Stanford

Dr. Geoff Krampitz

I have always been intrigued by the clinical aspects of medicine, but it wasn’t until I arrived at Johns Hopkins that I began to realize the importance of scientific research in advancing patient care. During medical school at Stanford, I studied the upstream factors of the VEGF/NFAT signaling pathway regulating heart valve development. I was also awarded a fellowship to study the molecular mechanism regulating restenosis following blood vessel injury.

During my clinical rotations, I was intrigued by the peculiar presentations of patients with conditions caused by neuroendocrine tumors. My interest in neuroendocrine tumors has prompted me to defer my surgical training to devote protected time (free from clinical duties) to an original research project on neuroendocrine tumor biology and therapy. The aims of the study are (1) to identify and characterize neuroendocrine tumor cancer stem cells, (2) decipher the genetic transformation that govern malignant transformation of these neoplasms, and (3) develop immunotherapies to eliminate these tumors. As a result, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in the Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Program at Stanford to further strengthen my foundation in basic and translational research.. My goal is to develop an academic surgery career studying neuroendocrine tumors and hopefully have a role in further advancing the field by combining my background in basic sciences with my training in surgery. My ultimate aim is to have a meaningful impact on improving the lives of patients by dedicating my career to the unique combination of patient care and scientific discovery.