Please join the Program in Human Biology in congratulating Professor Julie Baker, who was appointed the Catherine R. Kennedy and Daniel L. Grossman Fellowship in March 2022.
The Catherine R. Kennedy and Daniel L. Grossman Fellowship in Human Biology was founded in 2003 with the generous support of Catherine Kennedy and Daniel Grossman. Both Stanford alumni, Catherine graduated from Human Biology in 1976 and Daniel from the Graduate School of Business in 1976. The fellowship recognizes the major investment of time and creative energy that the core faculty put into the course’s curriculum and the faculty members’ continued willingness to serve on Human Biology committees as well as to advise our majors.
Dr. Baker is a professor of genetics at Stanford University’s Medical School. She studies the evolution of the placenta, and the impact of the diverse evolutionary trajectories on maternal and fetal health, particularly in human disease. Using a variety of model systems, her laboratory studies these genetic and developmental aspects of placental biology to better understand how this organ forms, evolves and possibly contributes to disease.
An outstanding Stanford University scholar, Professor Baker shares her knowledge in the core course, HumBio 2A, Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology, where she covers topics such as CRISPR, viruses, vaccines, somatic and germline mutations, and Mendelian genetics.
In addition to her research and teaching, Baker is a member of Stanford Bio-X, the Cardiovascular Institute, and the Maternal and Child Health Research Institute. She is also the co-founder of the Stanford Stem Cell Institute and the Stanford March of Dimes Prematurity Center. She has served on Human Biology’s Curriculum Committee for several years and enjoys being a part of the Human Biology community and working with undergraduate students.
Congratulations Professor Baker!