The Discovery Innovation Awards at Stanford Medicine are competitive seed grants given out annually for early-stage research projects that could exponentially accelerate our understanding of human biology—and our ability to predict, prevent, and cure disease. Held in March of 2018, the inaugural awards event began with a reception followed by keynotes from School of Medicine Dean Lloyd Minor and Roger Kornberg, a Stanford Nobel Laureate. After that, the audience heard five-minute flash talks from five present and past Discovery Innovation Award winners and explored hands-on "innovation stations" that showcased the exciting work being conducted in the awardees' labs.
From the Judges
The judges felt that this entry stood out among the others. It engaged a number of audiences in initiative's planning and execution. We were especially impressed with the use of the Discovery Innovation Awards as a thoughtful and creative way to engage a variety of audiences around basic science. The resulting materials were visually compelling and you were able to see the field and work happening across campus in various areas in a big and beautiful way. The planning materials that helped to create the objectives and engage a variety of audiences was impressive.
