Administration– Dean's Office

Research Programs

Mission and Goals

Our mission at Stanford University School of Medicine's research programs is to be leaders in advancing the frontiers of knowledge in the biomedical sciences.

We envision a community of research scientists at the medical school working to further the School's reputation for excellence in biomedical research and extend this excellence into areas of emerging sciences through collaborations with basic scientists and clinicians.

We support our mission and the fulfillment of this vision by striving toward the following goals:

Strategic Assessment

The faculty research programs have long been recognized as one of the medical school's defining elements. Stanford has a reputation for excellence in biomedical research and innovation. This established strength is acknowledged and reinforced by the school's mission statement. We are committed to remaining a research-intensive school of medicine.

The high quality of the School's research programs reflects the caliber of the research scientists and, as a result, the quality of the graduate students and postdoctoral scholars with whom they associate. Many elements and characteristics of the medical school contribute to the continued excellence of its research.

Most notable are its relatively small size and high degree of selectivity, as well as access to extraordinarily strong clinical and academic resources within the medical center, the University, and centers of industrial innovation in the Stanford Research Park and Silicon Valley. Collectively, these factors create and reinforce a unique culture of collaborative innovation among the School's researchers, presenting a distinguishing opportunity for the future.

Along with these benefits, the relatively small size of the medical school also presents certain challenges. Faculty turnover has been limited and has resulted in senior ranks biased toward older faculty. Also, with a small group of faculty members, the loss of a key member can have a major impact on continuing programs.

The past successes of Stanford's research enterprise and the associated economic strengths of local information technology and biotechnology industries also present challenges to the future success of the medical school's research programs. Successful recruitment of new faculty is challenged by the high cost of living in the Stanford area and competitive employment opportunities from industry.

A number of internal medical school constraints, conventions, and organizational structures may also present challenges to a contemporary research agenda. These include organizational and procedural barriers to faculty collaborations due to the inflexibility of routine resource allocation methods and limitations in facilities development.

While the continued strength of its research programs represent a key opportunity for the medical school, its success will be predicated on the ability to mitigate factors associated with these critical issues.

Strategic Initiatives

Our mission and vision for research will be pursued through coordinated efforts in faculty and facilities renewal, mitigation of barriers to collaboration, and rational resource allocation.

To achieve our goal of faculty excellence, we will address the following initiatives:

To achieve our goal of education and research integration, we will address the following initiatives:

To achieve our goal of translational research and medicine, we will address the following initiatives:

To achieve our goal of strong interdisciplinary research, we will address the following initiatives:

To achieve our goal of rational resource allocations, we will address the following initiatives:

Develop a comprehensive array of research core facilities, incorporating the following principles:

Prioritization and Implementation

The further development, prioritization, and implementation of these initiatives will be led by the Senior Associate Dean for Research, in consultation with an ad hoc faculty research committee.

Of the 22 initiatives proposed for the Medical School's research programs, eight have been prioritized for development and implementation in FY2001-2002 and FY2002-2003. These priority initiatives reinforce the importance of interdisciplinary translational research and medicine in the future success of the Medical School.

Education and Research Integration Projects

Develop contemporary educational facilities, including adequate space in research facilities.

The programming, design and construction of new educational facilities are critical to the successful implementation of a new medical education curriculum as well as planned initiatives in graduate education, postdoctoral training and information resources and technology. As envisioned, the Stanford Medicine Information and Learning Environment (SMILE) will break new ground in the delivery of medical and graduate education and information resources, reflecting the new model of biomedical sciences and the emerging new relationships between information and its users.

The SMILE project will be pursued as a joint initiative under the direction of the Dean through a project executive committee consisting of the Senior Associate Deans for Medical Education, Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Training, Information Resources and Technology, and Finance and Administration and including the Chair of the Medical School Faculty Senate.

Preliminary SMILE program recommendations will be ready for Medical School and University leadership review by summer 2003. The project is targeted for completion in time for the 2007-2008 academic year.

Translational Research Projects

Promote collaborations between basic and clinical scientists within the medical school and across the university through:

The Senior Associate Dean for Research, in collaboration with the Senior Associate Deans for Clinical Affairs and Information Technology and Resources, will work with the chair of the faculty committee on clinical research to develop recommendations for organizational and operational initiatives required to support the faculty's pursuit of clinical research opportunities and the eventual translation of research findings into clinical practice at Stanford.

An expanded charge to include translational research and translational medicine will be developed for implementation in FY2002-2003.

Interdisciplinary Research Projects

Hold a research retreat to establish new program priorities.

The Senior Associate Dean for Research will work with the faculty research committee to establish a focused program and agenda for a retreat to develop proposals to establish research program and resource priorities.

An initial research retreat is targeted for FY2002-2003.

Establish guidelines for the creation and governance of interdisciplinary organizations.

The Senior Associate Dean for Research will continue the development of the proposed policies and procedures for medical school institutes, in general, and a Stanford Cancer/Stem Cell Biology Institute, in particular. Both documents will be reviewed by the faculty research committee and brought to the medical school executive committee for review and approval. The other Institutes currently slated for development include the Stanford Neurosciences Institute, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and the Stanford Institute on Infection and Immunity.

Initial guidelines are targeted for review in FY2002-2003.

Create a faculty research network website.

The Senior Associate Dean for Research with support from the Senior Associate Dean for Information Resources and Technology, will continue the development of a Faculty Research Network website.

An initial production version of the website is currently scheduled for completion in FY2002-2003.

Resource Allocation Projects

Develop a comprehensive array of research core facilities incorporating the principles of:

The Senior Associate Dean for Research will work with the faculty research committee to:

A comprehensive report from the faculty research committee is expected in FY2002-2003.

Develop adequate and affordable research animal space.

The Chairman of the Department of Comparative Medicine will work with a faculty committee to develop an analysis of the University's animal research facilities needs and recommendations for meeting forecasted needs.

A comprehensive report from the faculty committee is expected in FY2002-2003.

Develop a transparent process for the allocation and reallocation of research resources that includes:

The Senior Associate Dean for Research will work with a faculty committee to:

Recommendations will be developed and brought to the medical school executive committee for review and approval in FY2002-2003.

Projects To-Be Scheduled

The remaining Research Programs strategic initiatives will be pursued, following the activation of the priority initiatives, as resources and opportunities permit.

These remaining Research Programs strategic initiatives include a number of resource-intensive initiatives for which substantial fundraising will be required. These include:

Other remaining Research Programs strategic initiatives will be pursued, following the activation of the priority initiatives, as resources and opportunities permit. These include:

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