Stanford Report, May 17, 2006

Medical center people

Alejandro Sweet-Cordero

Ashima Madan

Alejandro Sweet-Cordero, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, is the recipient of the 2006 Kimmel Scholar Award, presented by the Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Research.

The prize means that Sweet-Cordero will receive a two-year grant under the foundation's ongoing scholar program to further a specific cancer research project. His lab works on discovering and conducting functional analyses of genes involved in the initiation and progression of cancer. The research involves using mouse models that closely recapitulate oncogenesis as it occurs in humans.

William Haskell, PhD, professor of medicine, emeritus, is the recipient of the Herbert DeVries Research Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Council on Aging and Adult Development of the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation.

The award recognizes outstanding research and writing that has contributed to the advancement of programs for older adults in health, physical education, recreation and dance. Haskell's work focuses on exercise and health, preventive cardiology, cardiac rehabilitation, multifactor cardiovascular disease risk-reduction and successful aging.

Raymond A. Sobel, MD, has been promoted to professor of pathology, as of May 1. His research focuses on mechanisms of cellular immune reactions and tissue injury in the central nervous system as they occur in human multiple sclerosis, infections and stroke and in animal disease models. He also serves as associate editor of the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology.

Ashima Madan, MD, associate professor of pediatrics and a neonatologist at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, received an Outstanding Faculty Award at the seventh annual Stanford Asian-American Awards banquet on May 4.

Faculty are nominated for the award by their peers, and the winners are then selected by faculty affiliated with the Asian-American Activities Center advisory board.

Madan has mentored undergraduate students at Stanford through the university's Asian-American Interactive Mentoring Program.