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Retreat Report: The Future of Research

As an outcome from the 2026 Leadership Retreat, we created a Retreat Report that highlights key takeaways and a summary of what was discussed. The report provides ideas for how we might build resilience in a changing environment.

SOM Leadership Retreat Report: The Future of Research

Retreat Topic

We are entering a pivotal moment for the UCSF research mission - one shaped by extraordinary scientific opportunity, rapid technological change, and shifting expectations from the communities we serve. This year's retreat will bring together faculty, department chairs, institutional leaders, and outside experts to assess our collective strengths and define a shared vision for the decade ahead. 

Across our conversations, we will explore central questions that will shape the future of UCSF research: 

  • How do we build resilience in an environment marked by shifting scientific, economic, and societal pressures?
  • How can we inspire, support, and retain the next generation of scientific leaders, ensuring a vibrant and diverse research community?
  • How should we harness emerging technologies - from AI and data platforms to new modalities of discovery-to accelerate progress and increase impact?
  • How do we engage the public more authentically, strengthening trust in science and deepening our connection to the communities we serve? 

Ultimately, how should the UCSF School of Medicine evolve to stay true to our mission while adapting to a rapidly changing environment?  

Agenda

Thursday, February 5

Mission Bay, Genentech Hall, Byers Auditorium, 600 16th Street
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

3:00-3:45Dean Welcome and Research Overview - Dean Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD
3:45-4:15

Science Spotlights
Speakers:

Joseph Bondy-Denomy, PhD -- Betsy Crouch, MD, PhD -- Jean Feng, PhD
Diana Greene Foster, PhD -- Lisa Rotenstein, MD, MBA

Speaker Bios

4:15-4:50Break
4:50-6:00

Beyond the Bay: Reflections on UCSF
Panelists:

  • Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS
  • Andrew Bindman, MD
  • Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, MD
6:00-7:00Reception

 

Friday, February 6

Mission Bay, William J. Rutter Center, 1675 Owens Street
8:30 am - 5:00 pm

8:30-9:00Arrival and Breakfast
9:00-9:15Dean's Opening Remarks - Dean Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD
9:15-9:45

Science Spotlights
Speakers:

Faranak Fattahi, PhD -- Martin Kampmann, PhD -- Anna Molofsky, MD, PhD
Pedro Pinheiro-Chagas, PhD -- Hilary Seligman, MD, MAS -- Jacqueline Torres, PhD, MA, MPH

Speaker Bios

9:45-9:55Break
9:55-11:00

Beyond the Bay: Reflections on UCSF
Panelists:

  • Lindsey A. Criswell, MD, MPH, DSc
  • Elena Fuentes-Afflick, MD, MPH
  • Kelsey C. Martin, MD, PhD
11:00-11:45Break-Out Group: Reflecting on Research: Hopes and Fears
11:45-1:30Dean's Conversation with UC President James B. Milliken
Prefaced with Lunch
1:30-1:45Break
1:45-2:45Break-Out Group: Designing the Future of Research
2:45-3:00Break
3:00-3:45

UCSF Dispatch from the District

  • ​​​​​​Eric Anthony
  • Hal Collard, MD, MS
3:45-4:00Concluding Remarks - Dean Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD
4:00-5:00Wine and Cheese Reception