On July 1, 2009, Samuel L. Stanley Jr., MD, became the fifth president of Stony Brook University, taking the helm of one of the nation’s most prestigious research institutions. One of just 62 members of the invitation-only Association of American Universities, Stony Brook is recognized for its innovative programs, groundbreaking discoveries, and integration of research with undergraduate education.
A highly distinguished biomedical researcher, Dr. Stanley was one of the nation’s highest recipients of support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his research focusing on enhanced defense against emerging infectious diseases. He is an expert in the biological mechanisms that cells employ when responding to infectious agents such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses, a process commonly called the inflammatory response.
A Seattle native, Dr. Stanley has a Bachelor of Arts degree in biological sciences (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Chicago. After earning his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1980, he completed his resident-physician training at Massachusetts General Hospital. In 1983 he began a fellowship in infectious diseases at Washington University School of Medicine, became a professor of medicine in 1999, and in 2004 was appointed a professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology in recognition of the collaborative nature of his research.
Dr. Stanley serves on the SUNY Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which plays a pivotal role in shaping the development of SUNY’s new Strategic Plan that will guide SUNY for the next five years and the University for the next ten. As chair of Brookhaven Science Associates, which co-manages Brookhaven National Laboratory with Battelle Memorial Institute, Dr. Stanley joins the leaders of a select group of prestigious academic institutions, including Princeton, Stanford, the University of California-Berkeley, and the University of Chicago, in co-managing and collaborating with a national laboratory. He also serves on the boards of the SUNY Research Foundation, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Goodwill Industries of Greater NY and NJ, and the Long Island Association. He is a member of the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council at the NIH, and is a member of the NIH Directors Blue Ribbon Panel on the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories. Dr. Stanley serves as an ambassador for the Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research. Dr. Stanley has received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Science from Konkuk University in Korea.
Dr. Stanley is a champion of academic and industry collaborations, knowing the enormous economic potential of successful university and corporate partnerships. With his extensive experience as a researcher, a patent holder and a former leader of technology transfer, Dr. Stanley brings an invaluable perspective to the emerging field of translational research. He also continues to work as a strong advocate for federal funding of basic research, working through organizations such as the AAU and The Science Coalition, to promote the critical role of University research in innovation and discovery.
Dr. Stanley is committed to helping Stony Brook’s economically disadvantaged students, and has been a champion for Stony Brook’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which helps economically disadvantaged students graduate from Stony Brook. He has traveled with students to Albany and Washington DC to advocate for increased state and federal funding of student financial aid. Dr. Stanley’s wife, Ellen Li, MD, PhD, is a distinguished biomedical researcher and gastroenterologist. In addition to her roles as a clinician and scientist, Dr. Li tutors EOP students in chemistry, and has served as a mentor for many students interested in biomedical research. Dr. Stanley and Dr. Li have four children.
Generating an estimated $4.7 billion annually in regional economic impact, Stony Brook is playing a vital role in Long Island’s transformation into a major technological corridor, bringing new innovations in wireless technology, clean energy, diagnostic and sensor systems, and medical biotechnology to the area. Stony Brook faculty members are credited with more than 1,500 inventions and more than 400 U.S. patents, and our research enterprise generates $160 million in revenue annually. With the newly created New York Energy Policy Institute — a consortium of research centers and experts to advise the State on energy policy — housed at the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook, the University will assume a leading role in our region’s well-being for years to come.
