phd in chemistry stanford

Ph.D. Program

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Upcoming Event

• CSB Cutting Lecture Series: Wallace Marshall, Ph.D., Friday, May 3, 12:30 pm, Munzer!

Advances In Basic Science And Molecular Medicine

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology explores the frontiers of basic science and molecular medicine, particularly at the crossroads of cellular, chemical, and computational biology. We train Ph.D. students to apply genetic, chemical, cell biological, and quantitative methods to decipher the complex regulatory systems associated with normal physiology and disease states.

Specific research areas include cell signaling pathways, cell cycle control, epigenetics, cell fate specification, and genomic stability. The Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program also emphasizes collaborative learning, and our research community includes scientists trained in molecular biology, cell biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering.

Our Ph.D. program consistently ranks among the top graduate training programs in the world. Most recently the National Research Council named us the top pharmacology-related training program in the United States, based on students’ GRE scores, faculty publications, median time to degree, program requirements, and training resources. The Chemical and Systems Biology graduate program was especially commended for the quality of its research activities.

Why Chemical And Systems Biology?

How do cells achieve directed migration? Why doesn’t a skin cell become a neuron? How do drug-resistant cancers arise and how might they be prevented or overcome? Finding answers to these and other biomedical questions increasingly requires molecular, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approaches.

The Department of Chemical and Systems Biology is uniquely focused on understanding cell biology at the molecular and systems levels, and many of its faculty have expertise in biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and engineering. Developing novel technologies for basic research and translating discoveries into therapeutic strategies are also areas of special interest in the Chemical and Systems Biology community.

Our goal is to train a new generation of scientists with the interdisciplinary skills and creative thinking required to tackle emerging challenges in biomedical research. We invite all interested students to apply to the Chemical and Systems Biology Ph.D. program through the Stanford Biosciences online application form. Applicants whose research interests match well with our scientific mission are encouraged to select Chemical and Systems Biology as their primary home program.

Graduate Programs

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Doctoral Program

The Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering is awarded after completing minimum of 135 units of graduate work, satisfactory completion of any additional university requirements, and the following departmental requirements. Completion of an MS degree is not a prerequisite. Program Overview   Program Requirements

Admissions Overview

HCP Master’s Program

The Honors Cooperative Program is our part-time Master’s program that allows students the flexibility to complete a MS degree at Stanford completely online. The program also allows the flexibility to work towards a MS degree while continuing professional employment.

Program Overview Program Requirements

Online Graduate Certificate

Our graduate certificate , delivered online by the  Stanford Center for Professional Development , is especially designed for students in industry. Completing graduate courses for your certificate earns Stanford graduate credit.

The Student Experience

Stanford Engineering is known for its academic rigor and unparalleled research. Here, you can pursue your passion to build sustainable urban systems, develop new modes of transportation, and discover how to cure diseases with the help of technology.

“ I was first bitten by the research ‘bug’ during a year-long high school internship in an RNA biology ... ”

Doctoral Program

The PhD program is designed to give students a broad and deep understanding of materials science and engineering so that they will have long and fruitful careers as researchers.

Main navigation, doctor of philosophy in materials science and engineering.

Students who graduate from our program will be among the world’s leading experts in the areas of their dissertation research. They also will have the intellectual tools to move into new research areas as the field grows and develops.

During the first year of the PhD program, students are required to take five courses from our core curriculum, attend the weekly colloquium lectures to learn about cutting-edge materials science research, explore finding an advisor (which includes a weekly course hour), and enroll in some technical elective coursework.

Students are expected to find a research group to join before the start of the spring quarter in their first year. During the summer after the first academic year, students typically work intensely on research under the guidance of a professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department or a professor from another materials-related department.

In the second year, students continue to take technical elective coursework and do research. Between October and January, they take a qualifying examination, which they must pass to be formally admitted to candidacy for a PhD degree. In the first part of the exam, students give a 20-minute presentation on their proposed area of dissertation research. A committee of professors, which includes the student’s advisor, then questions the student on the proposed topic for 20 minutes. Finally, the professors ask questions for 80 minutes on topics from the core curriculum. Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of materials science and to show that they can think clearly on aspects that are important for their research. Students who do not pass the qualifying exam can attempt it one more time in the spring quarter. It is not uncommon to pass one part but not both parts on the first try.

Once students pass the qualifying exam, they continue to take classes and do their dissertation research. Students are required to take 44 core, technical, and seminar units (approximately 18 quarter-long classes).

The final stage of the PhD program is to write a dissertation and pass the university oral examination, which involves giving a public seminar defending the dissertation and answering questions from a private panel of four professors. Most students complete the entire program in five years and receive several employment offers as they write their dissertations.

The university’s basic requirements for a PhD are outlined in the Graduate Degrees section of the Stanford Bulletin.

The PhD degree is awarded after the completion of a minimum of 135 units of graduate work as well as satisfactory completion of any additional university requirements. Degree requirements for the department are as follows:

1 All core courses must be completed for a letter grade and to qualify for the qualifying exam a GPA in the core courses must be 3.5 or higher.

2 Eight, elective, technical courses must be in areas related directly to students’ research interests.  Five courses must be in MATSCI, including one course in Characterization*

*The characterization course may be taken out of the department with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies.

All courses must be completed for a letter grade.

3 Materials Science and Engineering PhD students are required to take MATSCI 230 Materials Science Colloquium during each quarter of their first year. Attendance is required, roll is taken and more than two absences result in an automatic "No Pass" grade.

4 Research units will very likely equal or exceed 75, so other courses may count here.  This could include other engineering courses, MATSCI 400 , transfer units, other university courses, up to 3 units of MATSCI 299 .

5 Students must complete Materials Science Research Advising during the Autumn of their first year.  They will complete Ethics and Broader Impacts in Materials Science during the Spring of their first year.  In addition, students complete at least 10 residency units.  These course units may include  MATSCI 300  Ph.D. Research, other engineering courses,  MATSCI 400  Participation in Materials Science Teaching, or a maximum of three units  MATSCI 299  Practical Training.

• Students must consult with the PhD Advising Team or their academic adviser on PhD course selection planning. For students with a non-MATSCI research adviser, the MATSCI academic/co-adviser must also approve the list of proposed courses. Any proposed deviations from the requirements can be considered only by petition.
• PhD students are required to apply for and have conferred a MATSCI MS degree normally by the end of their third year of studies. A Graduate Program Authorization Petition (in Axess) and an MS Program Proposal  (PDF) must be submitted after taking the PhD qualifying examination.
• A departmental oral qualifying examination must be passed by the end of January of the second year. A grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 in core courses MATSCI 211-215 is required for admission to the PhD qualifying examination. Students who have passed the PhD qualifying examination are required to complete the Application for Candidacy to the PhD degree by June of the second year after passing the qualifying examination. Final changes in the Application for Candidacy form must be submitted no later than one academic quarter prior to the TGR status.
• Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses taken at Stanford.
• Students must present the results of their research dissertation at the university PhD oral defense examination.
• Current students subject to either this set of requirements or a prior set must obtain the approval of their adviser before filing a revised program sheet, and should as far as possible adhere to the intent of the new requirements.
• Students may refer to the list of "Advanced Specialty Courses and Cognate Courses" provided below as guidelines for their selection of technical elective units. As noted above, academic adviser approval is required.
• At least 90 units must be taken in residence at Stanford. Students entering with an MS degree in Materials Science from another university may request to transfer up to 45 units of equivalent work toward the total of 135 PhD degree requirement units.
• Students may propose a petition for exemption from a required core course if they have taken a similar course in the past. To petition, a student must consult and obtain academic and/or research adviser approval, and consent of the instructor of the proposed core course. To assess a student’s level of knowledge, the instructor may provide an oral or written examination on the subject matter. The student must pass the examination in order to be exempt from the core course requirement. If the petition is approved, the student is required to complete the waived number of units by taking other relevant upper-level MATSCI courses.

PhD minor in Materials Science and Engineering

The university’s basic requirements for the PhD minor are outlined in the Graduate Degrees section of the Stanford Bulletin. A minor requires 20 units of graduate work of quality and depth at the 200-level or higher in the Materials Science and Engineering course offering. Courses must be taken for a letter grade. The proposed list of courses must be approved by the department’s advanced degree committee. Individual programs must be submitted to the student services manager at least one quarter prior to the quarter of the degree conferral. None of the units taken for the PhD minor may overlap with any MS degree units.

SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H

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The  Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship (SIGF) Program  is a competitive, university-wide program that awards three-year fellowships to outstanding doctoral students engaged in interdisciplinary research. Since 2016, ChEM-H has awarded six fellowships and one honorary fellowship. ChEM-H fellows are invited to join the  Chemistry/Biology Interface Training Program .  

Graduate students should apply for the fellowship through the  Bio-X Fellowship portal .  Students who are proposing research at the interface of chemistry, biology, and engineering and are interested in being sponsored by ChEM-H should select "Sarafan ChEM-H Fellowship" on their application.  Please note that all students who apply will be considered for a fellowship from  all three  institutes (Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford Bio-X, and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute).

Eligible graduate students must be starting their second, third, or fourth year of a Ph.D. program on September 26, 2022 and must be officially active in a Ph.D. program by the application deadline. Proposals must be interdisciplinary (bringing together two or more separate fields of study) with at least two faculty members involved in the proposed project as mentors. Preference will be given to students who are jointly mentored by at least two faculty members who are experts in distinctly separate areas of science and technology. For additional eligibility, award terms, and policies, refer to the   Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship website .

For eligibility and application questions, contact Bria Castellano ( [email protected] ).

SIGF in the news

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• Students and postdocs

ChEM-H researchers work toward new understanding of cancer camouflage

2021 sigf affiliated with chem-h - david l. sze and kathleen donohue interdisciplinary fellow: tara murty, biophysics phd student & md student (mstp).

Tara is a graduate student in the Department of Biophysics advised by Crystal Mackall and is pursuing her MD through Stanford’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). She integrates immunology, cellular engineering, and computational biology to understand why CAR T-cell therapy, which has revolutionized oncology through engineered targeting of molecules on previously untreatable cancers, does not work for all patients. 

2020 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H Fellow: Justin Donnelly, Chemistry PhD Student

Justin is originally from New York, NY and attended high school at the Princeton Day School in Princeton, NJ. He attended the University of Chicago for college (B.S./M.S. ‘18) and did his undergraduate work with Professor Ray Moellering, developing a biocompatible, catalyst-free strategy to synthesize stapled and macrocyclic peptidomimetics. His primary research interests lie in molecular medicine, glycobiology, and immunology at the interface of chemistry and biology. His graduate work in the Bertozzi Group bridges chemistry, glycobiology, and functional genomics, leveraging genome-wide CRISPR screening technology in collaboration with Prof. Mike Bassik to investigate the biology of galectins. His research seeks to identify new strategies to control these immunomodulatory glycan-binding proteins, which play critical roles in inflammation and cancer progression, for potential therapeutic benefit. 

2020 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H Fellow: Brianna McIntosh, Cancer Biology PhD Student

Brianna is a graduate student in the Cancer Biology Program advised by Prof. Jennifer Cochran in the Department of Bioengineering. She is interested in utilizing yeast display and directed evolution to engineer high affinity proteins to treat and better understand cancer progression. Her project focuses on engineering a receptor recently implicated in lung adenocarcinoma to act as a decoy receptor, sequestering overexpressed ligand in the tumor microenvironment to prevent growth. 

2019 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H Fellow (Anonymous Donor): Daniel Mokhtari, Biochemistry PhD Student & MD Student (MSTP)

Daniel is a graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry co-advised by Polly Fordyce and Daniel Herschlag. He is developing and applying a microfluidic-based high-throughput technology to make quantitative measurements of enzyme function at an unprecedented scale. With this technology, he aims to 1) understand the molecular details of how enzymes achieve amazing catalytic prowess, 2) dissect the bases for enzyme allostery, and 3) generate foundational datasets that will train new algorithms predicting mutational effects on function. He is pursuing these aims by studying phosphatases—model enzymes central to cell homeostasis, pathogen virulence, and human disease. In addition, Daniel is pursuing his MD through Stanford’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). 

2019 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H - Gold Family Graduate Fellow: Weijiang Zhou, Biophysics PhD Student

Weijiang is pursuing his PhD in Biophysics in the lab of professor Wah Chiu. He combines chemistry and electron microscopy to solve the structures of small molecules. He is developing a workflow for cryo-electron crystallography methodology, including sample preparation, data collection, and data processing, for solving atomic structures of small molecule nano-crystals. A high throughput and accurate methodology for atomic structure determination of small molecule crystals will impact chemical research and the pharmaceutical industry. 

2018 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H - David L. Sze and Kathleen Donohue Interdisciplinary Fellow: Corleone Delaveris, Chemistry PhD Student

Corleone is a graduate student in the lab of Prof. Carolyn Bertozzi in the Department of Chemistry. He studies how the glycocalyx — the various sugars of glycoproteins and other glycoconjugates on the cell surface — participates in disease and how it can be engineered. He combines organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and immunology to study and manipulate the complex network of glycan-based interactions. Specific projects include studying how influenza viral fusion is affected by bulky glycoproteins and developing glycan-based immunotherapies for cancer. 

2018 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H - Honorary Fellow: Catherine Liou, Chemical Engineering PhD Student

Catherine is a graduate student advised by Professor Elizabeth Sattely in the Department of Chemical Engineering. She is interested in the roles that dietary plant molecules play in modulating human health and disease. While metabolites found in dietary plants have long been implicated in disease prevention, there is limited understanding about the specific mechanisms through which they interact with human physiology. Catherine is hoping to understand and quantitate these interactions using an approach that considers a controlled plant metabolome, a relevant food context, and the gut microbiome. 

2017 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H: Winston Becker, Biophysics PhD Student & MD Student (MSTP)

Winston is pursuing his PhD in Biophysics in the lab of Professor Will Greenleaf where he studies functional RNAs and nucleic acid binding proteins. He applies high-throughput methods to make millions of biophysical measurements in parallel. Using these methods, he is interested in 1) probing the folding and catalysis of large functional RNAs to better understand how RNA can be used to form complex molecular machines and 2) examining the sequence specificity of RNA and DNA binding proteins. In addition to doing research, Winston is pursuing his MD through Stanford’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). 

2017 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H Fellow (Anonymous Donor): Jackie Carozza, Chemistry PhD Student

Jackie studies the innate immune system and its relevance to fighting cancer in Professor Lingyin Li’s lab in the Department of Biochemistry. In particular, she is interested in the regulation of cGAMP, a newly discovered second messenger signaling molecule that activates the innate immune response. She combines chemical biology, cell biology, and immunology to understand and manipulate innate immune activation by cGAMP. 

2016 SIGF Affiliated with ChEM-H Fellow (Anonymous Donor): Anna Koster, Chemistry PhD Student

Anna is co-advised by Prof. Justin Du Bois in the Department of Chemistry and Prof. Merritt Maduke in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, and splits her time between the two labs doing chemical synthesis and electrophysiology. Her project has recently evolved into studying CLC-2, which is the most abundant chloride channel expressed in the brain. She uses a combination of computational techniques, synthetic chemistry, and molecular biology to develop highly selective and potent small-molecule inhibitors of CLC-2 in order to better understand its physiological function. 

BIOC-PHD - Biochemistry (PhD)

Program overview.

Office: Beckman Center, B400 Mail Code: 94305-5307 Phone: (650) 723-6161 Web Site:  https://biochemistry.stanford.edu/

Biochemistry is a department within the School of Medicine, with offices and labs in the Beckman Center for Molecular and Genetic Medicine at the Stanford Medical Center, the Shriram Center for Bioengineering and Chemical Engineering, and the Stanford Genome Technology Center. Undergraduates and graduate and medical school students may take courses the department offers.

The Department of Biochemistry focuses on the molecular basis of life by studying the structures and functions of proteins and nucleic acids, the control of development, molecular motors and the cytoskeleton, trafficking of proteins between organelles, regulation of gene expression, protein homeostasis, structure and design, genetic and epigenetic control of chromosome function, and the application of genomics, all toward the understanding of health and disease. Advanced courses in more specialized areas emphasize the most recent developments in biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, and molecular biology. These courses include the physical chemistry of proteins and nucleic acids, membrane biology and biochemistry, the cytoskeleton, mechanisms and regulation of nucleic acid replication and recombination, the biochemistry of bacterial and animal viruses, the molecular basis of morphogenesis, and the structure and function of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic chromosomes.

The Department of Biochemistry offers a PhD program that begins in autumn quarter of each year. The program of study is designed to prepare students for productive careers in biochemistry; its emphasis is training in research, and each student works closely with faculty members. Opportunities exist for directed reading and research in biochemistry and molecular biology using the most advanced research facilities, including those for light and electron microscopy, chromatography and electrophoresis, protein and nucleic acid purification, rapid kinetic analysis, synthesis and analysis, single-molecule analyses using laser light traps, microarray generation and analysis, and computer graphic workstation facilities for protein and nucleic acid structural analysis. Ongoing research uses a variety of organisms, from bacteria to animal cells.

Those applying for graduate study should have at least a baccalaureate degree and complete work in cell and developmental biology, basic biochemistry and molecular biology, and genetics. Also required are: at least one year of university physics; differential and integral calculus; and organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry. The department is especially interested in applicants with research experience in biology or chemistry. Students must apply, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, by December for admission in the following autumn quarter.

Applications should be submitted at the Office of Graduate Admissions website. Applicants are notified by March 31 of decisions on their applications. The Biochemistry Department has made scores from the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) optional on our application.

All applicants are urged to compete for non-Stanford fellowships or scholarships, and U.S. citizens should complete an application for a National Science Foundation Predoctoral Traineeship. Students receive financial support to cover ordinary living expenses; Stanford tuition costs are paid. Applicants for admission to the department are considered regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, age, national origin, or marital status.

Postdoctoral research training is available to graduates with a PhD or an MD degree. Qualified individuals may write to individual faculty members for further information.

Free Form Requisites

Students graduating with a PhD in Biochemistry from Stanford are expected to be generally proficient in four core scientific areas relevant to biochemical research and the specific scientific areas most relevant to their particular thesis projects. The four core proficiency areas are:

Quantitative Biochemistry and Biophysics

Molecular Biology

Cell Biology

Proficiency can be demonstrated by successfully completing graduate-level courses in each of these four areas or by other means with the permission of the graduate advisor.

In addition to the requirement for a PhD dissertation based on original research, students must complete six advanced courses in biochemistry and related areas among the 135 total units required for the Ph.D. The selection of these courses is tailored to fit the background and interests of each student.

A second requirement involves the submission of two research proposals. The student presents these proposals to a small committee of departmental faculty members responsible for monitoring the progress of student curricular and research programs and a journal club presentation. All PhD students must participate actively in the department’s seminar program. Students are encouraged to attend and present papers at regional and national meetings in cellular biochemistry and molecular biology. Teaching experience is an integral part of the PhD curriculum and is required for the degree. The Department of Biochemistry offers only an MS to students already enrolled in the PhD program. Students should contact the Graduate Studies advisor for more details.

Doctoral Admissions

Use this page to explore admissions data for Stanford's research doctoral programs. While the most common doctoral degree across the university is the PhD, the JSD in Law and the DMA in Musical Arts are also included here. The MD and JD are considered to be professional degrees and are not included. Note that any year referenced in this dashboard refers to the academic year in which the applicant was intending to enroll. For example, an application submitted in September 2018 for the 2019-20 academic year would be counted under 2019-20. These data are limited to new, external applicants only. If you are interested in the Biosciences programs in the School of Medicine, please read the important note below the dashboard.

More information is available about  doctoral program enrollment and demographics , as well as  doctoral degree conferrals, time-to-degree, and graduation rates . Note that local variation in policy and practice regarding admission, matriculation, and degree conferral may affect the departmental and school-level metrics below.

Methodology & Definitions

Application counts.

Applicant counts are based on the number of applications to doctoral programs from new applicants only. Current students who are transferring into a doctoral program from another graduate program at Stanford without submitting a new application are not included. If an application was transferred between programs during the admission process, the application is counted under the final program for which it was considered, not the original program.

Application Years

Applications and offers of admission are counted in the year in which the applicant was intending to enroll. The year in this case encompasses the summer quarter through the following spring, so the 2018-2019 application year would include students who intended to matriculate in Summer 2018 through Spring 2019. If an applicant was admitted and decided to defer their enrollment, that application and offer of admission are counted in the later, deferred year instead of the original year. The majority of new doctoral students matriculate in either autumn or summer. As these dashboards are updated annually in the autumn, the data for the most recent year will not include applicants or admits for winter or spring.

Admit Rates

The admit rate is calculated by dividing the number of offers of admission by the total number of applications received.

An Important Note about Stanford Biosciences

Prospective students may only apply to a single doctoral program at a time, with the exception of the  14 programs in Stanford Biosciences . Beginning with the 2022-23 application period, prospective students in Biosciences are permitted to select up to two programs for consideration as part of their application. (Prior to the 2022-23 application cycle, students were able to and would commonly select up to three programs for consideration.) A successful applicant will only be offered admission to one of these programs, which may result in an artificially low admit rate for some of these programs.  These programs include:

• Biochemistry
• Biomedical Informatics
• Cancer Biology
• Chemical and Systems Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular and Cellular Physiology
• Neurosciences
• Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine
• Structural Biology

Visit the  Graduate Admissions website  for more information about pursuing graduate study at Stanford.

The data are available for download in Google Drive .

• Data Source(s): PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, Institutional Research & Decision Support

Stanford University is committed to providing an online environment that is accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. If you cannot access this content or use any features on this site, please contact  [email protected]  to obtain alternate formats.

You may submit feedback on this dashboard through the  feedback form .

[email protected]

Explore Our Department

Department of biochemistry, phd students, postdocs and scientists, why biochemistry.

Our core goals are to perform foundational research, mentor and train scientists, and foster a strong scientific community. Research in our laboratories ranges from atomic level investigation of biomolecules to integrated studies of organismal biology and disease.

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Krasnow Lab and collaborators help identify source of severe COVID: http://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2024/04/covid-lung-cells.html  ... Read More

Congratulations to Flora Rutaganira! Reconstructing the Emergence of Cancer at the Dawn of Multicellularity What does early multicellular life teach... Read More

Stanford Distinguished Fellow and Hanna Gray Fellow Maia Kinnebrew wins NIH DP5 Award https://commonfund.nih.gov/earlyindependence/AwardRecipients  ... Read More

Julia Salzman, PhD, started out as a statistician but couldn’t ignore the call of the natural world. She is now... Read More

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Chuck Chan, stem cell researcher who discovered how to regrow cartilage, dies at 48

The Stanford Medicine researcher was known for his groundbreaking work and his generous spirit as a mentor and colleague.

April 23, 2024 - By Jennifer Welsh

Chuck Chan on a road trip to Yellowstone National Park. Wan-Jun Lu

Charles “Chuck” Kwok Fai Chan, PhD, an assistant professor of surgery at Stanford Medicine, died March 12 at Stanford Hospital surrounded by his wife, parents, siblings, and some of his dearest friends and colleagues. He was 48. 

“Chuck accomplished a great deal in the short time he had,” said   Lloyd Minor , MD, dean of the Stanford School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford University. “He knew he was working against the clock, which drove him to persevere in his research. He leaves behind a wealth of foundational stem cell discoveries that will inform the future of rejuvenative medicine. Stanford Medicine mourns the loss of such a talented researcher at such an early age.”

A member of the Stanford  Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine , Chan discovered the mouse and human stem cells that give rise to bone, cartilage and some types of cells that nurture blood-forming stem and progenitor cells. These stem cells are integral to developing new healing technologies for joints affected by osteoarthritis or skeletal injuries. 

​“Chan was an outstanding scientist with a prodigious intellect and curiosity. He was a giant in the field who we lost way too early,” said  Michael Longaker , MD, a professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery and the Deane P. and Louise Mitchell Professor in the School of Medicine. “His work will have a long-lived impact. Decades from now, millions of people with arthritis may be benefiting from his discoveries, and I will say, ‘This work traces back to the Chan lab.’”

Chan trained many young scientists, including undergraduates,  CIRM scholars  and international students. His colleagues said he was generous with his time, ideas and the secret recipes used in his experiments. He believed there were always more discoveries to make and more  Nature  papers to write. 

“He was very confident that there was enough science to go around. He was so willing to share, to talk about science, to collaborate because he was confident that there was so much still to discover,” said his brother  Ed Chan , a researcher in the plastic and reconstructive surgery department at Stanford Medicine. “He was very open with his science, pushing his teams to present their research and share what they discovered and the new tools they developed.”

Chan identified and isolated essential components needed to encourage the development of skeletal stem cells, which can make bone, cartilage and helper cells for blood-cell precursors. To bring these findings to the clinic, he dabbled in gene editing and even a project using microneedle-based technologies for repairing cartilage with his brother.

“He was a brilliant young scientist, unafraid to explore new technology,” said  Irving Weissman , MD, founding director of the Stanford Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, professor of pathology and developmental biology, and the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor in Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research. “Though he didn’t treat patients, he was always thinking about how they’d benefit from his discoveries. We will miss his drive, his empathy, his deep intelligence. Sadly, generations of patients will miss his potential discoveries.”

Boundless curiosity, unrestrained imagination

When he applied to Stanford Medicine’s graduate program, Chan wrote in his personal statement, “If I cannot be a child, then let me be a scientist…scientists have boundless curiosity and an unrestrained imagination.” It was a definition Chan embodied his entire life, friends and family say. 

Though he didn’t treat patients, he was always thinking about how they’d benefit from his discoveries.

Born May 14, 1975, in Hong Kong, Chan moved to the U.S. in early 1982, landing in Anaheim, California, where he could see Disneyland’s famous fireworks displays from his living room window. He was the eldest of six siblings — he had four brothers and one sister. His mother is a homemaker, and his father was in the photographic equipment business during his youth.

“Chuck was the leader of our gang. He was No. 1,” Ed Chan said. “He was always into science — he had a big rock collection; he was into bugs and how the ecosystem works. As a family, we used to laugh at him a bit for his obsessions.”

He attended Alhambra High School, where he played clarinet in the marching band. He started his research career in high school, interning at university labs over the summer. 

He earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1999, staying on for two years to complete a research project and publish his work. In 2002, he enrolled in the development biology program at Stanford Medicine, joiningWeissman’s lab, where he focused on finding and defining interactions between stem cells that lead to regenerative growth. He earned his PhD in 2011. 

“He explored many things and proved himself to be absolutely fearless in terms of technologies that might advance the field,” Weissman said. 

As a graduate student, Chan was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and underwent extensive treatments. “During that time, he did not stop doing science,” said his wife,  Wan-Jin Lu,  PhD, a research scientist at the Stanford  Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine . “He managed to publish a paper, defend his thesis, attend lab meetings and support his lab mates.”

Eventually, a bone marrow transplant from his sister gave him an eight-year remission. He was awarded with an independent Siebel Scholar position and built up his lab immediately after earning his PhD. His work focused on the stem cells that give rise to bones and cartilage. 

“Anyone else might have been demoralized by how hard these experiments were. But Chuck seemed like he couldn’t get enough of it,” Longaker said. “That’s what made him a unique and uber-successful scientist.”

Chan worked doggedly to identify the  mouse skeletal stem cell , which gives rise to the spongy bone that supports blood, hard bone and cartilage.

“Irv said these experiments would not work, but Chuck did not listen. He went ahead and tried it anyway,” Lu said. Eventually, he grew a piece of bone with a spongey inside and cartilage at the ends. “He was so proud of himself that he brought the bone straight into Irv’s office — it was his once-in-a-lifetime ‘Eureka’ moment that every scientist dreams about.”

Weissman added, “One of the unique aspects of helping great graduate students is that they discover what you doubted.”

That work was published in the top journal  Cell  and immediately put him on the map as a “researcher to follow,” Longaker said. Very quickly after that, he identified the human skeletal stem cell, again publishing the finding in  Cell .

“He became this iconic bone biology person early in his career — it was a testament to his vision for what’s possible,” Longaker said. “He went on to regenerate cartilage and reverse the slow healing of aging.”

When joint cartilage has worn away, bone painfully rubs against bone. Often, a patient’s only solution is pain medication or joint replacement surgery. Chan’s research may lead to ways to regrow cartilage.

“Because he had overcome so much with his health as a grad student, I think it gave him a sense of urgency in his work,” Longaker said. “He wasn’t on faculty long. But wow, his contributions will live forever.”

A lasting impression

Not only was Chan a dedicated scientist; he was an optimist inside and outside the lab — an upbeat person always happy to collaborate, colleagues said. He was also a well-known night owl, sending texts from the lab at all hours.

In the lab, Chuck was in his element. That was what he wanted to do with the people he wanted to do it with.

He took an unusual approach to picking his projects. He pursued the fundamental questions, pushing through ideas at an unusually fast rate. He conducted one experiment, focusing on one question, to decide if that project would work. If not, the next week, he would start a new project.

“He didn’t work on small projects. He wanted to make a difference,” Longaker said. “He was undaunted; no matter how complicated the experiment, he did whatever it took — that’s what made him unique.”

Chan was also a good mentor and group leader. “If someone was having a bad day, they would come to Chuck’s lab. They’d have a few beers, and he would help them through it. He would sit with you and inspire you,” Lu said.

Chan spent about 90% of his time talking about, thinking about or conducting lab work, Lu said.

“The idea of work-life balance wasn’t his focus. It’s work and life, they’re just together,” Ed Chan said. “In the lab, Chuck was in his element. That was what he wanted to do with the people he wanted to do it with.”

Outside the lab, Chuck found a profound connection with Hawaiian culture during a weeklong camping trip along the Maui coastline. This experience ignited a love for the Aloha spirit and the Hawaiian way of life. He was often seen in Hawaiian shirts, spending time at the beach and hiking the island trails. Chuck had a particular fondness for sea turtles, always seizing the chance to seek them out along the sandy shores.

When it came to his family, Chuck was the sterner older brother, Ed said. He pushed his younger siblings hard when they were younger, prepping them to take the SATs by having his siblings live with him for the summer and drilling them every day. “They hated it. But to this day, they all admit that they got into decent schools because Chuck was riding them so hard,”Ed Chan said.

Chan received a Siebel Scholarship Award from 2011 to 2013, a Prostate Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award from 2013 to 2016, a National Institutes of Health Pathway to Independence Award from 2015 to 2020, and an American Federation for Aging Research and Arthritis National Foundation grant in 2018 and 2020. 

Chan is survived by his wife, Wan-Jin Lu, of Redwood City, California; parents Albert and Anna Chan; and his five siblings: Edward Chan, Andrew Chan, Marvin Chan, Brian Chan and Karen Haas. He has nine nephews and nieces.

• Jennifer Welsh Jennifer Welsh is a freelance writer

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Each incoming Knight-Hennessy scholar must also apply to, be accepted by, and enroll in a full-time Stanford graduate degree program.

If you have already been offered and deferred admission to enroll in a full-time Stanford graduate program in 2024, or you are a Stanford PhD student who will start your PhD in 2023 and will begin your second year in 2024, then you must submit one application to Knight-Hennessy Scholars .

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Last updated October 11, 2023.

Graduate Student Council clarifies Honor Code

The Graduate Student Council (GSC) passed clarifying changes to the Honor Code and received updates from Residential and Housing Enterprises (R&DE) on the graduate housing lottery, housing amenities and space utilization during its meeting last week. 

There was some debate on adjustments to the Honor Code, specifically setting the level for reviews to clarify the guidelines and ensure they are appropriate for student needs. The GSC voted on the proposed changes, which passed unanimously with 3 abstentions.

Justin Aker, R&DE Senior Director of Student Housing Assignments, announced that the graduate housing lottery has opened for the upcoming summer and fall quarter applications with no major changes to the process. Aker mentioned a pilot program for shared rooms in the lottery, and administrations’ plans to conduct outreach confirming that applicants understand the details of the housing they are applying to. 

Regarding details provided about housing options, 3rd-year Ph.D. student and councilor Kwamina Nyame mentioned that many housing options have unique amenities to provide for students’ medical accommodations, for instance, and asked for this information to be available as people select housing. 

Aker said his team will consider the suggestion. 

Other updates from R&DE included that new water bottle filling stations will be installed in EVGR-B and EVGR-C during this summer, reported Senior Associate Director of Neighborhoods Rebecca Benaderet.

R&DE also reported that they are engaging in ongoing dialogue with Stanford students on campus with young children who may wish to remove furniture due to safety concerns. They were asked to explore concerns by GSC Co-Chair Emmit Pert, a fourth-year chemistry Ph.D. student.

Councilors also hoped to make graduate spaces on campus more lively through centrally programmed, large-scale events in shared spaces such as the EVGR Pub. R&DE representatives expressed willingness to support this initiative, adding that they would like to work with the GSC to ensure that students are not excessively disturbed by noise. 

Several student groups requested funding from the GSC, including the The Stanford German Student Association for their annual “Fire on Fire” barbecue, Stanford Camarada for a historical concert and the Stanford Law School for their annual Shaking the Foundations Conference. The GSC tabled a final decision on funding requests to review in more detail.

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