2026 Research Day: "A Celebration of Inquiry"
Our 2026 Research Day held Tuesday, April 21 at CRMH attracted more than 200 participants and featured 25 oral presentations and 66 posters covering a breadth of research topics.
Described by Michael Wilson, MD, associate institutional research officer, as "a celebration of inquiry," the annual event provides a forum for our researchers and their collaborators to highlight the work conducted in our hospitals, clinics, basic science laboratories, and in the community. This year's event represented broader participation from external institutions, including 2 area high schools.
Keynote speaker Gary Vilke, MD, looking back on a career spanning more than 30 years, described how he successfully combined research with teaching and clinical practice to achieve professional satisfaction.
Dr. Vilke, professor emeritus of clinical emergency medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, "caught the research bug" after completing his first research project to get into medical school. He has since conducted hundreds of studies on a range of topics that have led to more than 270 peer-reviewed publications, 70 book chapters, and 2 textbooks. Motivated by an insatiable curiosity, Dr. Vilke described his research as “sometimes entertaining, sometimes it changed things.”
“Research is fun. It doesn’t have to be costly, and it can open doors,” he said.
Our 2026 Research Day attracted more than 200 participants and featured 25 oral presentations and 66 posters.
The event, held annually since 2007, provides a forum for our researchers and collaborators to share the work conducted in our hospitals, clinics, basic science laboratories, and in the community.
Keynote speaker Gary Vilke, MD, of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, shared his enthusiasm for research with residents, fellows, faculty, staff, and medical students.