April 26 Apr 26
2025
8:30 am - 7:30 pm
Saturday Sat

Event

Alumni Day 2025

We were thrilled to welcome School of Medicine alumni back to campus for this year’s Alumni Day to reconnect with classmates, meet new colleagues, and engage with inspiring faculty presentations centered around our theme—Changing Minds.

In these presentations, top specialists in neuroscience, psychiatry, and behavioral sciences shared innovative scientific breakthroughs that challenge preconceptions and advance a new era of mental health care. Video recordings of our talks are available now.

Highlights of the day included a keynote address by addiction medicine expert and Stanford alum Anna Lembke, MD ‘95, campus and hospital tours, and a dinner reception.

Whether you joined us this year or hope to attend in the future, your continued engagement with the Stanford Medicine community is invaluable. We look forward to seeing you at future events and hearing about your continued success and contributions to medicine.

Save the date for next year’s Alumni Day on April 11, 2026!

Pain, Pleasure, and the Addictive Chase for Dopamine

Neural Circuits of Frustration

Cancer and Mental Health: Psychosocial Oncology

Metabolic Psychiatry: Metabolism and Mental Health

Dean's Remarks

The 2025 RISE Award: Charlotte D. Jacobs, MD

Keynote Speaker

Anna Lembke, MD ’95, Resident ’99, Fellow ’01

Medical Director, Addiction Medicine
Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Pain, Pleasure, and the Addictive Chase for Dopamine

Drugs, food, alcohol, news, gambling, shopping, sex, gaming, texting, social media. In a world of never-ending high-dopamine stimuli, how do we enjoy pleasure without it turning into an all-consuming addiction? Anna Lembke, MD, explains the neuroscience fueling our pursuit of pleasure in a world of unprecedented access to high-reward experiences and how it can lead to pain and addiction. Dr. Lembke will discuss the biology and psychology behind addiction and the crucial role of dopamine and provide science-informed approaches to addressing compulsive overconsumption, offering hope for finding contentment and connectedness in our hyper-stimulated world.

Micro Lectures

Neir Eshel, MD, PhD, Resident ’20

Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Neural Circuits of Frustration

Feelings of frustration vary wildly, from clenched jaws to racing hearts to violent outbursts. What’s happening in the brain in these moments remains a mystery. Learn how Dr. Eshel is working to reveal the neural circuits underlying frustration and aggression, inspiring treatments for autism, PTSD, and other disorders where low frustration tolerance and heightened aggression are major clinical concerns.

Sheila Lahijani, MD

Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Cancer and Mental Health: Psychosocial Oncology

Many individuals living with cancer receive therapies that primarily focus on the physical aspects of the disease, often overlooking mental health conditions that can arise during cancer treatment, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Hear how Dr. Lahijani integrates mental health care into a comprehensive treatment plan, focusing on the psychological aspects of caring for the whole person, not just the disease.

Shebani Sethi, MD, Resident ’17

Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Metabolic Psychiatry: Metabolism and Mental Health

Metabolic dysfunction, such as high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and obesity, play a role in psychiatric diseases. Dr. Sethi discusses how nutritional interventions complement pharmacological treatments to create a more robust mental—and metabolic—health treatment strategy.

Seminars

Steven Adelsheim, MD

Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

The Youth Mental Health Imperative

Learn how the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing is addressing the ongoing youth mental health crisis by integrating early intervention services across the continuum from schools to specialized programs like allcove, focusing on incorporating youth voices and involvement of those with lived experiences.

F. Vankee Lin, PhD

Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Precision Approaches to Aging-Related Mental Health

Hear how pioneering research methods—AI, behavioral neuroscience, and human-machine interfaces—are revolutionizing our understanding of the relationship between aging brains and mental health, paving the way for innovative interventions to promote cognitive wellness in older adults.

Douglas Noordsy, MD

Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

The Integration of Well-Being and Mental Health

Discover how daily choices such as exercise, sleep, nutrition, and mindfulness influence your brain health and function. By employing elements of lifestyle psychiatry, you will gain practical strategies to improve your mental well-being and enhance your athletic performance for a lifetime.

Dean's Remarks

Lloyd B. Minor, MD

Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Dean, School of Medicine
Vice President for Medical Affairs, Stanford University

Dean Minor is a scientist, surgeon, and academic leader. He has served as dean of the Stanford University School of Medicine since December 2012. In addition, he is a professor of otolaryngology–head and neck surgery and, by courtesy, of neurobiology and bioengineering at Stanford University. As dean, Dr. Minor plays an integral role in setting strategy for the clinical enterprise of Stanford Medicine. He also oversees the quality of Stanford Medicine’s physician practices and growing clinical networks. With Dr. Minor’s leadership, Stanford Medicine has established a strategic vision to lead the biomedical revolution in precision health.

RISE Award Honoree

Charlotte D. Jacobs, MD, Fellow ’77

Drs. Ben and A. Jess Shenson Professor of Medicine, Emerita

The RISE (Reach, Inspire, Serve, Engage) Award will be presented to Dr. Charlotte D. Jacobs in recognition of her exceptional dedication to nurturing Stanford Medicine and its alumni community through acts of leadership, mentoring, and teaching. For nearly 40 years, Dr. Jacobs engaged in teaching, cancer research, and patient care at Stanford School of Medicine. She also served as senior associate dean for education and student affairs and as director of the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center.

Mid-career, Dr. Jacobs began biography writing, starting with Henry Kaplan and the Story of Hodgkin’s Disease, published in 2010, Jonas Salk: A Life, published in 2015, and 90 Seconds to Midnight: A Hiroshima Survivor’s Nuclear Odyssey to be released in 2025. Jacobs earned her medical degree and did her residency training at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis before completing a postdoctoral fellowship in medical oncology at Stanford in 1977. She spent her entire medical career at Stanford.

Daytime Activities

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Registration & Continental Breakfast

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM

WELCOME MESSAGE

Deval Lashkari, PhD ’96

President, Stanford Medicine Alumni Association

9:15 AM – 10:00 AM

KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Anna Lembke, MD ’95, Resident ’99, Fellow ’01

Pain, Pleasure, and the Addictive Chase for Dopamine

10:00 AM – 10:10 AM

Break

10:10 AM – 11:00 AM

MICRO LECTURES

Neir Eshel, MD, PhD, Resident ’20 | Neural Circuits of Frustration

Sheila Lahijani, MD | Cancer and Mental Health: Psychosocial Oncology

Shebani Sethi, MD, Resident ’17 | Metabolic Psychiatry:Metabolism and Mental Health

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Break

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM

SEMINARS

Steven Adelsheim, MD | The Youth Mental Health Imperative

F. Vankee Lin, PhD | Precision Approaches to Aging-Related Mental Health

Douglas Noordsy, MD | The Integration of Well-Being and Mental Health

12:15 PM – 12:45 PM

Lunch

12:45 PM – 1:15 PM

DEAN'S REMARKS

Lloyd B. Minor, MD

Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Dean, School of Medicine

Vice President for Medical Affairs, Stanford University

1:15 PM – 1:45 PM

RISE AWARD PRESENTATION

Charlotte D. Jacobs, MD, Fellow ’77

Drs. Ben and A. Jess Shenson Professor of Medicine, Emerita

1:45 PM – 2:00 PM

Break

All daytime activities take place at the Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge.

Afternoon Tours

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Stanford Hospital | Walking Tour

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM A Day in the Life | Student Panel

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM BioDesign | Presentation & Tour

Afternoon tour locations will vary.

Alumni Dinner Reception

5:00 PM – 7:30 PM

TIMELESS CONNECTIONS

The alumni dinner reception takes place at the Francis C. Arrillaga Alumni Center.

Registration

Save up to 20% on your registration with early-bird pricing being offered through Friday, February 28. The final date to register is Monday, April 11.

Please know that this event may sell out and early registration is strongly recommended.

Locations

Daytime Activities
Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge | 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305

Afternoon Tours
Locations Vary

Alumni Dinner Reception
Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center | 326 Galvez Street, Stanford, CA 94305

Hotel Accomodations

Stanford University has a 10% discount at the following local hotels:

Sheraton Palo Alto
625 El Camino Real, Palo Alto | 650.328.2800

Westin Palo Alto
675 El Camino Real, Palo Alto | 650.321.4422

Mention “Stanford University” to get a discount. Reservations are subject to availability. A Stanford hotel shuttle will provide limited pickup and return transportation to both daytime and evening locations.

A list of additional Stanford-area hotels can be found at visit.stanford.edu/plan/lodging.html.

Afternoon Tours

Sign up here starting on April 8 for the following tours:

Stanford Hospital | Walking Tour

A Day in the Life | Student Panel

BioDesign | Presentation & Tour

Space for guided tours is limited, and advance registration is required.

Alumni Dinner Reception | Timeless Connections

Join us for our themed dinner reception, Timeless Connections, celebrating our alumni’s many decades of excellence with music from every era and good old-fashioned fun back on the Farm. Mingle with fellow alumni, reconnect with friends, and share stories from your time on campus while creating new memories.

Dress Code | We invite you to wear attire from the decade you attended Stanford, from the 1950s through the 2000s, or choose to dress in styles from any decade you prefer.

Dietary & Allergy Restrictions | The dinner reception will feature self-serve buffet stations, with all dishes clearly labeled for allergen purposes. There will be several options available to accommodate most dietary restrictions.

Note: Decade-themed attire is encouraged but entirely optional.

Class Representatives

Parking & Transportation

Daytime Activities | Parking will be available in Parking Structure 1, located on the corner of Roth Way and Campus Drive West. Please look for the directional signage. Golf carts will be available for alumni needing extra assistance getting to and from LKSC to the parking structures. Those with valid ADA placards may park in the LKSC main lot, however there are a limited number of parking spaces available at this location.

Alumni Dinner Reception | Complimentary valet parking will be provided for the Timeless Connections dinner reception. Please look for directional signage to guide you to the valet station at the Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center at 326 Galvez Street on the Stanford campus.

A Stanford hotel shuttle will provide limited pickup and return transportation to both daytime and evening locations.

Cancellations & Refunds

If you’re unable to attend Alumni Day, you may cancel by April 11 for a full refund. In your registration email, you can click “view or modify your registration,” which takes you to your registration page. At the bottom of the page, please click “CANCEL REGISTRATION” to cancel your registration.

You can also submit your request by phone or email by April 11 for a full refund. Please allow 3–4 weeks for your refund to be processed using the original payment method.

Find a doctor

Clinics & Services

Research Resources

Professional Training

Education Resources

Class Notes

Alumni Day 2025

Pain, Pleasure, and the Addictive Chase for Dopamine

Neural Circuits of Frustration

Cancer and Mental Health: Psychosocial Oncology

Metabolic Psychiatry: Metabolism and Mental Health

Dean's Remarks

The 2025 RISE Award: Charlotte D. Jacobs, MD

Keynote Speaker

Anna Lembke, MD ’95, Resident ’99, Fellow ’01

Micro Lectures

Neir Eshel, MD, PhD, Resident ’20

Sheila Lahijani, MD

Shebani Sethi, MD, Resident ’17

Seminars

Steven Adelsheim, MD

F. Vankee Lin, PhD

Douglas Noordsy, MD

Dean's Remarks

Lloyd B. Minor, MD

RISE Award Honoree

Charlotte D. Jacobs, MD, Fellow ’77

Daytime Activities

Afternoon Tours

Alumni Dinner Reception

Registration

Locations

Hotel Accomodations

Afternoon Tours

Alumni Dinner Reception | Timeless Connections

Class Representatives

Parking & Transportation

Cancellations & Refunds