The annual Department of Medicine David S. Stephens Research Day has celebrated research efforts across the department since 2008. The event brings together researchers from all divisions and provides an opportunity to share exciting new findings, facilitate scientific exchange, and identify potential new collaborations.
18th Annual Department of Medicine David S. Stephens Research Day
Thank you for joining us for the 2025 DOM David S. Stephens Research Day last Thursday, October 30, at our new location in the HSRB buildings! This year, we were pleased to welcome more than 350 researchers, faculty, staff, and trainees to celebrate the groundbreaking research across all ten of the department’s divisions.We appreciate the Research team's hard work in planning this wonderful event. Thank you again to all our speakers, presenters, and attendees for your time and input, and congratulations again to the recipients of the 2025 awards!
We were especially proud to share the video of a new session we've added to the 2025 Research Day.
Panel Discussion: The Future of Research in Academic Medical Centers: A Crystal Ball Session with Research Leaders
Dr. Vibha Lama opened the session by framing the next decade of academic research as a time of transformation. She invited the audience to imagine what research might look like in 2035 and beyond, emphasizing the urgency of preparing for shifts in funding, technology, collaboration, and training. With a sense of optimism and realism, she posed the central question: when we look back from 2035, will we feel we got it right? The session was designed to explore this through the lenses of ecosystem change, mentorship, inclusion, and innovation.
All four panelists contributed distinct yet complementary perspectives on the future of academic research. Dr. Guido Silvestri predicted a shift from individual investigator-led models to team-based, strategically aligned research ecosystems, emphasizing efficiency and impact. Dr. Adam Marcus introduced the concept of “translational velocity,” advocating for infrastructure that accelerates data integration and collaborative science. Dr. Venkat Narayan championed convergence science and disease-agnostic approaches, urging institutions to break down silos and rethink mentorship to support interdisciplinary innovation. Dr. Kristy Murray focused on sustaining early-career researchers and building collaborative infrastructure, proposing co-leadership models and donor-supported initiatives to protect research time and foster cross-disciplinary engagement. We are excited to keep this conversation going!”
Hosted by:
Vibha Lama, MD, Vice Chair of Research and Augustus J. McKelvey Chair in Lung Transplantation Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, School of Medicine
Charles Searles, Jr, MD, Associate Vice Chair of Research and Space Management, Distinguished Physician, Emory University School of Medicine, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Director of the CCU, Atlanta VA Medical Center
Panelists:
Adam Marcus, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Research, School of Medicine
Guido Silvestri, MD, Vice-President for Basic and Translational Research, Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Emory University
Kristy Murray, DVM, PhD, Chief Research Officer, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Venkat Narayan, MD, MSc, MBA, Executive Director, Emory Global Diabetes Research Center
2024 Event Highlights
Our 2024 conference had an attendance of more than 400 researchers, faculty, staff, and trainees. Special thanks to all conference participants and attendees! This year we welcomed Keynote Speaker, Sandra Wong, MD, Dean, Emory University School of Medicine, and Chief Academic Officer, Emory Healthcare, who presented a lecture titled “A learning health system: Lessons from rural health.”