The Basic Science Symposia have been an integral part of STARS since its inception. In fact, it was the overwhelming success of the very first symposium, “DNA in Biology and Medicine,” that ultimately led to the development of STARS.

The symposia are presented by UT Southwestern Medical Center faculty and cover a variety of current topics in biomedical research. In order to help teachers infuse this up-to-date information into the classroom, specific learning activities are developed by STARS staff to accompany each symposium. 

Due to increasing demand, the Basic Science Symposia has recently been expanded to include two six-hour symposia and four two-hour “mini-symposia” each school year. Many teachers use these sessions to help fulfill state certification and school district requirements for professional development.

2020–2021 Symposia Schedule

2020 Symposia

• September 14, 2020
  “ Coronavirus and Climate Change: Approaching Two Existential Threats ”
  Mini-Symposium

          Robert Haley, M.D., Professor, Internal Medicine   

          Trish Perl-DeLisle, M.D., Chief, Division of Infectious Disease, Professor, Internal Medicine

• October 3, 2020
  “ Using Genetics and Model Organisms to Understand Human Disease ”
  Basic Science Symposium

• November 16, 2020
  “ The Science and Treatment of Movement Disorders ”
  Mini-Symposium

          Shilpa Chitnis, M.D., Ph.D., Professor , Neurology and Neurotherapeutics

          William Dauer. M.D.,, Professor, Neurology and Neurotherapeutics

2021 Symposia

• January 11, 2021
  “Gut Inflammation ”
  Mini-Symposium

          Ezra Burstein, M.D., Ph.D., Division Chief, Professor, Internal Medicine, Molecular Biology

          Lora Hooper, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Immunology, Center for Genetics of Host Defense, Microbiology

• February 27, 2021
  “Women in Science & Medicine Symposium” – Careers for Women in Biomedicine
  Special-Symposium

• April 5, 2021
  “ The Nucleus: Specialized Functions in Special Places ”
  Mini-Symposium

          Jan Erzberger, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biophysics

          Benjamin Sabari, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Molecular Biology

2020–2021 Teacher In-services

Saturday, December 5, 2020

“Chemistry Labs Made Easy”

Beverly Lawson, Ph.D., The Hockaday School

Mr. Rachmad Tjachyadi, Hebron High School

Saturday, February 6, 2021

“Teaching CRISPR Part II”

Daphne Rickard, Executive Director, Career and Technical Education, Fort Worth ISD

Leigh Brown, Bio-Rad Laboratories