Daniel Jarosz, PhD, associate professor of chemical and systems biology and of developmental biology, has been appointed Stanford School of Medicine’s senior associate dean for basic science. He assumed the newly created position Sept. 1.
In this wide-ranging role, Jarosz will focus on faculty development, including the creation of sponsorship programs designed to support basic science faculty at various career levels. He will collaborate with leaders throughout the university, including those in the office of academic affairs, the dean’s office, and the 31 departments within the School of Medicine, to promote a culture of excellence and engagement.
“It’s a privilege to step into this role supporting basic science in the School of Medicine,” Jarosz said. “Stanford is the best place on the planet for innovative fundamental discovery and its translation. I’m honored to be part of such a vibrant community and look forward to helping shape its future.”
Jarosz joined the Stanford Medicine faculty in 2013. His lab investigates a central paradox of biological systems: how some systems remain unaltered for long periods, whereas others that are genetically identical undergo rapid diversification. He and his colleagues consider why it is, for example, the same mutations that cause devastating disease in some individuals have no effect on others.
Using multidisciplinary approaches and models ranging from baker’s yeast to African killifish, his team has uncovered lesser-known mechanisms that drive the evolution of diverse traits, including epigenetic inheritance – changes to genetic expression, but not the underlying genes, that are passed down to future generations.
Stanford is the best place on the planet for innovative fundamental discovery and its translation.Dan JaroszAssociate Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology and of Developmental Biology
They’ve found that infectious proteins known as prions may be a widespread source of epigenetic inheritance. Some prions turn on silent genes in yeast, helping them survive environmental stress, including antifungal drugs. Other prions increase the size and proliferation of yeast cells, while shortening their lifespan. These prions are inherited by offspring.
In addition to his research, Jarosz directs graduate admissions for the Department of Chemical and Systems Biology; co-directs Foundations in Experimental Biology, the flagship course for incoming bioscience PhD students; and serves on the executive committee of the School of Medicine’s faculty senate. He is a member of Bio-X, the Maternal and Child Health Research Institute, the Stanford Cancer Institute, and the Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute, and he is a faculty fellow of Sarafan ChEM-H.
Jarosz is the recipient of a National Institutes of Health Director’s New Innovator Award, an NSF-CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, and honors from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Research, the Glenn Foundation, and the Bert and Kuggie Vallee Foundation, among other recognitions for his research. He holds a bachelor’s in chemistry from the University of Washington and a doctorate in biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He completed postdoctoral training at the Whitehead Institute.
“Dr. Jarosz’s rigorous team-based approach to research and broad perspective on Stanford’s basic science program provide him with unique insights into our basic science environment and culture, including the challenges faced by our scientists,” said Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine and vice president for medical affairs at Stanford University. “These experiences will enable Dr. Jarosz to foster development opportunities and cross-disciplinary collaboration for all basic science faculty.”
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This story was originally published by Stanford Medicine.
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Nina Bai
