Dr. Grant celebrates with Stella (Xiang) Chen, graduating medical student from UC San Diego’s School of Medicine, on occasion of her receipt of the Award for Academic Excellence and Biomedical Research on June 1, 2019. In addition to excelling in her academic and clinical work Dr. Chen completed a basic science Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship with Dr. Richard Gallo, Chair of Dermatology, studying the innate immune function of dermal adipocytes. Her work with her mentors showed that differentiating dermal adipocytes produce antimicrobial peptides necessary for cutaneous defense against S. aureus, and declines during aging. Dr. Chen will be headed to the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix for a preliminary medicine year and then to Harvard/MGH for dermatology residency. The Igor Grant MD Endowed Award for Academic Excellence and Biomedical Research was established by JoAnn Grant, RN, in honor of Dr. Igor Grant to recognize graduating medical students who rank at the top of their class academically, and who also sought opportunities to conduct biomedical research. Congratulations Dr. Chen!