Two Surgery Trainees Receive TRAM Pilot Grants

Stanford Surgery faculty and trainees presented work spanning artificial intelligence, robotic surgery, trauma care, surgical education, health services research and regenerative medicine at the annual meeting held this year in Washington, D.C.

Keyuree Satam, MD, a PGY-4 integrated vascular surgery resident in the Stanford University School of Medicine's Division of Vascular Surgery, has received a $20,000 pilot grant from Stanford's Translational Research and Applied Medicine (TRAM) Program to advance research into vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS), a rare genetic disorder that can lead to life-threatening vascular complications.

Dr. Brendan Visser is the 2026 recipient of the Physician Champion Award, which recognizes a Stanford Health Care physician “who has demonstrated significant contribution to the clinical growth and development of Advanced Practice Providers."

In this episode of Scrubcast, breast surgeon and surgical oncologist Dr. Irene Wapnir discusses the evolution of breast cancer care, from the widespread use of mastectomy to breast-conserving approaches. Wapnir discusses what drew her to the field, including its emotional and psychological dimensions, and explains how clinical trials have shaped her career and advanced the understanding of breast cancer treatment.

The Stanford Division of Vascular Surgery hosted the Paul Baszucki Vascular Surgery Biobank Research Day on September 21–22, 2026, bringing together faculty, trainees, researchers, and collaborators to highlight ongoing advances in vascular disease research and celebrate the continued growth of the Paul Baszucki Biobank.

Stanford researchers and clinicians gathered on September 18, 2026, for the Stanford Transplant Research Symposium, an afternoon of research presentations, discussion, and collaboration focused on emerging challenges and innovations in transplantation.

Congratulations to Dr. Sherry Wren, who has been named an Alum of the Year by Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine. Dr. Wren, who received her MD at Stritch in 1986, is being recognized for “Excellence in Community Service.” The award will be presented at the Stritch Reunion Weekend in October.

Stanford surgeon Dr. Jean Bao introduces endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy, a minimally invasive approach that uses a smaller lateral incision while preserving the breast skin and nipple. The technique may improve surgical visualization, reduce tissue retraction, and support an easier recovery for appropriately selected patients undergoing cancer treatment or risk-reducing surgery.

Ken Nieser, an investigator with the Department of Veterans Affairs and Stanford's S-SPIRE Center, applies statistical models to health data to study and improve healthcare quality, focusing on colorectal cancer screening disparities among veterans by combining quantitative data analysis with qualitative research involving patient and provider interviews.

Dr. Alma Cepika explains how TR1 cells regulate immune responses and how tumors may exploit these cells to suppress antitumor immunity. Could targeting TR1 cells help improve cancer immunotherapy?