SUMMARY
As a researcher, Bruce F. Horazdovsky, Ph.D., focused on the regulation of intracellular protein trafficking events and how these events impact cell survival, growth and differentiation. He initiated studies in yeast, where he took a genetic approach to define several of the basic molecular mechanisms involved in conserved protein transport events. He applied insights from the yeast system to trafficking events that occur in mammalian cells, specifically the movement of growth factor receptors through the endocytic pathway and its impact on cancer and motor neuron maintenance.
Dr. Horazdovsky has transitioned away from research to serve as an education leader at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Dr. Horazdovsky's strong research background allows him to offer unique insights into K-12, undergraduate, Ph.D., M.D., M.D.-Ph.D. and postdoctoral research training, as well as faculty development. In addition, he has been an active participant in Mayo Clinic's Initiative for Maximizing Student Development and Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program. And he served as program director of Mayo Clinic's Institutional Short-Term Research Training for Students of Diversity program from 2004 to 2025.
Dr. Horazdovsky also is responsible for the construction and delivery of Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences' Rigor and Reproducibility course. This course is offered to all first-year Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. students, as well as all other students requiring formalized training in this area.
Dr. Horazdovsky has directly mentored multiple Ph.D. students, postdoctoral fellows, medical research fellows and undergraduates.
Focus areas
- Cancer education. Dr. Horazdovsky synergizes the education, research and belonging goals of Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center training programs with the goals of other Mayo Clinic training programs. He strives to make Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center a leader in innovative cancer educational programming that offers an inclusive educational environment that values and promotes the contributions of people from many different backgrounds.
- Holistic mentorship. Dr. Horazdovsky's mentoring and training strategy centers on maintaining a welcoming, inclusive and safe laboratory environment for all. This approach has proved to be essential for trainees' scientific growth and well-being. Scientific rigor and transparency also play a prominent role in his research training strategy. His mentees learn to address the scientific premise of each new project, apply scientific rigor to each experimental design and method, account for biological variables, and authenticate all key biological and chemical resources.
- Career development. Dr. Horazdovsky works with his trainees to find the right career path for each to flourish. To encourage career exploration across multiple programs, he helped create the Career Development Internship. He also launched the First Tuesday workshops in career and professional development and the Third Tuesday Seminar Series in career and professional development.
Significance to patient care
Dr. Horazdovsky brings more than 30 years in educational program development, implementation and leadership to his current role at Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is fully committed to developing impactful programming that will create an inclusive cancer research training and education learning community that supports trainees and faculty to become the new leaders in cancer research and patient care.
Professional highlights
- Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center:
- Chair, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination, 2023-present.
- Enterprise deputy director, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination, 2023-present.
- Member, Plan to Enhance Diversity (PED) Office: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility, 2023-present.
- Associate director, Medical Scientist Training Program, Mayo Clinic, 2013-present.
- Adviser, Mayo Clinic Young Investigator Research Symposium, Mayo Clinic, 2012-present.
- Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and Research Training, Mayo Clinic:
- Director, Career and Professional Development Seminar Series, 2011-present.
- Director, 2011-2023.
- Director, Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program, Mayo Clinic, 2004-present.
- Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences:
- Associate dean of Academic Affairs, 2004-present.
- Interim dean, 2023-2024.
- Education block leader, Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, 2014-2021.
- Member, editorial board, Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2009-2014.