CMGM Students Take the Win in VCU 3-Minute Thesis Competition
Sumit Saha (far right) and Badí Quinteros (standing in the middle) participated in the 3-Minute Thesis Competition, along with other winners.
By Natalie Luffman
Department of CMGM
VCU School of Medicine
Email: luffmanng@vcu.edu
Date: October 14, 2025
Sumit Saha, a 5th-year biochemistry and molecular biology PhD candidate, and Badí Quinteros, a 2nd-year human genetics PhD and genetic counseling MS dual-degree student, secured 2nd and 3rd place in this year’s VCU Graduate School 3-Minute Thesis Competition, respectively. Challenging students to use creativity, innovation, and strategy, the 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition gives participants a maximum of 3 minutes to succinctly present their research topic, methodology, and significance, all while maintaining audience engagement. Participants are judged on communication style, comprehension, and engagement, and are allowed a single PowerPoint slide to accompany their presentation.
Sumit Saha, who received 2nd place in this year’s competition and is mentored by Dr. Chris Green, presented his research project “Taming liver cancer with edited-macrophage therapy”, emphasizing the role of sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK2) in liver macrophages and how they contribute to hepatocellular carcinoma pathophysiology. Sumit decided to participate in this year’s 3MT competition as a challenge to himself to communicate his research project to a non-specialist audience and to further improve his public speaking skills. As the 3MT competition invites participants from all research backgrounds, competitors are encouraged to think creatively and break down their topics so that individuals outside their respective fields can understand their presentations. Sumit stated, “I learned how important it is to distill complex ideas into simple, relatable concepts without losing the essence of the research. It pushed me to focus on the ‘why’ and the ‘so what’ of my project”. It may be a daunting task to condense years’ worth of research knowledge into a 3-minute presentation. However, Sumit emphasizes how rewarding the experience was and how it further served as a form of “storytelling”, providing a rare new perspective into your research that allows you to approach it with creativity and novelty.
Badí Quinteros, who received 3rd place in this year’s competition and is mentored by Dr. John Quillin, presented his research project exploring the “Intersectionality of race and socioeconomic status in genetic counseling: A focus on patient perspectives.” Badí’s project examines how race and socioeconomic status impact the perceptions of black and white genetic counseling patients before they attend their first appointment. Badí found that, though overall trust in genetic counseling was high, black patients had the lowest level of confidence, especially for those relying on public health insurance. This may be due to discrimination and low satisfaction in genetic counseling, which may create a barrier for patients to receive care. This was Badí’s second year competing, where he also received third place in last year’s competition. Badí emphasizes his love for a challenge and how the 3MT format required him to rethink his view of his research, providing an opportunity to approach it from a new angle and discuss it in a way the audience can understand.
When asked if they had any advice for future 3MT competition participants, Sumit emphasizes the importance of feedback from people outside your field. Badí recommends establishing a creative hook to capture the audience’s attention for your project. Both participants also discuss the need to identify the true significance and impact of your research and to use that as the premise for your presentation. The 3MT Competition serves as a fun and exciting opportunity to present your research; consider participating in next year’s competition!