LAS VEGAS — Dr. Taylor Marie Gerson, a microbiology Ph.D. candidate at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was named the 2025 UNLV Rebel Grad Slam 3-Minute Thesis Champion on Dec. 16, 2025, the day she also received her doctorate during the Graduate College Commencement.
Carolyn Kelly, Taylor's aunt, an area resident, said: "Our family is extremely proud of Taylor and her accomplishments, but even more excited to see what positive changes she can bring to the world population with her research."
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Her great-grandparents are the late Robert and Mary Munzebrock and the late Addison and Jennie Gerson, all of Carrollton.
Taylor is the daughter of Jeffrey Gerson of Las Vegas and Soo Lee of Naperville. Taylor has a brother, Jakob Gerson, also of Naperville. She is the granddaughter of Paul and (the late Cyrena) Gerson of Lake St. Louis, Mo.
Gerson’s research focuses on Shigella flexneri, a highly contagious gastrointestinal bacterium known for its antibiotic resistance and significant global health impact. Her work investigates the virulence genes that enable Shigella to invade human cells, aiming to identify new drug targets to combat infections.
Specifically, she discovered that the bacterial protein VirB must bind to a molecule called CTP to activate these harmful genes. When VirB is altered to prevent this binding, the bacteria lose their ability to cause infection, highlighting a potential pathway for novel treatments.
“Scientists predict deaths to reach 50 million worldwide by 2050,” Gerson said, emphasizing the urgent need for innovative therapeutic approaches.
Gerson conducted her research in the lab of microbiology professor Helen Wing at UNLV, collaborating with chemist Ron Gary. Wing praised Gerson’s productivity and contributions, noting that she has published four papers, with three more forthcoming.
“Her published works are in top-ranked journals, and one even received the accolade of ‘Editor’s Pick,’” Wing said. “It’s been a joy to mentor her in research and contribute to her academic journey.”
Raised in a Korean family in the Chicago suburbs, Gerson initially pursued a career in performance arts before shifting to biochemistry and molecular biology. She credits a summer internship program at UNLV for inspiring her to pursue scientific research.
“It wasn’t until I came to UNLV for the summer that I knew I could see myself in this field,” she said.
Balancing dissertation defense, teaching duties, and competition preparation, Gerson described the Rebel Grad Slam as a valuable opportunity to share her work and connect with fellow graduate students. “Do not let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game,” she advised future competitors. “You never know if you don’t try.”
Following her graduation, Gerson will continue her research career at Scripps Research in San Diego, joining The Racki Lab.
The UNLV Rebel Grad Slam 3-Minute Thesis competition, now in its 12th year, featured over 100 graduate and professional students from various disciplines competing for scholarships and recognition. This year, more than 90 faculty and staff served as judges throughout the event.
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