Dear Colleagues,

Soon after I became dean, we in Stanford Medicine announced a groundbreaking initiative to guarantee a full four years of funding to every incoming biomedical graduate student. Today, more than five years later, we continue to witness the extraordinary success of this plan as more and more of the brightest scientists are choosing Stanford for their graduate education.

I’m delighted that this bold effort which releases students from dependence on their advisors’ grants has received a significant boost. With a $10 million pledge, the Blavatnik Family Foundation recently established endowed fellowships to support the creativity and independence of five talented researchers in perpetuity.

As we plan for the future of Stanford Medicine, sustaining funding that supports our innovative PhD students remains a priority and is one of the “Uniquely Stanford” strategic initiatives in our Integrated Strategic Plan. It’s the least we can do for our young scientists — the future of human health rests on their shoulders. Read More.