- AT THE SEMIANNUAL MEDICAL STAFF MEETING, held Dec. 3 in Fairchild Auditorium, physicians gathered to socialize and hear presentations on medical staff issues. Martha Marsh, president and CEO of Stanford Hospital & Clinics, gave an update on the hospital's finances, labor negotiations and facilities planning. Philip Pizzo, dean of the School of Medicine, and David Stevenson, senior associate dean for academic affairs, presented and took comments on the recently announced changes clarifying the appointment and promotion criteria for the professoriate (see story). The meeting was chaired by medical staff president Raymond Gaeta and was attended by about 165 physicians.

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School of Medicine launches new institute to study stem cell, cancer biology

The Dec. 10 announcement that the School of Medicine would establish a new Institute for Cancer/Stem Cell Biology and Medicine fueled a debate in the media regarding stem cell research.

The institute will be a multi-disciplinary initiative believed to be the first of its kind in the country. It will bring together basic and clinical scientists in a unified effort that will harness the power of stem cell biology and cancer biology to develop novel treatments for cancer as well as other devastating diseases such as diabetes, Parkinson's disease and cardiovascular disease.

An anonymous donor committed $12 million in seed money for the institute, which will be directed by renowned stem cell researcher Irving Weissman, the Karel H. and Avice N. Beekhuis Professor in Cancer Biology.

"This is a major undertaking that will capitalize on Stanford's expertise in stem cell and cancer research. It exemplifies our goal of translating the fruits of laboratory research into therapies that will directly benefit patients," said Philip A. Pizzo, dean of the School of Medicine and a distinguished cancer researcher.