History of the Program

Established in 1978 the Cancer Biology Program at Stanford University is a thriving interdisciplinary program leading to a degree in Cancer Biology as well as providing postdoctoral training.  The intent of the program is to provide rigorous training in modern biomedical sciences focused on the biology of cancer as well as provide faculty with motivated graduate students whether or not in degree granting departments.

Research into the causation and treatment of cancer gained momentum with the adoption of the National Cancer Act in 1971.  This was born from the prevailing opinion that cancer deserved large-scale targeting of research.  Partly as a result of this increased funding, the impact of modern molecular biology on understanding the nature of cancer has been nothing short of spectacular. This increased understanding has led to new approaches for the detection and treatment of the disease. It has also led to the recognition that many graduate students training in traditional areas of biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology have a decided interest in applying their scientific expertise to problems directly related to cancer etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment.  However, traditional training programs in the basic sciences rarely include significant exposure to cancer biology as a formal discipline. At Stanford the Cancer Biology Program fills this role.  

The Program is one of the largest graduate programs in the School of Medicine with a roster of some 50-55 graduate students and 6-8 postdoctoral fellows. The graduate students perform their research in many of the clinical and basic science departments in the School with the main concentrations in the Departments of Pathology, Radiation Oncology and Medicine. There are currently ~55 faculty preceptors available to graduate students in the Program.  

The Program's founder, Professor Robert Kallman, served as Director from 1978 to 1984 when he turned over the reins to Professor Errol Friedberg who served as Director until he left Stanford in 1990. Professor Martin Brown served as Director from 1990 until 2002, followed by Professor Joe Lipsick from 2002-2005, and Professor Amato Giaccia from 2005 to the present.

Courtesy of Professor Martin Brown