Molecular and Cellular Physiology

Science, Sunsets, and a Chalk Tank: Inside the 2026 MCP Retreat

Stanford's Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology gathered at Chaminade Resort in Santa Cruz on September 8 and 9 for its annual Scientific Conference. Eleven graduate students and postdocs presented work spanning mitochondrial calcium uptake to ultrasound neuromodulation, alongside eleven posters, a "Chalk Tank" pitch session, and a featured talk from Miriam Goodman. Between sessions, the department traded benches for firepits, s'mores, and the pool.

 

The meeting opened Tuesday morning with a "Changing of the Guard," as outgoing department chair Miriam Goodman introduced incoming chair Merritt Maduke. What followed was two days of trainee-driven science: eleven lab talks across five sessions, all chaired by graduate students and postdocs, spanning synaptic vesicle fusion, GPCR signaling, immune recognition, stem cell dynamics, and ultrasound neuromodulation. A poster session over happy hour drew eleven presenters from labs across the department, and a 90-minute "Chalk Tank" activity, facilitated by the MCP Collective's E.A.T. subgroup, gave the group a more collaborative afternoon. Wednesday featured Goodman's talk "Touch comes first, taste is next" and a student talk from the Straight Lab on centromere architecture before Maduke closed the meeting. Between sessions, the retreat did what retreats do — long lunches overlooking the coast, a data- mystery game running through both days, and a fire- pit social that stretched well past dinner.

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