June 9, 2022

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Ravi Majeti, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Stanford's Division of Hematology, as the next Director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Majeti will assume this role on September 1.

Dr. Majeti arrived at Stanford as a hematology clinical fellow in 2004 and joined our professoriate in 2009. In his time at Stanford Medicine, he has led and contributed to many breakthrough research projects. Scientifically, he has been a leader in the characterization of leukemia stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and has been a pioneer in the identification and investigation of pre-leukemic hematopoietic stem cells in this disease. Notably, Dr. Majeti served as co-Principal Investigator on a multi-year program focused on the discovery, development, and clinical translation of a humanized anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody targeting AML and other cancers. With the support of the California Institute for Reproductive Medicine, the molecule is currently in multiple phase 2/3 trials.

Beyond his research, Dr. Majeti has proven himself a strategic and collaborative leader. Since 2017, he has served as Chief of the Division of Hematology, advancing its mission to better understand and treat hematologic disorders. He has also served as the Co-Director of the Hematologic Malignancies Program in the Stanford Cancer Institute and as the Associate Director of the Stanford Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine since 2014. Outside of Stanford, he uses his expertise related to basic and translational research, clinical trials, patient care, and teaching as a member of the Committee on Scientific Affairs for the American Society of Hematology and the American Association for Cancer Research Hematologic Malignancies Task Force.

Throughout his career, Dr. Majeti has made diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) central to his leadership and team building and has strived to make an impact more broadly. Among other DEI efforts, he serves on the advisory council for Stanford Medicine’s Propel postdoctoral scholars program, which focuses on recruiting postdocs and fellows from URM backgrounds. Additionally, he has been awarded a Stanford Teaching and Mentoring Academy grant to improve cultural competencies in large research groups.

I want to thank the members of the search committee, led by Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, and Jeff Goldberg, MD, PhD. Throughout this broad search, they displayed diligence, thoughtfulness, and dedication to find a fitting replacement for the Institute’s founding Director, Dr. Irv Weissman, the Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Professor of Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research and a Professor of Developmental Biology.

In 2004, Dr. Weissman helped launch the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, one of the world’s first dedicated stem cell research programs, and his extraordinary leadership and vision have led to its preeminence. In October, he announced he would step down from the role. I am grateful for his eighteen years of excellence as the leader of the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and Stanford Medicine is fortunate he will remain an active faculty member, focused on pursuing research in his laboratory.

Please join me in thanking Irv for his years of service as the Institute’s Director and congratulating Ravi for taking on this new leadership position.

Sincerely,

Lloyd Minor, MD
Dean, Stanford School of Medicine