under the mentorship of Berna Sozen, presenting a dissertation titled A Balancing Act: Decoupling the Coordinators of Early Human Development Using a Stem Cell-Based Platform. Their research advances understanding of how early human development is coordinated at the molecular level, using innovative stem cell–based systems to dissect the mechanisms that balance differentiation and self-organization.
Pedroza highlights the collaborative and interdisciplinary spirit of the Genetics Department as key to their scientific growth. “I appreciate the department's interdisciplinary, collaborative nature as well as the faculty’s willingness to engage in research beyond their own expertises,” they shared. “I am especially impressed by the graduate students, postdocs, post-baccalaureate researchers, and research technicians who not only advance scientific knowledge but also actively strengthen the community through trainee-led initiatives.”
Pedroza’s service work reflects this same commitment to community. As a fellow with the Advancement Branch of the Yale BBS Diversity and Inclusion Collective, they helped develop professional development workshops and interdisciplinary panels supporting PhD trainees as they transition to diverse career paths. Through Yale Science Communication, they also partnered with libraries and educational centers across New England to make science more accessible and engaging for general audiences.
Pedroza plans to continue postdoctoral research while pursuing their long-term goal of becoming a professor at a primarily undergraduate institution, where they can integrate teaching, mentorship, and interdisciplinary research.
Atreyo Pal conducted his PhD research in James Noonan’s lab, where he explored the evolutionary genomics of human brain development. His dissertation, Resolving the 3D Interactome of Human Accelerated Regions During Human and Chimpanzee Neurodevelopment, applied cutting-edge genomic techniques to uncover how subtle changes in gene regulation may underlie uniquely human cognitive traits.
Reflecting on his time in the department, Pal emphasizes the importance of mentorship and collaboration. “The mentorship of my PI and committee, and the collaborative spirit within the department, have been invaluable,” he said.
Pal’s service has centered on education and mentorship across multiple levels. As an Instructor for the Yale Young Global Scholars Program, Pal led research discussions for international high school students. He also mentored undergraduates through the Timothy Dwight Graduate Associate Program and volunteered with the Yale Education Tutoring Initiative to support local New Haven public school students. Within the department, Pal helped strengthen community ties by organizing Trainee-Faculty Interaction Lunches, promoting dialogue between faculty and trainees.
Pal is now at the Illumina AI Lab, continuing research that bridges genomics, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence to uncover how genomic differences contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders. His long-term aspiration is to lead an interdisciplinary research program combining experimental and computational tools to study the human brain.
Yubao Cheng completed his PhD in Siyuan Wang’s lab, focusing on understanding the spatial organization of the genome and transcriptome. His dissertation, Probing the Spatial Architecture and Function of Genome and Transcriptome, reveals how the three-dimensional structure of genetic material influences gene regulation and cellular behavior.
Cheng attributes much of his success to the department’s collaborative and supportive environment. “I’ve had the opportunity to participate in multiple intra- and inter-lab collaborations, which have been a great way to learn from people with diverse backgrounds and research interests,” Cheng said. “Throughout my PhD, I’ve also felt deeply supported — not just by my advisor, but by my committee members, collaborators, and peers. It’s a community where people genuinely care and help each other.”
Cheng continues as a postdoctoral researcher in the Wang Lab, pursuing projects that extend his graduate work on spatial genomics. His long-term goal is to lead an independent research program that advances understanding of genome organization and its functional implications.
Together, Pedroza, Pal, and Cheng represent the scientific excellence, creativity, and service-oriented leadership that define the Genetics community. Their work spans developmental biology, evolutionary genomics, and spatial transcriptomics — reflecting the breadth and depth of genetics research at Yale — and their dedication to mentorship and outreach embodies the collaborative spirit that Dr. Slayman championed.