MSTP Events
MSTP Retreat
The Annual MSTP retreat is a three day forum held during Spring Quarter. The program consists of research presentations by all students in years two and beyond, with the length of the presentation geared to the extent of research experience. There are also several opportunities for unstructured free-form discussion, a session for administrative aspects of the program, and a free afternoon. All trainees prepare abstracts of their research presentations, and a book of abstracts is distributed to participants. The research sessions are highly interactive and supportive, not only to exchange ideas in the context of critical thinking, but also to highlight issues of special concern to MSTP students, such as relevance to a particular clinical problem, or questions about career options. Although the presentations are entirely by students, faculty participation in the discussion, both formal and informal, is an important aspect of the retreat and the program. In 2005, we met at the Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove. For 2006, we changed the location to the Beach Resort in Monterey.
Unsolved Mysteries in Biomedical Research
Dr. Mark Krasnow, former MSTP director, instituted this innovative seminar series several years ago. Rather than a research presentation, the program consists of 3 - 4 presentations per year from different Stanford faculty members on a question that is both unanswered and biomedically relevant. Typically, the presentations are 45 minutes long, followed by a 30 minute period of discussion in which MSTP students and other participants exchange ideas about potential approaches to the problem. Dr. Seung Kim currently directs the series, and works together with different faculty members to decide on an appropriate topic, which is usually in an area with which the presenter is somewhat though not completely familiar. For streaming video of previous "Unsolved Mysteries", please see (you will need RealPlayer):
October 3, 2000 - David Relman "Is Crohn's disease caused by a microbial pathogen"
April 17, 2001 - Russ Altman "Why can't computers simulate life yet?"
October 30, 2001 - Louie Naumovski " Why are tumors becoming drug resistant?"
April 23, 2002 - Lucy Shapiro "Why are the bugs winning the war on antibiotic-resistant pathogens?"
July 16, 2002 - Frank Stockdale "Why do menopausal women experience hot flashes?"
October 15, 2002 - Greg Barsh "What causes variation in skin color and why should we care?"
February 25, 2003 - Stanley Rockson "How do tissues sense and signal lymphatic insufficiency?"
February 8, 2005 - Gilbert Chu "Can Big Pharma behavior change to benefit patients?"
October 9, 2007 - Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell "Keeping an Ear to the Ground: What can we learn from the vibration sense in elephants?"
updated 04/17/2009
