Imaging Using Molecular Spies
Sanjiv “Sam” Gambhir, MD, PhD
Professor of Radiology and, by courtesy, of Bioengineering, Director of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford, Member Bio-X

Technologies for imaging are rapidly evolving and include positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), high resolution ultrasound and cooled charge coupled devise (CCD), based on optical cameras for imaging very low levels of light as well as many other novel instruments.  Several of these technologies utilize molecular spies that are injected into the blood stream and search out disease in individual cells.  Dr. Gambhir will review how these technologies are being utilized to develop entirely new ways to manage patients including the earlier detection of cancer, imaging of early dementia and monitoring drugs at work deep within your body. He will also discuss how the future will allow nanotechnologies to further enhance what we can image as well as treat in order to develop the new field of theranostics.

How to Kill the Cells that Might Kill the Patient
Stefanie S. Jeffrey, MD
Associate Professor of Surgery (General Surgery) at the Stanford University Medical Center, Chief, Surgical Oncology Research, John and Marva Warnock Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research at the School of Medicine  

Soild tumors, such as carcinomas of the lung, prostate, breast and gastrointestinal tract, are comprised of mixed populations of malignant cells that may differ in their metastatic potential and drug sensitivity.  Research in the Jeffrey Lab is focused around the question of how to best predict specific therapies that will benefit an individual cancer patient at a given time in the course of their disease.  In other words, how to kill the cells that might kill the patient?

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are malignant cells identifiable in the blood of cancer patients that may seed or re-seed metastases.  The Jeffrey Lab, in collaboration with scientists at the Stanford Genome Technology Center and the Stanford Department of Electrical Engineering, has invented a robotic devise that isolates live circulating tumor cells (CTSs) from the blood of cancer patients.  The lab's focus is to study the genes and proteins that are expressed by individual CTCs to learn more about the basic biology of metastases and to determine if CTC characterization can better guide drug choice for individual cancer therapy.

Health in Extreme Environments: Monitoring with Medical Devices
Gregory T. Kovacs, MD '92, PhD '90
Professor of Electrical Engineering and, by courtesy, of Medicine

Dr. Kovacs travels all over the world studying the effects of extreme environments on living organisms.  He is involved in hands-on field testing of NASA wearable physiologic monitors in high altitude conditions, he's developed a cell-based system to detect toxins used in chemical or biological warfare and used balloons to launch worms into the stratosphere to study the effects of space radiation and microgravity on genes.  Professor Kovacs has even been in simulated zero-gravity.  He's an enthusiastic generalist with expertise in electrical engineering, biomedical engineering and medicine.  Come hear about the exciting adventures engineers can have traveling between engineering and the life sciences.

The Impact of a Simulation-based Endovascular Curriculum on Trainee Performance and Clincal Outcomes in Vascular Surgery
Jason T. Lee, MD
Professor of Surgery (Vascular Surgery) at the Stanford University Medical Center, Associate Program Director-Vascular Surgery Residency/Fellowship, Director of Endovascular Surgery

The lab of Dr. Lee specific intentions include determining if a simulation-based endovascular surgery curriculum improves trainee performance measured by technical skill, didactic knowledge, and learner satisfaction, assessing endovascular simulation as a tool to promote procedural efficiency and reduce procedural errors by determining metrics that translate into improved patient outcomes, and determining if the implementation  of a structured educational program improves patient outcomes and patient safety.  Dr. Lee's lab is creating a multi-institutional randomized trial of surgical trainees to be instructed within a new paradigm of procedural-based skills by utilizing high-fidelity endovascular simulators to augment traditional teaching methods.  All modules and teaching occur within the Goodman Simulation Center.

Small Interfering RNA as a Therapeutic Modality
(This session is targeted for PhD alumni. MD alumni are also welcome to attend.)
Alan Sachs, MD '89, PhD '87
Vice President, RNA Therapeutics, Merck Research Laboratories

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) utilizing a common gene silencing pathway has become a widely used research tool to probe gene function.  The therapeutic potential of siRNA is now becoming realized through treatment of diseased tissues by silencing specific gene targets.  The broader feasibility for treating systemic disease is hindered by poor siRNA stability, limited tissue uptake, activation of the innate immune response, and off-target gene silencing.  Learn during this session how Merck Research Laboratories is addressing these issues in order to realize the benefits of RNA therapeutics in the clinic.

Beyond Coronary Angiography: Advanced Techniques for Evaluating the Coronary Arteries
Jennifer Tremmel, MD
Clinical Director, Women's Heart Health at Stanford

Dr. Tremmel will be leading a special tour of the Catheterization Angiography Laboratory.  The lab aims to provide minimally invasive catheter based radiological procedures to inpatients and outpatients for diagnostic evaluation and/or therapeutic intervention.  The Cath Angio Lab specializes in adult and pediatric interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, neuroradiology and interventional radiology.  The diagnostic procedures performed in the lab typically use the administration of contrast media for visualization of selective anatomical structures and measurement of pressures and blood flow for determination of vascular integrity.

This tour will possibly include observing a live case in lab.  For this case, participants will need to sign a confidentiality agreement as well as change into scrubs and hats.  They should not be bothered by the sight of blood.  Due to the nature of the tour, the number of participants is extremely limited.