JoAnn Trejo, PhD, MBA

A Scientific Journey: Serendipity, Success and Cell Signaling 

Description:

This session will focus on the scientific career path of Dr. JoAnn Trejo. She will elaborate on the importance of mentoring, motivation, resilience, and some luck for achieving success in science and as a faculty member, mentor and biomedical researcher.  

Bio:

JoAnn Trejo, PhD, MBA is professor and senior assistant Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences Faculty Affairs at UC San Diego. Dr. Trejo is active NIH-funded researcher. She is also a recognized leader for her work embracing mentorship, and her effective strategies to enhance faculty career development and inclusive excellence. Dr. Trejo leads several NIH-funded programs that aim to enhance the demographics of the biomedical workforce. In 2020, Dr. Trejo received the American Society for Cell Biology Inclusive Excellence Award, elected as an American Society for Cell Biology Fellow and 100 Inspiring Hispanic / Latinx Scientists in America. Dr. Trejo was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2021, British Pharmacological Society Honorary Fellow in 2024 and received an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Science from the University of Connecticut in 2025. She has served on the NCI Board of Scientific Counselors for Basic Sciences and multiple national review panels. Dr. Trejo is a first-generation Mexican American scientist; she received her PhD and MBA at UC San Diego and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at UC San Francisco.