CV for Sara L. Tobin, Ph.D., M.S.W.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
BS, Zoology (Honors), University of Washington, Seattle
Ph.D., Developmental Biology, University of Washington, Seattle
Postdoc, Genetics, University of California, Berkeley
Postdoc, Biochemistry, University of California, San Francisco
MSW, Social Work (Interpersonal), University of Oklahoma, Norman
APPOINTMENTS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Fellow with Professor James W. Fristrom, Ph.D., Department of Genetics, UC Berkeley and with Professor Brian J. McCarthy, Ph.D., Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, UCSF, 1978-1982.
Assistant Research Geneticist, Department of Genetics, University of California, Berkeley, California, 1981-1982.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1983-1989.
Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1989-1996 (tenure 1989).
Visiting Scholar (Sabbatical Leave), University of California, Berkeley, 1992.
Associate Professor, Visiting (NSF Visiting Professorship for Women), University of California, Berkeley, 1993-1995.
Senior Fellow, Program for Genomics, Ethics, and Society, Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, 1996-1997.
Senior Research Scholar, Program for Genomics, Ethics, and Society, Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University, 1998-present.
Consultant, National Institute of Nursing Research, Summer Genetics Institute course design, 1999-2000.
Ethicist, General Clinical Research Center Advisory Committee, 2002-2003, 2004-2008.
Member, Institutional Review Board, Northern California Cancer Center, 2002-2008; Co-chair, 2005-2008.
President, Twisted Ladder Media, Inc., 2000-present.
Lecturer, Department of Pediatrics, 2005-present.
Core Member, Benchside Consultation Team, Center for the Integration of Genetics and Ethics, a Center of Excellence in Ethics Research funded by NHGRI.
HONORS AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Postdoctoral Fellowships: Muscular Dystrophy Association, Inc., 1978-1979; National Institutes of Health, 1979-1981; American Cancer Society, California Division, 1981-1982.
Provost's Research Award, 1986.
Mid-America State Universities Association Honor Lecturer, 1986-1987.
National Science Foundation Visiting Professorship for Women, 1993-1995.
Ad Hoc Study Section Member, NIH Small Business Innovation Research, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001.
Review Panel Member, NSF ADVANCE Program 2001; STEP Program 2002, 2003, 2004.
Committee of Visitors, NSF (Reviewer of Plant Genome Program) 2004.
MULTIMEDIA COURSEWARE
Tobin, S.L., Boughton, A., and Krueger, C. (2000). Prototype: “The New Cancer Genetics: Concepts, Applications, and Implications of Tests for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility.” Funded by National Cancer Institute.
Tobin, S.L., and Boughton, A. (2001). “The New Genetics: Courseware for Physicians. Molecular Concepts, Applications, and Ramifications.” Published by Twisted Ladder Media. Major funding from U.S.Department of Energy Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
Tobin, S.L. and Boughton, A. (in production, 2008). Updated edition of “The New Genetics: Medicine and the Human Genome” in browser-based format. To be published by Twisted Ladder Media.
WEB SITES
Tobin, S.L., Boughton, A., and Krueger, C. (2000). Twenty Inherited Cancers. About Genetics, Family History, and Genetic Testing: Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (Evaluation version).
Tobin S., Jacobs, C., Ford, J., Boughton, A., Ritter, K., Bamber, D. and the Education Task Force (active 2003). Program for Applied Cancer Genetics Prototype: Education for Primary Care Physicians. Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer. Currently under evaluation by primary care physicians. http://stanfordcancergenetics.stanford.edu/
EDITORIAL, BOOK REVIEWS, COLUMNS, AND SELECTED BOOK CHAPTER
Koenig, B., and Tobin, S.L. (1997). Perspectives on Cloning: Should Cloning be Banned? Think About What We Know. San Francisco Chronicle, Friday, March 21, 1997; page A29.
Tobin, S.L. (1998). Considering individuals in the new genetic era. Review of: Genetics Society and Clinical Practice, by P. Harper and A.J. Clarke, Bios Scientific Publishers (1997). Trends in Genetics 14, 377.
Tobin, S.L. (2006) Review of: Francis Crick: Discoverer of the Genetic Code, by M. Ridley, HarperCollins (2006). JAMA 296: 2490-2492.
Tobin, S.L. (1998). Successful Navigation through the Tenure Process: Ten Recommendations. Am. Soc. Cell Biology Newsletter 21, 16-18.
Tobin, S.L. (2000). Dealing with Unstable Colleagues. Am. Soc. Cell Biology Newsletter 23, 24-26.
Tobin, S.L. with illustrations by Boughton, A. (1995). Medical Genetics. In Oklahoma Notes, Biochemistry (Third Edition). (Eds. Briggs, T. and Chandler, A.M.) Springer-Verlag, New York.
POLICY DEVELOPMENT
Working Group Member (1996), Co-editor (2002), Genetic Testing for Inherited Susceptibility to Breast Cancer.
Working Group Member (1996-1997), Genetic Testing and Alzheimer Disease. Coordinator of Background Subgroup; edited Background Chapters.
Moderator of Special Issues Panel for Conference: Genetic Testing and Alzheimer Disease: Has the Time Come? October 25, 1997
Working Group Member and Workshop Organizer, The Working Group on Reporting Results of Genetic Research, 2005-present.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Tobin SL, Zulauf E, Sanchez F, Craig EA & McCarthy BJ (1980). Multiple actin-related sequences in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster. Cell 19, 121-131.
Zulauf E, Sanchez F, Tobin SL, Rdest U & McCarthy BJ (1981). Developmental expression of a Drosophila melanogaster actin gene encoding actin I. Nature 292, 556-558.
Sanchez F, Tobin SL, Rdest U, Zulauf E & McCarthy BJ (1983). Two Drosophila actin genes in detail: Gene structure, protein structure, and transcription during development. J. Mol. Biol. 163, 533-551.
Yamanaka M, Saugstad J, Hanson-Painton O, McCarthy BJ & Tobin SL (1987). Structure and expression of the Drosophila calmodulin gene. Nuc. Acids Res. 15, 3335-3348.
Vigoreaux JO & Tobin SL (1987). Stage-specific selection of transcriptional initiation sites from the 5C actin gene of Drosophila melanogaster. Genes and Development 1, 1161-1171.
Burn TC, Vigoreaux JO & Tobin SL (1989). Alternative 5C actin transcripts are localized in different patterns during Drosophila embryogenesis. Dev. Biol. 131, 345-355.
Courchesne-Smith CL & Tobin SL (1989). Tissue-specific expression of the 79B actin gene during Drosophila development. Dev. Biol. 133, 313-321.
Wright-Sandor LG, Reichlin M & Tobin SL (1989). Alteration by heat shock and immunological characterization of Drosophila small nuclear ribonucleoproteins. J. Cell Biol. 108, 2007-2016.
Tobin SL, Cook PJ & Burn TC (1990). Transcripts of individual Drosophila actin genes are differentially distributed during embryogenesis. Dev. Genet. 11, 15-26.
Matsumoto H, Kurien B, Takagi Y, Kahn E, Kinumi T, Komori N, Yamada T, Hayashi F, Isono K, Pak WL & Tobin SL (1994). Phosrestin I undergoes the earliest light-induced phosphorylation by a calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in Drosophila photoreceptors. Neuron 12, 997-1010.
Kinumi T, Jackson KW, Ohashi M, Tobin SL & Matsumoto H (1997). Determination of the phosphorylation site and des-methionyl N-terminus of Drosophila phosrestin I in vivo by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis/in-gel digestion/LC-MS. Eur. Mass Spect. 3, 367-378.
Martins CRF, Johnson JA, Lawrence DM, Choi T-J, Pisi A-M, Tobin SL, Lapidus D, Wagner JDO, Ruzin S, McDonald K & Jackson AO (1998). Sonchus yellow net rhabdovirus nuclear viroplasms contain polymerase-associated proteins. J. Virol. 72, 5669-5679.
Tobin SL, Chun N, Powell TM & McConnell LM (1999). The genetics of Alzheimer disease and the application of molecular tests. Genetic Testing 3, 37-45.
Nishizawa Y, Komori N, Usukura J, Jackson KW, Tobin SL & Matsumoto H (1999). Initiation of ocular proteomics for cataloging bovine retinal proteins. Microanalytical techniques permit the identification of proteins derived from a novel photoreceptor preparation. Exp. Eye Res. 69, 195-212.
Cho MK, Tobin SL, Greely HT, McCormick J, Boyce A, Magnus D (2008). Strangers at the benchside: Research ethics consultation. Am. J. Bioethics 8(3): 4-13.
Mildred K. Cho, Sara L. Tobin, Henry T. Greely, Jennifer McCormick, Angie Boyce, and David Magnus, "Research Ethics Consultation: The Stanford Experience," IRB: Ethics and Human Research 30, no. 6 (2008).
SELECTED GENETICS AND ETHICS TEACHING AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Human genetics, recombinant DNA techniques, molecular genetic diagnosis, and ethical issues taught to first year medical students, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, 1983-1996.
Molecular analysis of human disease for beginning graduate students, University of Oklahoma, 1990-1996.
Human genetics, taught to advanced graduate students, University of Oklahoma, 1983-1996. (Course coordinator, 1991-1996).
Facilitator, Special Workshop in Biomedical Ethics, “Physicians and Patients,” for Stanford University medical students, 1998.
University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, undergraduate course in Science and Society, September 2000, 2001.
Guest Lecturer, MCB 15, Current Topics in the Biological Sciences, University of California, Berkeley. “Gene Therapy: Promises and Ethical Issues,” 2001.
Responsible Conduct of Research (graduate, postdoctoral trainees) Stanford University, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005. Lecturer (Coordinator 2005-2007) of reorganized case-based course (Med 255), Stanford University School of Medicine, 2005-present.
Guest Lecturer, Human Biology 154, an undergraduate course in Cancer Epidemiology, “Will your family know more about your genes than you do?” 2004-present.
Preceptor, Family Medicine Clerkship. Development and teaching of “Genetics and Family Medicine,” for Stanford University medical students in clinical rotations, 2003-present.
Principal Investigator, Stanford University component of multi-institution project: “EDGE: Education in Genetic Ethics.” Goal: Development of an effective curriculum about ethical issues in genetic research with human subjects, 2002-2005.
Coordinator and Lecturer, Current Concepts and Dilemmas in Genetic Testing (Gen 238). Stanford University School of Medicine, 2004-present.
Discussion Leader, Genetics for first year medical students (Gen 202), 2008.
RECENT PRESENTATIONS
Panel member, University of California, Santa Barbara. Alternatives to Academic Careers, 2000.
Invited Speaker, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Ethics Grand Rounds. Ethical Issues in the Human Genome Project, 2000.
Live Internet Interview, Digital Planet, Producers for DNA Sciences, Inc. Do you have a history of breast cancer? What you need to know, 2000.
Invited Keynote Speaker, Connecticut Chapter, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. Getting the Word Out on the Human Genome Project, 2000.
Invited Speaker, Women Forging the Future of Science, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Genetic Diseases: Testing, Prevention and Treatment, 2000.
Invited Faculty, Update in Clinical Medicine, American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. Clinical Implications of the Human Genome Project, 2000.
Tobin, SL, Boughton, A, Krueger, C. ASCB Poster. Interactive Education in Cancer Genetics for Providers and the Public, 2000.
Platform Presentation, NIH-Sponsored Conference: A Decade of ELSI Research. Getting the Word Out on the Human Genome Project, 2001.
Invited Speaker, Bio-Link Summer Fellows Forum, Berkeley, California, 2001.
Invited speaker, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Careers Panel and Multimedia Demo, 2001.
Invited speaker, Kaiser Oakland Grand Rounds (Genetics), 2001.
Featured Scientist for February 2002, Interview and article, Incyte Genomics, http://www.incyte.com/insidegenomics/int/bio/int_bio_0013/int_bio_0013_1.shtml
Invited Keynote Speaker, 14th Annual CSU Biotechnology Symposium (Systemwide meeting for California State Universities Biology Faculty and Students), Cal Poly Pomona, 2002.
Tobin, S.L. and Boughton, A. Getting the Word Out on the Human Genome Project: A Multimedia Course for Physicians. Poster and Computer Demo, Ninth DOE Genome Contractor-Grantee Meeting, 2002.
Tobin SL, Jacobs CD, Ford JM, Boughton A, Ritter K, Bamber D, and Education Task Force. Crafting a custom cancer genetics web site for primary care physicians. ASHG poster and computer demo, 2002.
Tobin SL, Boughton A. Opening genetics and genomics to the public. ASCB poster and computer demo, 2002.
Faculty presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Project, Population-based Research and Genetic Epidemiology, 2002, Houston.
Course Director and Faculty presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Project, Tissue Banking, Population Research, and Research Registries, 2003, Stanford University.
Course Director and Faculty presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Course, Informed Consent in Genetic Research, 2003, San Diego, CA
Faculty Presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Course, Family History in Public Health , 2003, Atlanta, GA
Faculty Presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Course, Ethical Issues in Population-Based Research and Genetic Epidemiology (Chicago, IL)
Course Director and Faculty Presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Course, Informed Consent in Genetic Research, 2003, Seattle, WA
Invited Speaker, Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences and the European Union Center of California Conference, Engineering Life: Bioscience and Ethics in a Global Context, “Unique Issues in Human Genetics and Genomics Research,” 2003, Claremont, CA
Education Committee/ Minority Affairs Committee, American Society for Cell Biology, Computer Software Demonstration, 2003.
Tobin SL, Huxley MP, Johnson EA, Boughton A. Adapting multimedia to undergraduate education in molecular genetics. Molec. Biol. Cell 14: 246a. ASCB Poster, 2003.
Course Director and Faculty Presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Course, Informed Consent in Genetic Research, 2004, San Francisco.
Faculty Presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Course, Informed Consent in Genetic Research, 2004, National Institute of Environmental and Health Sciences, North Carolina.
Workshop Presentation, Beyond Genetics 101, American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, 2004, Philadelphia.
Course Director and Faculty Presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Course, Informed Consent in Genetic Research, 2004, Salt Lake City.
Invited Speaker, “Education in Genetic Ethics” at the Symposium: Bioethical Issues in Genetic Counseling and Education at National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, 2005.
Invited Seminar Speaker, Ethical Issues in Genetic Research. National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, 2005.
Course Director and Faculty Presenter, Education in Genetic Ethics Courses, Informed Consent in Genetic Research, 2005, San Francisco.
The Working Group on Reporting Results of Genetic Research. Reporting Results of Genetic Testing to Research Participants: A Preliminary Consensus Statement. American Society for Human Genetics, Salt Lake City, 2005.
Association of Women in Science, presentation to Palo Alto chapter, Ethical Dilemmas in Delivering the Benefits of Genetic and Genomic Research, 2007.
CSU Biotechnology Symposium,. Organized panel and presented on “Update and Future Plans for The New Genetics Project,” 2008.
NIH NHGRI ELSI Research Conference. Presented poster on “Genes and Alcohol: Doing Justice in the Judicial System,” 2008.
Bio-Link Summer Fellows Forum, Presented Workshop on “Overcoming Barriers to Innovation,” 2008.
Cancer Center Research Training Program, Gave talk on “Successful Applications, 2008.
Conference sponsored by Exl Pharma. Co-organized session on “Achieving Equitable Recruitment, IRB Approval, and Effective Informed Consent” and presented “Enhancing Clinical Research by Anticipating Issues,” 2008.
American Society for Cell Biology Meetings, 2008. Presented poster “The New Genetics: Electronic Tools for Educational Innovation,” 2008.
CURRENT SUPPORT
1. Title: The New Genetics: Electronic Tools for Educational Innovation (Sara L. Tobin, PI)
Funding Source: National Science Foundation
Dates: 11/1/06-10/31/09
Roles: Principal Investigator and content development for educational approaches dealing with genetics and genomics research and ethical/societal issues for undergraduates.
2. Title: Cardiovascular Disease Research Ethics (CADRE) Program (Howard Stone, PI)
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health
Dates: 12/01/06-5/31/08
Roles: Principal Investigator of subcontract to Stanford University. Contribute to development of educational approaches for researchers in cardiovascular conditions, especially issues involving genetics.
3. Title: Law & Ethics of Drug Addiction Genetics Research (Howard Stone, PI)
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health
Dates: 5/01/07-2/28/2011
Roles: Principal Investigator of subcontract to Stanford University. Contribute to elucidation of ethical, legal and social implications of the use of drug addiction genetic information and provide needs-specific training, materials, and resources to criminal justice professionals.
4. Title: Center for Integrating Ethics & Genetic Research (Mildred Cho, PI)
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health
Dates: 9/1/04-8/31/09
Roles: Co-leader of Training and Education Team; member Benchside Consultation Team
Description: This Center of Excellence grant supports a variety of activities involving proactive identification and integration of ethical, legal, and social considerations and emerging genetic research.
5. Title: Clinical and Translational Science Award (Harry Greenberg, PI)
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health
Dates: 5/19/08-5/18/13
Role: Ethicist; Tobin reviews CTRU projects for ethical concerns and patient safety issues and assists with project design and development.
Description: This grant supports the activities of clinical trials and other research projects at Stanford School of Medicine.
RECENT SUPPORT
1. Title: General Clinical Research Center (Branimir Sikic, PI)
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health
Dates: 4/1/02-11/30/06
Role: Ethicist; Tobin reviewed all clinical trial protocols for ethical issues and patient safety issues.
Description: This grant supported the activities of the General Clinical Research Center at Stanford Hospital.
2. Title: The New Genetics: Interactive Courseware for Physicians
Funding source: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Dates: 5/1/00-4/30/04
Role: Principal Investigator
Description: This project covered enhancements to the courseware for physicians funded by the DOE award, including additional animations, an expanded testing module, and a professional evaluation.
3. Title: Program for Applied Cancer Genetics
Funding source: State of California Department of Health Services, Cancer Research Section, California Cancer Research Program (James M. Ford, PI)
Dates: 10/1/2000-6/30/2004
Role: Education Director
Description: This grant established a dedicated program for clinical cancer genetics that delivers comprehensive cancer genetics services to high-risk patients and families. The educational component was designed to develop and field-test Internet-based educational tools for primary care physicians at outreach sites and to apply advances in cancer genetics research.
4. Title: Education in Genetic Ethics (EDGE)
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health (NHGRI) (Mark Rothstein, PI)
Dates: 5/3/02-4/30/06
Role: PI of Stanford University subcontract
Description: This project involved a needs assessment, followed by creation and evaluation of a curriculum that examines the special ethical issues that arise during the course of genetic research projects involving human subjects. The University of Louisville was the lead institution with three subcontracting institutions.
5. Title: Family Medicine Clerkship Training Program (Samuel LeBaron, PI)
Funding Source: National Institutes of Health
Dates: 7/1/03-6/30/06
Role: Genetics Curriculum Development
Description: This training grant supported the Stanford University training program in family medicine and primary care for medical students. Tobin created, teaches, and evaluates a unit on genetics designed for future primary care physicians.
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