Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Showing 1-20 of 28 Results
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Julia Kaltschmidt
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe lab’s primary research interest is to understand how specific neuronal circuits are established. We use mouse genetics, combinatorial immunochemical labeling and high-resolution laser scanning microscopy to identify, manipulate, and quantitatively analyze synaptic contacts within the complex neuronal milieu of the spinal cord and the enteric nervous system.
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Makoto Kawai
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Sleep Medicine
BioI am a physician scientist in the field of sleep medicine in aging and brain function. Using combined polysomnogram and novel neuroimaging technology, I aim to identify potential sleep biomarkers to investigate the mechanism of progression from normal aging to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia. I also investigate the impact of sleep on cognitive/affective function or behavior abnormality in various neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Mark A. Kay, M.D., Ph.D.
Dennis Farrey Family Professor of Pediatrics, and Professor of Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMark A. Kay, M.D., Ph.D. Director of the Program in Human Gene Therapy and Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics. Respected worldwide for his work in gene therapy for hemophilia, Dr. Kay and his laboratory focus on establishing the scientific principles and developing the technologies needed for achieving persistent and therapeutic levels of gene expression in vivo. The major disease models are hemophilia, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B viral infections.
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Corey Keller, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Public Mental Health and Population Sciences)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe goal of my lab is to understand the fundamental principles of human brain plasticity and build trans-diagnostic real-time monitoring platforms for personalized neurotherapeutics.
We use an array of neuroscience methods to better understand the basic principles of how to create change in brain circuits. We use this knowledge to develop more effective treatment strategies for depression and other psychiatric disorders. -
Oussama Khatib
Weichai Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering
BioRobotics research on novel control architectures, algorithms, sensing, and human-friendly designs for advanced capabilities in complex environments. With a focus on enabling robots to interact cooperatively and safely with humans and the physical world, these studies bring understanding of human movements for therapy, athletic training, and performance enhancement. Our work on understanding human cognitive task representation and physical skills is enabling transfer for increased robot autonomy. With these core capabilities, we are exploring applications in healthcare and wellness, industry and service, farms and smart cities, and dangerous and unreachable settings -- deep in oceans, mines, and space.
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Chaitan Khosla
Wells H. Rauser and Harold M. Petiprin Professor and Professor of Chemistry and, by courtesy, of Biochemistry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch in this laboratory focuses on problems where deep insights into enzymology and metabolism can be harnessed to improve human health.
For the past two decades, we have studied and engineered enzymatic assembly lines called polyketide synthases that catalyze the biosynthesis of structurally complex and medicinally fascinating antibiotics in bacteria. An example of such an assembly line is found in the erythromycin biosynthetic pathway. Our current focus is on understanding the structure and mechanism of this polyketide synthase. At the same time, we are developing methods to decode the vast and growing number of orphan polyketide assembly lines in the sequence databases.
For more than a decade, we have also investigated the pathogenesis of celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine, with the goal of discovering therapies and related management tools for this widespread but overlooked disease. Ongoing efforts focus on understanding the pivotal role of transglutaminase 2 in triggering the inflammatory response to dietary gluten in the celiac intestine. -
Butrus Khuri-Yakub
Professor (Research) of Electrical Engineering, Emeritus
BioButrus (Pierre) T. Khuri-Yakub is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He received the BS degree from the American University of Beirut, the MS degree from Dartmouth College, and the Ph.D. degree from Stanford University, all in electrical engineering. His current research interests include medical ultrasound imaging and therapy, ultrasound neuro-stimulation, chemical/biological sensors, gas flow and energy flow sensing, micromachined ultrasonic transducers, and ultrasonic fluid ejectors. He has authored over 600 publications and has been principal inventor or co-inventor of 107 US and international issued patents. He was awarded the Medal of the City of Bordeaux in 1983 for his contributions to Nondestructive Evaluation, the Distinguished Advisor Award of the School of Engineering at Stanford University in 1987, the Distinguished Lecturer Award of the IEEE UFFC society in 1999, a Stanford University Outstanding Inventor Award in 2004, Distinguished Alumnus Award of the School of Engineering of the American University of Beirut in 2005, Stanford Biodesign Certificate of Appreciation for commitment to educate, mentor and inspire Biodesgin Fellows, 2011, and 2011 recipient of IEEE Rayleigh award.
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Mathew Kiang
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health (Epidemiology)
BioI am an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health. My research lies at the intersection of computational epidemiology and social epidemiology. Methodologically, my work revolves around combining disparate data sources in epidemiologically meaningful ways. For example, I work with individual-level, non-health data (e.g., GPS, accelerometer, and other sensor data from smartphones), traditional health data (e.g., survey, health systems, or death certificate data), and third-party data (e.g., cellphone providers or ad-tech data). To do this, I use a variety of methods such as joint Bayesian spatial models, traditional epidemiologic models, dynamical models, microsimulation, and demographic analysis. Substantively, my work focuses on socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequities. For example, recently, my work has examined inequities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution, cause-specific excess mortality, and drug poisonings. I have an NIDA-funded R00 examining equitable ways to improve treatment for opioid use disorder across structurally disadvantaged groups and am Co-I on a NIDA-funded R21 examining ways to use novel data sources (such as social media) to predict surges in opioid-related mortality.
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Peter S. Kim
Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professor of Biochemistry
On Partial Leave from 09/01/2023 To 06/30/2024Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe are studying the mechanism of viral membrane fusion and its inhibition by drugs and antibodies. We use the HIV envelope protein (gp120/gp41) as a model system. Some of our studies are aimed at creating an HIV vaccine. We are also characterizing protein surfaces that are referred to as "non-druggable". These surfaces are defined empirically based on failure to identify small, drug-like molecules that bind to them with high affinity and specificity.
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Seung K. Kim M.D., Ph.D.
KM Mulberry Professor, Professor of Developmental Biology, of Medicine (Endocrinology) and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics (Endocrinology)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study the development of pancreatic islet cells using molecular, embryologic and genetic methods in several model systems, including mice, pigs, human pancreas, embryonic stem cells, and Drosophila. Our work suggests that critical factors required for islet development are also needed to maintain essential functions of the mature islet. These approaches have informed efforts to generate replacement islets from renewable sources for diabetes.
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David Kingsley
Rudy J. and Daphne Donohue Munzer Professor in the School of Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe use mice, stickleback fish, and humans to study the molecular basis of evolution and common diseases. By combining genetics and genomics, we have identified key DNA changes that control bone formation, limb patterning, hair color, brain evolution, and susceptibility to arthritis, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. We find that the same genetic mechanisms are often used repeatedly in nature, providing new insights into the origin of key traits in many different species, including ourselves.
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Eric I. Knudsen
Edward C. and Amy H. Sewall Professor in the School of Medicine, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCellular mechanisms of spatial attention and learning, studied in the central nervous system in birds, using behavioral, systems, cellular and molecular techniques.
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Brian Knutson
Professor of Psychology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy lab and I seek to elucidate the neural basis of emotion (affective neuroscience), and explore implications for decision-making (neuroeconomics) and psychopathology (neurophenomics).
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Brian Kobilka
Hélène Irwin Fagan Chair of Cardiology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsStructure, function and physiology of adrenergic receptors.
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Mykel Kochenderfer
Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics and, by courtesy, of Computer Science
BioMykel Kochenderfer is Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University. Prior to joining the faculty, he was at MIT Lincoln Laboratory where he worked on airspace modeling and aircraft collision avoidance, with his early work leading to the establishment of the ACAS X program. He received a Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh and B.S. and M.S. degrees in computer science from Stanford University. Prof. Kochenderfer is the director of the Stanford Intelligent Systems Laboratory (SISL), conducting research on advanced algorithms and analytical methods for the design of robust decision making systems. Of particular interest are systems for air traffic control, unmanned aircraft, and other aerospace applications where decisions must be made in uncertain, dynamic environments while maintaining safety and efficiency. Research at SISL focuses on efficient computational methods for deriving optimal decision strategies from high-dimensional, probabilistic problem representations. He is an author of "Decision Making under Uncertainty: Theory and Application" (2015), "Algorithms for Optimization" (2019), and "Algorithms for Decision Making" (2022), all from MIT Press. He is a third generation pilot.
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Eric Kool
George A. and Hilda M. Daubert Professor of Chemistry
Current Research and Scholarly Interests• Design of cell-permeable reagents for profiling, modifying, and controlling RNAs
• Developing fluorescent probes of DNA repair pathways, with applications in cancer, aging, and neurodegenerative disease
• Discovery and development of small-molecule modulators of DNA repair enzymes, with focus on cancer and inflammation -
Ron Kopito
Professor of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory use state-of-the-art cell biological, genetic and systems-level approaches to understand how proteins are correctly synthesized, folded and assembled in the mammalian secretory pathway, how errors in this process are detected and how abnormal proteins are destroyed by the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
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Lorrin Koran
Professor (Clinical) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly Interestsobsessive-compulsive disorder, depressive disorders, psychopharmacology, cost-effectiveness studies, trichotillomania, compulsive buying, pathological gambling,kleptomania.
