Annual retreat for grad students at the chemistry-biology interface

The ninth annual Sarafan ChEM-H Chemistry/Biology Interface (CBI) Retreat was held at the Palo Alto Event Center on June 5, 2025 and brought together over 70 attendees, including graduate students, faculty mentors, program directors, and staff members, to celebrate the CBI program’s community of future scientific leaders and all their exciting research. The event also welcomed 11 undergraduates from local Bay Area institutions in an effort to raise awareness of the program among prospective students.

During the opening remarks, Carolyn Bertozzi, Baker Family Director of Sarafan ChEM-H and CBI Program Co-Director, reflected on the evolution and impact of the program, which was established to foster scientific collaboration and innovation among graduate students at Stanford working at the chemistry-biology interface. Now in its 11th year, it currently supports and trains over 80 interdisciplinary graduate students—from the Schools of Humanities and Sciences, Medicine, and Engineering at Stanford—poised to make a dent in the human health space.

Keynote from nanotechnology pioneer Paula Hammond

This year, Paula Hammond, a distinguished professor and researcher at MIT known for her pioneering work in nanomedicine and biomaterials, delivered a keynote lecture on designing engineered nanoparticles to deliver cancer treatments more precisely and effectively within the body.

Hammond also shared her inspiring professional journey during the fireside chat moderated by Carolyn Bertozzi. One of the biggest challenges during her early career, as she put it, was breaking into the biomaterials space and learning how to articulate a scientific problem—then convincing others that she could tackle it. When asked what advice she would give to her undergraduate self, she said, “Even though you don’t think you belong, keep going. You will get there.”

 “We need your presence and your resilience.”

A heartfelt moment came when she offered some genuine advice to young scientists: “We need your presence and your resilience. When you’re out in the world searching for funding, create bigger and bigger nets. This is a good time to be creative because things come from unexpected places. Be open. Be thoughtful. Challenge yourself on the approach you’re using, and maybe, think of some new approaches. Find new friends to play with. And you will be just fine.”

Celebrating interdisciplinary collaboration

Throughout the day, CBI scholars from multiple cohorts and departments at Stanford shared their latest research through scientific talks and poster sessions. These presentations provided a platform for scholars to answer questions, receive feedback, and spark collaborations. Topics ranged from cancer and cardiac diseases to physiology and disease across the human proteome.

Participants got ample opportunities to network with peers and mentors during coffee and lunch breaks as well as the closing social hour. “This is such a great opportunity to see all the cool research that’s going on related to human health, especially outside of my department,” said Elizabeth Park, a current CBI scholar in the department of chemistry who works in the lab of Justin Du Bois. “I also had a great time listening to the keynote speaker (Paula Hammond) this year.”

During the closing remarks, Christine Jacobs-Wagner, CBI Program Co-Director, praised the impressive research by students and shared her excitement for the future of the program and its scholars. She also expressed appreciation for the Student Programs and Training team—Bria Castellano and Lynette Haberman—for their exceptional work in organizing the annual retreat and for their support of CBI scholars throughout the program, year after year. 

The CBI program continues to expand its community of brilliant researchers, fluent in multiple scientific languages, and it is simultaneously shaping and diversifying the next generation of leaders in biomedical research. Go here to learn more about the program, and view the photos from the event down below.

Bertozzi, an Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences, is a professor of chemistry and, by courtesy, of radiology and chemical and systems biology in the School of Medicine. She is also the Baker Family Director and an Institute Scholar of Sarafan ChEM-H and a member of Stanford Bio-X, Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI), Stanford Cancer Institute, Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance, and Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Jacobs-Wagner is a Dennis Cunningham Professor, professor of biology in the School of Humanities and Sciences, and a professor of microbiology and immunology in the School of Medicine. She is also an Institute Scholar of Sarafan ChEM-H and a member of Bio-X.