Education
B.S., Texas A&M University, Nutritional Sciences, 2016
Ph.D. Student, Texas A&M University, Nutrition
Biography
Michael Lee Salinas is from Edinburg, Texas. He is the recipient of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Texas A&M University System (TAMUS) Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge-to-the-Doctorate (BTD) Fellowship (2016-2018).
He received his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree from Texas A&M University while minoring in Genetics and Neuroscience. As an undergraduate, he participated in the Undergraduate Research Scholars program where he conducted original research and published an undergraduate thesis titled: Determining the mechanisms by which membrane-targeted dietary bioactives reduce oncogenic KRas-driven nutrient scavenging.
Research
His research focuses on determining the mechanisms by which high-fat diet and obesity increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Specifically, his work involves understanding the alterations of plasma membrane biophysical properties in diseased states. He hopes to contribute to the ongoing research and provide novel information that will promote utilizing nutrition as a preventive medicine.