Stanford Plastic Surgery

07/25/2025

After 20+ years of leadership, Dr. James Chang will step down as Chief of Stanford Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery in September 2026.

Dr. Chang led the Division through extraordinary growth—expanding faculty, training programs, and global impact. He will continue his work in global surgery & microvascular hand surgery as well as serving as as Vice-Chair of Strategy & Development for the Department of Surgery.

🔗 Full Story: https://plasticsurgery.stanford.edu/news/news25/james-chang-to-step-down.html

07/22/2025

🌲 Stanford Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery is seeking our next Division Chief! Help shape the future of plastic surgery at Stanford. 🔗 Apply Here: https://facultypositions.stanford.edu/en-us/job/494865/plastics-reconstructive-surgery-division-chief?sf227676743=1

Apply now Work type: University Medical Line, University Tenure Line Location: Stanford University Categories: School of Medicine

07/21/2025

🧪🧫 New in Biology from Drs. Michelle Griffin & Michael Longaker: In pancreatic cancer organoids, IL-1RA reduces fibrosis and boosts immune activity. This patient-derived model shows promise for precision therapies targeting CAFs and the tumor microenvironment.

🔗: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/6/604?sf227177244=1

Cancer organoids have emerged as transformative models for studying tumor biology and therapeutic responses due to the ability to replicate the complexity of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tumor organoids recapitulate the genetic and phenotypic diversity of cancers, making them invaluable for inv...

07/17/2025

🌟 PGY1 Intern Feature: Dr. Melissa Tran 🌟

🏡 A San Jose native, Dr. Tran studied chemistry at the University of San Diego before heading to Duke for medical school. 🧪📘
🏔️ She once spent a season as a snowboard instructor in Lake Tahoe and still brings that same energy to everything she does!
🎨 In her free time, she enjoys running, arts & crafts, discovering new restaurants, and quality time with friends and family 🏃‍♀️🍽️🧵.

Welcome, Dr. Tran! We’re so excited to have you on the team! 🎉✨

07/16/2025

🌟 PGY1 Intern Feature: Dr. Reid Smith 🌟

⚽ Originally from Greensboro, NC, Dr. Smith studied physics at Vassar College while playing varsity soccer. He later worked in ops and data analytics at a health tech startup in SF before heading to med school at Hofstra/Northwell.

📊 His path from policy to patient care was inspired by a passion for healthcare—and a calling to the hospital over the office.

🏔️ In his free time, he enjoys hiking, golfing, snowboarding, live music, and quality time with friends and family 🎶❄️🏌️‍♂️.

Welcome, Dr. Smith! We’re glad you’re here! 🎉✨

07/15/2025

🌟 PGY1 Intern Feature: Dr. Dominic Romeo 🌟

🏀 Hailing from Turlock, CA, Dr. Dominic Romeo studied political science and Chinese at Notre Dame, earned master’s degrees in theology and economics, and completed a postbaccalaureate at Goucher before med school at UPenn.

🌏 He spent 4 years in China working for WHO, playing basketball, and even appearing on a Mandarin-language TV show! 🎬

💪 In his free time, he enjoys exercising and spending time with his wife, daughter, and extended family.

Welcome, Dr. Romeo! We’re lucky to have you! 🎉✨

07/15/2025

🌟 PGY1 Intern Feature: Dr. Jenny Ng 🌟

🇭🇰 Born and raised in Hong Kong, Dr. Ng studied political science at Notre Dame and economics at Peking University before making the bold leap into medicine.

🍜 Formerly a food tour guide, she now loves cooking for friends and family. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, swimming, and spending time with her husband and daughter 🥾🏊‍♀️.

Welcome, Dr. Ng! We’re thrilled to have you with us! 🎉✨

07/14/2025

🦴 New in The Journal of Hand Surgery from Dr. Anna Luan: Osteoporosis is underdiagnosed—but hand surgeons can help change that. This review outlines how wrist X-rays, AI, and fracture liaison services can expand screening and treatment for patients with poor bone health.

🔗:

Osteoporosis and osteopenia are highly prevalent and undertreated. Both are characterized by low bone mineral density and contribute to fragility fractures and their subsequent morbidity and mortality. Recent advances in diagnostic modalities and pathways have demonstrated the potential to expand sc...

07/08/2025

❓ Why do mouth wounds heal faster and without scars?

🧪 New study co-authored by Dr. Michael Longaker uncovers how the GAS6-AXL pathway enables scarless healing—pointing to future therapies for skin injuries.

🔗 News Story: https://www.genengnews.com/topics/translational-medicine/secrets-of-rapid-scarless-mouth-healing-uncovered

Read the study behind it here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40601775/

07/07/2025

♻️🛠️ New in Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology from Dr. Paige Fox: Reusable surgical tools can cut carbon emissions by over 50%—without increasing infection risk when sterilized properly.

🔗: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antimicrobial-stewardship-and-healthcare-epidemiology/article/striking-a-balance-strategies-for-addressing-singleuse-surgical-equipment-in-infection-prevention/295FA4C36B0847197A6106F5ED5E2C26?sf227177199=1

06/30/2025

🧬🦷 New in the Journal of Dental Research from Dr. Jill Helms: Blocking Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the junctional epithelium weakens tooth attachment, disrupts collagen, and increases cell death—highlighting its essential role in gum-tooth barrier integrity.

🔗: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00220345251336168?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&sf226908411=1

The molecular mechanisms mediating barrier functions of the junctional epithelium (JE) are incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to gain mechanisti...

06/27/2025

🌍 Dr. Rohit Khosla in Huế, Vietnam with ReSurge International for a craniofacial surgical training trip. Honored to collaborate with our incredible partners there, advancing surgical education and global access to care.