Samuel Pleasure, M.D., Ph.D.

Landis Award for Outstanding Mentorship
Image
Smiling man wearing glasses and a blue striped shirt against a white background.
Institution
University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

Dr. Pleasure’s mentorship model is highly attentive to the individual, as exemplified by the broad range of scientists he has trained and by the unique programs he has developed to better cultivate and sustain the neuroscience workforce, particularly for clinician-scientists. His mentees consistently emphasized their training in scientific rigor and Dr. Pleasure’s detailed feedback on experimental design and consideration of alternative explanations. Mentees also provided multiple examples in which Dr. Pleasure invested in their long-term success: offering senior authorship, nominating them for study section service, and supporting them in pursuing competitive fellowships. Beyond his own lab, he has contributed broadly to research training by serving as the Director of the UCSF Neuroscience Graduate Program and on institutional training grants.