Dean’s Lecture set for Oct. 7
The Office of Research Affairs welcomes Miriam Goodman, PhD, to present the 2025 Dean’s Lecture on Oct. 7 in MSB 2.006.
Goodman, the Mrs. George A. Winzer Professor of Cell Biology and professor of molecular and cellular physiology and mechanical engineering at Stanford University will present on “Deciphering Where and How Touch Happens.”
Goodman’s lab at Stanford studies the molecular events that give rise to the sensation of touch and temperature using C. elegans nematodes as a model system. To do this, they use a combination of quantitative behavioral analysis, in vivo electrophysiology, CRISPR-mediated gene editing, light and electron microscopy, and heterologous expression of ion channels.
Additionally, the lab seeks to better understand how sensory neurons withstand mechanical and chemical stresses, including chemotherapy drugs and elevated levels of glucose characteristic of diabetes.
Goodman received her doctoral degree in neurobiology at the University of Chicago in 1995, and in 2024 she was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award. She is the 2019 winner of the Landis Award for Outstanding Mentoring from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and has won numerous awards at Stanford University and through various societies.
The Dean’s Lecture Series at McGovern Medical School was established in 1983 to promote and encourage professional development and spark collaborative interest. Sponsored by the Research Committee, each year eminent scientists across various scientific disciplines are invited to present their work. Lecture topics range from basic science research to patient care.