The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) hosted their inaugural MSTP Retreat and Alumni Celebration hybrid event on March 8, 2025. The event included presentations from current students as well as alumni. Founding WashU MSTP Director Dr. Roy Vagelos, MD spoke about the history and impact of the MSTP, Dr. Roger Perlmutter, MD, PhD, Class of ’79, spoke about the future of the biopharmaceutical industry, and Christine Lovly, MD, PhD, Class of ’06 spoke about her physician-scientist career in academia. The day closed with student research presentations, an alumni panel on the future for physician scientists, and social events.
Roy Vagelos 
Roy and Diana Vagelos and Chancellor 
Roy Vagelos and Wayne Yokoyama 
Roy Vagelos and Wayne Yokoyama 
Roy Vagelos and Wayne Yokoyama 
Roy Vagelos and Bob Virgil 
Roy Vagelos and James McCarter 
Roy Vagelos and Eugene Rubin 
Roy Vagelos 
Roy Vagelos and Ellen Li 
Roy Vagelos, Dean Perlmutter, and Dean Li 
Roy Vagelos and Merck Legacy
Photo gallery
Dr. Vagelos
Dean Li, Barbara Hempstead, Bradley Schlaggar, and Erica Barnell 
Roger Perlmutter 
Christine Lovly 
Dean Li, Barbara Hempstead, Bradley Schlaggar, and Erica Barnell 
Christine Lovly 
Roger Perlmutter 
Roger Perlmutter and Students 
Christine Lovly 
Dean Li, Barbara Hempstead, and Bradley Schlaggar 
Christine Lovly 
Erica Barnell 
Barbara Hempstead 
Dean Li 
Bradley Schlaggar 
Dean Li, Barbara Hempstead, Bradley Schlaggar, and Erica Barnell
Photo gallery
Alumni Speakers
Photo gallery
Student Speakers
Photo gallery
Round Table Discussion Lunch
Students 
Audience 
Students 
Andrew Chan, Roger Perlmutter, Brad Schlaggar 
Diana Vagelos and Dean Perlmutter 
Students 
Audience 
Dean and Chancellor 
Audience 
Andy Chan, Ellen Li & Randi Leavitt 
Dean Perlmutter 
Audience 
Students Student Students Students WashU MSTP Generations 
Fredbird and Students 
Goodie Bags 
Fredbird and Zelun 
Fredbird and Rocky 
Fredbird and M1s 
Fredbird 
Retreat Tote Bag
Photo gallery
Candid Photos
© Gallery Photographs by Jerry Naunheim Jr.
Featured Speakers
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Roy Vagelos, Founding WashU MSTP Director (1969–1974)
History and Impact of the WashU MSTP
Dr. Roger Perlmutter ’79, Eikon Therapeutics
Building Better Medicines: Fundamental Research and the Future of the Biopharmaceutical Industry
Dr. Christine Lovly ’06, Vanderbilt University
Two Paths, One Purpose: Driving Breakthroughs in Lung Cancer as a Physician-Scientist
Future for Physician-Scientists Alumni Panel
Dr. Erica Barnell ’23, Genoscopy
Dr. Barbara Hempstead ’82, Weill Cornell Medicine
Dr. Dean Li ’90, Merck Research Laboratories
Dr. Bradley Schlaggar ’94, Kennedy Krieger Institute & Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Student Research Presentations
Noah Basri – LIN28B enables metastatic dissemination by promoting resistance to oxidative stress
Rachel Mintz – Adipocytes are dispensable in shaping the ovarian cancer tumor microenvironment in the omentum
Vinay Penna – The role of inflammation in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
Lizzie Tilden – Investigating the temporal dynamics of PKA across sleep-wake
Virginia Hsu – NMN targets SLC12A8+ neurons in the lateral septum to promote learning and memory in aging
Blake Sells – Integration of spatial proteomics and immunohistochemistry to understand how local ECM niches impact immune cell function in primary and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Travis Tabor – Inducible deletion of DGAT1 and 2 from microglia exacerbates neurodegeneration and endolysosomal lipid accumulation in male PS19 mice
Morgan Timm – Intrauterine devices are asymptomatically colonized by vaginal bacteria
Winning Student Talk
Best Student Talk Award
Rachel Mintz, Biomedical Engineering PhD Program, Laboratory of Dr. Gwen Randolph
Adipocytes are dispensable in shaping the ovarian cancer tumor microenvironment in the omentum
We value your contributions to the MSTP community and would love to stay connected. Please take a moment to update your contact information and share any professional news with us by emailing MSTPAlumni@wustl.edu. Your updates help us celebrate your achievements and keep you informed about program developments and upcoming events. Thank you for your continued support!