Inaugural Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Symposium
The inaugural Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Symposium brought together 350 individuals on March 1, 2023, to connect, collaborate, and share discoveries about the principles underlying peak human performance. Our list of distinguished speakers represented the breadth of the Alliance’s research mission to transform human health for all, from Dr. Helen Blau’s discovery that could potentially help aged individuals increase muscle strength and improve their quality of life to Dr. Silvia Blemker’s discussion about the need to develop computer models – or predictive digital twins — that incorporate data on female athletes to personalize training and health.
Thank you to the Alliance members who traveled from around the world and to the Stanford community for attending and contributing to the lively discussions. And special thanks to the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation, whose support made this all possible. Together, we can create a world where science, innovation, and human performance intersect to redefine what’s possible.
For a synopsis of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Symposium 2023 and links to recordings of speaker presentations, see the sessions below.
“What this Alliance is trying to do is to find Hubble-equivalent information about the universe of the body.”
– Ashton Eaton, 2x Olympic gold-medal winning decathlete
2023 Symposium Sessions
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Scott Delp, Director of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Stanford University, welcomes everyone to the symposium and describes the vision of the Alliance.
Session I: Digital Twins to Optimize Training, Equipment, and Recovery
Recent advancements in computational modeling, wearable sensing technology, and device design are enabling personalized insights to improve training efficacy, optimize equipment, and speed up recovery from injuries like never before.
Session II: Female Athlete Performance
Half the world’s population is female, and more women are participating in sports than at any time in history. However, exercise and sports science research is still conducted predominantly in male populations. Alliance researchers are changing that through their investigations and development of new guidelines for female athlete training and clinical care.
Session III: Reversing Injury with Regenerative Medicine
Researchers during this session presented new therapies and research to heal cartilage, bone, tendon, and muscle.
Session IV: The Molecular Orchestra of Performance
Physical activity has a host of health and performance benefits. Yet the mechanisms behind these relationships remain unclear. Alliance researchers are working to measure the molecular changes that occur during physical activity to advance our understanding of its health benefits.
Kam Moler and the Power of Collaborative Research and Team Science
Kam Moler, Vice Provost and Dean of Research at Stanford University, reflects on the uniqueness of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance and the importance of collaboration to achieve scientific breakthroughs.
Alliance Research Highlights and Late-Breaking Findings
Ongoing research efforts across the Alliance are pushing the boundaries of our understanding and optimization of human performance.
Keynote: Ashton Eaton, 2X Olympic Gold Medalist
The evening was capped by 2x Olympic gold-medal winning decathlete Ashton Eaton giving the keynote speech.
Quick Links to the 2023 Symposium
Symposium Agenda and Speakers
Recordings of Presentations and Panel Discussions
Poster and Research Talk Presenter Awards
Our Mission
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