UVA School of Medicine 2026 Research Retreat
The School of Medicine held its 2026 Research Retreat on February 27 at Newcomb Hall, bringing together more than 130 faculty, postdocs, and research leaders from across the school for a full day of scientific exchange and collaboration. The goal of this year’s retreat was to showcase the breadth and depth of research excellence across basic, translational, clinical, population and data sciences.
(from left) Jeffrey Martens, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Research; Colin Derdeyn, MD, SOM Interim Dean; and Dave Kashatus, PhD, Assistant Dean for Research
Organized by the Research Advisory Committee, the program featured four thematic symposia, selected from over a dozen submissions by School of Medicine Faculty and spanning the diverse topics of psychedelic science, advanced imaging, mitochondrial biology, and aging. Each symposium featured four or more speakers, each of whom brought a different perspective and unique set of approaches to their research.
“This year’s retreat highlighted the depth of research excellence across four diverse topics that represent research strengths at UVA as well as areas of emerging importance in medicine,” said Dave Kashatus, PhD, assistant dean for research and associate professor in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology.
“Attendees were able to see cutting edge research and connect with their colleagues across a day filled with great science.”
In addition to the symposia, the retreat featured an update about the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology from Mark Esser, PhD, chief scientific officer, and research presentations from four Pinn Scholars, faculty members who have been honored for their contributions to the School of Medicine and greater research community.
The retreat concluded with a lively reception at which faculty and trainees had the opportunity to network and continue to build upon the strong community foundation that exists within the School of Medicine.
