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Enhancing FACS Capabilities: New Equipment and Expanded Services for Researchers
Winter 2025
In the New Year, FACS will enhance its capabilities with the acquisition of an Aurora Cell Sorter and a second spectral analyzer, the Agilent Opteon, while also expanding services to include sample staining and analysis to support researchers more effectively.
Exploring Spatial Biology with MERSCOPE
Winter 2025
The MERSCOPE User Group Meeting at PAN showcased significant advancements in spatial transcriptomics, featuring presentations from Stanford researchers who are utilizing MERSCOPE technology to explore complex biological questions, from brain development to the molecular dynamics of neurodegeneration.
Welcome Megan Mayerle, PhD & Thank You to Andrew Sit, MBA
We are pleased to announce that Megan Mayerle, PhD will be joining the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine as our new Associate Director, effective Monday, November 17, 2025.
Lucy Shapiro to Receive the 2025 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science
Our very own Lucy Shapiro, PhD, the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor, Emerita and former Director of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, has been awarded the 2025 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science by the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation.
Congratulations to Our Cell Sciences Imaging Facility Team!
Summer 2025
We are thrilled to announce that the Cell Sciences Imaging Facility (CSIF) has been awarded three grants from Stanford’s Community of Shared Research Platforms (C-ShaRP) program, totaling over $1 million in funding!
Beyond the Scope: Building a Microscopy Network
Summer 2025
On a recent summer morning, Gordon Wang, PhD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and co-director of the Cell Sciences Imaging Facility at the Beckman Center, got a call from a professor in Verona, Italy; she was seeking advice on what type of microscope to buy.
Lucy Shapiro’s Big Idea: Using Cell Biology to Fight Superbugs
In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor talks with our very own Lucy Shapiro, PhD about her innovative work using insights from cell biology to tackle antibiotic-resistant superbugs and transform approaches to human health.
Advancing Cancer Research: PAN’s Innovative Collaborations and New Spatial Genomics Technology
Winter 2025
PAN members Jessica Tran and Michael Eckart have advanced cancer research with a publication in Cancer Discovery, utilizing Surface Plasmon Resonance technology for real-time biomolecular interaction measurements, while also expanding capabilities into spatial genomics with the Vizgen MERSCOPE platform.
From the Director's Desk
Winter 2025
In a heartfelt introduction as the new director of the Stanford Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, Dr. Mark Krasnow expresses his commitment to advancing the legacy of visionary leadership while emphasizing the importance of innovative technologies and collaborations that drive scientific discovery and community engagement.
Technology Development Seed Grants Awarded to Five Outstanding Projects
Summer 2025
The Beckman Center recently awarded nearly $1.1 million in Technology Development Seed Grants to five teams of investigators.
“The seed grant submissions this round were truly impressive,” says Lucy Shapiro, PhD, director of the Beckman Center. “The review committee and I were impressed by yet another exceptional pool of research proposals.”
Mark Shepard, MPH, Retires as Beckman Center Associate Director; Andrew Sit, MBA, Named Interim Associate Director
Summer 2025
Mark Shepard, MPH, is retiring from his position as associate director of the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine, effective August 31, 2025.
The Beckman Center Welcomes Haopeng Xiao, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Summer 2025
Haopeng Xiao, PhD, joined the Department of Biochemistry in the fall of 2024.
Dr. Xiao graduated from Peking University with dual bachelor’s degrees in pharmaceutical sciences and Chinese language and literature. He then pursued a PhD in chemistry at Georgia Tech under the mentorship of Ronghu Wu, PhD, where he developed mass spectrometry (MS)-based technologies to study protein glycosylation.
FACS Open Office Hours: Your Flow Cytometry Questions Welcome!
Summer 2025
The Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) Facility is hosting weekly open office hours for researchers at all levels who want to enhance their flow cytometry skills. Whether you’re a beginner or you’re looking to tackle advanced challenges, our rotating topic series has something for you.
New Beckman Center Director Announcement
After 23 years of dedicated service, Dr. Lucy Shapiro, the Virgina and D.K. Ludwig Professor, Emerita, has decided to step down as the Beckman Center Director. We are deeply grateful for Dr. Shapiro’s contributions and leadership and wish her all the best in her retirement. While we will greatly miss her guidance and foresight, we are thrilled to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Krasnow, the Paul and Mildred Berg Professor, as the new Beckman Center Director effective September 1, 2025.
