Dr. Korah Joins Stem Cell Biology PhD Program

May 30, 2023

Dr. Maria Korah

General Surgery Resident Dr. Maria Korah has been admitted to Stanford’s Stem Cell Biology PhD Program.

“I have been fascinated by translational basic science research and how impactful it can be in advancing patient care,” said Korah. Graduate education will allow me the rigorous training I will need for conducting hypothesis-driven independent research.”

Korah says she became interested in regenerative medicine and stem cell biology through her research in Dr. Kevan Herold’s lab while she was a medical student at Yale.

“I had the opportunity to study autoimmune diabetes, a condition where pancreatic beta cells are destroyed through an autoimmune process,” said Korah. “I was really awestruck by this concept and the broad implications it has in a wide array of disciplines, and I feel really grateful to be able to immerse myself in this field further.”

Korah will be conducting research under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Longaker and Dr. Dan Delitto, and working on projects aimed at advancing patient care through translational basic research in the field of wound healing and fibrosis.

Korah will take a break from her clinical duties to participate in the PhD program.

“[Completing a] PhD can take several years to complete and the timing is very dependent on your personal progression,” said Korah. “It really is structured around your own mastery of the field you are studying, which is both thrilling and terrifying!”

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Bio

As the Director of Communications for Stanford Surgery, Rachel Baker tells the stories of her department's faculty, staff, and trainees. With the help of an amazing team of content creators, she produces and curates original articles, photos, videos, graphics, and even podcasts.She works personally with each division, center, program, and lab within her purview to define their audience and reach their goals while maintaining a consistent brand voice. She hosts quarterly professional development workshops open to all AEM web authors--please email her if you'd like to join! She also offers both 1:1 and group education to faculty and residents on a variety of topics including media training, using social media to advantage, and presentation refinement. Rachel holds a Bachelor's degree in journalism with a focus on photography from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. A transplant from the DC-area, she still misses foliage and argyle but has happily adopted the official NorCal hobbies of visiting wineries, hiking local trails, and eating avocado.

About Stanford Surgery

The Stanford University Department of Surgery is dedicated to inventing the future of surgical care through:

• pioneering cutting-edge research, 
• developing the next generation of leaders, and 
• healing through incomparable surgical skills and compassion. 

To learn more, please visit surgery.stanford.edu

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