Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Showing 1-76 of 76 Results
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Emma Adair
Clinical Research Manager, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
Current Role at StanfordEmma manages the Neurology & Neurosurgery Clinical Trials Team consisting of 17 Clinical Research Coordinators conducting 70+ clinical trials in areas including: Device Neurosurgery, Functional Neurosurgery, Headache, Epilepsy, Neuroimmunology, Alzheimers/Memory Disorders, Parkinson's, Radiology, and Bio Banks.
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Anuj Aggarwal
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioAnuj Aggarwal, M.D., is both a practicing anesthesiologist and pain specialist. Originally from Southern California, Dr. Aggarwal completed his undergraduate studies in biology with honors at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. He earned his medical degree from University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine with distinction, completing the Health Professions Education (HPE) Pathway advanced program. He completed his internship at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. He then completed his Anesthesiology residency and Pain Medicine fellowship at Stanford Hospital, joining the faculty in 2018.
In addition to his research and clinical areas of interest of perioperative pain, orofacial pain, and the history of medicine, he is the associate program director for the pain management fellowship, theme lead and course director for pharmacology for the medical school, and associate director for Science of Medicine overseeing the teaching of the various organ blocks in the pre-clerkship curriculum. He also is an E4C (Educator for Care) faculty member, teaching clinical skills, clinical reasoning and serving as a mentor to medical students throughout their training. In addition, he is involved within the anesthesia residency education programs through various committees, mentorship of residents, and direct teaching. Formerly, he served as the director of medical student and resident clerkships in pain management and pain theme lead in the pre-clerkship curriculum. -
Meredith Barad, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), Adult NeurologyCurrent Research and Scholarly InterestsMy current research interests involve novel treatment paradigms for challenging pain problems such as orofacial pain, trigeminal neuralgia and low pressure headaches. I am also interested in migraine and trigeminal autonomic cephalgias and their intersection with chronic pain.
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Ian Carroll, MD, MS
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe are committed to promoting an understanding of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, and ensuring that all patients who are suffering from cerebrospinal fluid leaks receive appropriate diagnosis and treatment of this devastating, chronic, and fixable condition. We believe this can be best accomplished in a multidisciplinary setting involving expertise in radiology, neurology, and interventional pain medicine.
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QiLiang “Q” Chen
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on understanding the plasticity in pain-modulating circuits in pathological pain states. I started with defining a basic functional framework that links the pain-transmission system to the pain-modulation system, through which I explored the central mechanism of sensitization in chronic pain after a peripheral injury. Based on this fundamental observation, my work now focuses on investigating the pathophysiology and the role of endogenous opioids in chronic pain related to brain injury and other forms of trauma, a topic especially relevant to chronic post-traumatic pain sufferers. Clinically, I am exploring the use of advance image-guidance in pain interventions for treating complex headache and craniofacial pain. Ultimately, I hope to translate these fundamental knowledge and technologies to patient care and provide potential new therapeutic targets to help those with pain after head injury and polytrauma.
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Beth Darnall, PhD
Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain) and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry & Psychology (Adult))
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Stanford Pain Relief Innovations Lab is dedicated to better characterizing and treating pain with patient-centered solutions. We specialize in the conduct of large-scale acute and chronic pain clinical trials that aim to (1) expand and scale access to behavioral medicine via digital and brief treatments; (2) reduce opioid risks via reduction for some and improved opioid access for others; (3) equip healthcare providers with brief behavioral medicine interventions to optimize health outcomes.
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Titilola Falasinnu
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Immunology and Rheumatology) and, by courtesy, of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain)
BioI am primarily a lupus researcher and identify as a pain scientist and methodologist in this field. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disproportionately affects women and racial minorities and is the fifth most common cause of death among 15- to 24-year-old Black and Hispanic women in the U.S., highlighting its significant public health impact. More than half of patients with SLE experience chronic pain, often secondary to SLE itself or overlapping conditions (e.g., migraines, low back pain, fibromyalgia), contributing significantly to disability and impaired quality of life. Chronic pain is not merely a symptom but a disease in its own right—one that deserves the same rigorous study and clinical attention as comorbidities like kidney disease and cardiovascular disease in rheumatology. The enormous global burden of chronic pain underscores the urgent need for a clear, standardized definition of pain as a disease, particularly in autoimmune rheumatic diseases where pain can arise from inflammatory, nociplastic, and biopsychosocial mechanisms. Without recognizing pain as a distinct disease entity, its mechanisms remain poorly understood, and effective treatment strategies remain underdeveloped.
I am a co-Principal Investigator of the Pain Intelligence Lab, where our mission is to advance the study of pain as a disease in rheumatology through two primary objectives. First, we develop and validate computational methods that enable clinicians and researchers to leverage electronic health records, administrative claims, and disease registries to study chronic pain as a distinct disease entity in rheumatology. By applying machine learning, natural language processing, and real-world data analysis, we seek to enhance pain phenotyping, classify distinct pain subtypes, and develop predictive models for treatment response. Second, we use a biopsychosocial framework to examine the predictive power of biomarkers and psychosocial measures in rheumatologic pain. By integrating biological, psychological, and social determinants of pain, we aim to conduct rigorous, patient-oriented research that translates targeted assessments into mechanistically informed, personalized treatment approaches for optimized clinical care. Ultimately, my long term career goal is to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, ensuring that pain management in autoimmune rheumatic diseases is precise, equitable, and optimized for improved patient outcomes. -
Pamela Flood
Adjunct Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Flood is a Professor at Stanford University who is fellowship trained in Pain Medicine and Obstetric Anesthesiology. She specializes in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain and multiple aspects of women's health including the prevention of chronic pain after childbirth. Research interests include the role of multimodal treatment in chronic pain conditions and prevention of persistent opioid use. Her research has spanned from detailed pharmacodynamic analysis, clinical trials to population health.
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Alpana Gowda
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Alpana Gowda is a clinical assistant professor in the Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford, where she has cared for patients since 2007. Her clinical practice focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of complex pain conditions, with particular expertise in musculoskeletal pain and electrodiagnostic (EMG) testing.
Dr. Gowda is passionate about helping patients understand the source of their pain—especially when the diagnosis feels unclear or elusive. She emphasizes that chronic pain is a multifaceted condition that can arise from the bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, or brain, and works with each patient to develop a plan that addresses their unique experience of pain.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Gowda teaches Stanford pain medicine fellows and lectures on topics including pain mechanisms, musculoskeletal medicine, and the challenges of diagnosing chronic pain. -
Jennifer Hah
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPerioperative Recovery of Opioids Mood and Pain Trial
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T. Kyle Harrison, MD
Staff, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
Clinical Professor (Affiliated), Multispecialty AnesthesiologyBioDr. T. Kyle Harrison is a Clinical Professor (Affiliated- PAVA) of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University and a staff physician at the VA Palo Alto. He is board certified in both Anesthesiology and Addiction Medicine. He earned his MD and did his residency training in anesthesiology at Stanford University. He completed a medical education and simulation fellowship at Stanford and then obtained additional training in addiction medicine at both Stanford and the VA Palo Alto. He is interested in the intersection of pain and addiction. He co directs the Transitional Pain Clinic at the VA Palo Alto. He attends on both the acute pain service as well as the addiction medicine clinic at the VA Palo Alto. His academic interest include addiction, pain, peri operative management of buprenorphine, transitional pain, conversion of acute to chronic pain, and medical simulation. His email is kyle.harrison@stanford.edu and his twitter handle is @KyleHarrisonMD.
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Behnaz Jarrahi, PhD
Affiliate, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
BioDr. Behnaz Jarrahi is a neuroscientist whose research combines neuroimaging and advanced data analysis with philosophical inquiry into the nature of mind and consciousness. Dr. Jarrahi holds an M.S. in Management from Stanford and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology from ETH.
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Michele Jehenson
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr Jehenson is an avid lover of wildlife and the outdoors. She finds peace and balance in the mountains, summer and winter.
She lives in Los Gatos , CA where she maintains a private practice at the Bay Area Pain and Wellness Center.
She is a commentators on Health Revolution Radio and is an advocate for integrative, non-surgical treament for facial pain. -
Ming Jeffrey Kao, PhD, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly Interests1. Patient-reported outcomes. Efficient, multi-feature item-response theory (IRT) based computerized adaptive testing (CAT) algorithm using item banks from PROMIS and NIH Toolbox
2. Activity monitoring. Novel analytic framework for physical activity monitoring in the context of pain.
3. Operations research. Multi-variable discrete and continuous optimization for Lean Hospital Management
4. National trends in pain medication prescription -
JT Kong
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Jiang-Ti Kong specializes in the treatment of chronic pain syndromes with expertise in the clinical management and scientific investigation of low back pain and fibromyalgia. In addition to teaching and practicing conventional pain management, Dr. Kong also leads the acupuncture service at the Stanford Pain Management Center, offering effective treatment alternatives for patients suffering from back pain, neck pain, joint pain, headaches, and complex regional pain syndrome. Dr. Kong has developed a strong interest in the interdisciplinary study of chronic pain mechanisms and alternative treatment modalities such as acupuncture. She currently leads two NIH-funded projects investigating the mechanisms of electro-acupuncture for the treatment of chronic low back pain.
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Albert Hyukjae Kwon, M.D.
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Kwon joined the Stanford Pain Medicine faculty in 2021. He is board-certified in Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, and board-eligible in General Pediatrics. His clinical focus is in chronic pain care transition from adolescence to adulthood and chronic pain syndromes of young adults (below age 30). Collaborating with a multidisciplinary team and leveraging digital health solutions, he is building the Stanford Adolescent and Young Adult Pain Program to bridge the Pediatric Pain Management Program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford and the Stanford Pain Management Center at Stanford Hospital and Clinics.
Dr. Kwon completed his B.S. degree in Biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. As an undergraduate student, he pursued bone tissue engineering and stem cell research within the MIT Langer Lab and drug delivery research within the Laboratory for Biomaterials and Drug Delivery at Boston Children's Hospital. He then received his medical degree at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology. As a medical student, he did research in neuroengineering and optogenetics in the MIT Media Lab. He completed a combined residency in Pediatrics and Anesthesiology at Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital and a fellowship in Pain Medicine at Stanford Hospital.
With his diverse research background in various engineering fields, he continues to collaborate with colleagues across academia and industry in medical device and technology development. During the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic and when a critical shortage of ICU ventilators was looming in the United States, he co-led the clinical team for the MIT Emergency Ventilator project (https://emergency-vent.mit.edu/), which published an open-source reference design for converting any manual resuscitator bag into a basic ventilator. This open-source reference design has given rise to multiple spin-off ventilator designs across the globe and continues to save countless patient lives in countries where limited critical care resources are available. Dr. Kwon is interested in building more resilient critical care healthcare systems leveraging technology that is actually designed to meet the infrastructural challenges in developing countries. -
Jon B. Lee, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Clinical Assistant Professor, Emergency MedicineBioDr. Lee works clinically as an attending physician in both the Department of Emergency Medicine and the Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford University.
Dr. Lee offers employs multi-modal medication utilization, injection therapies, radiofrequency ablation, and neuromodulation, to help patients manage their pain and improve their quality of life. Dr. Lee’s academic interests include interventional pain management in acute care settings, ED utilization and management for acute and chronic painful conditions, and transitions of care between inpatient and outpatient settings. -
Michael Leong
Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryCurrent Research and Scholarly Interests- Intrathecal / Intraspinal Analgesics
- Ziconotide (Prialt)
- Resiniferatoxin
- Industry-supported clinical trials -
Lauren Levi, DMD, MS
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Lauren Levi is a board-certified orofacial pain specialist and fellowship-trained dental oncologist with Stanford Health Care. She is also a clinical associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Levi diagnoses and treats painful conditions affecting the head and neck, including primary headache disorders, neuropathic orofacial pain, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. She also treats sleep-related breathing disorders such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. In addition, Dr. Levi has experience managing head and neck pain related to cancer and cancer therapy.
Dr. Levi’s research interests include new treatments for chronic head and neck pain and side effects of cancer treatment in the head and neck. She is also interested in obstructive sleep apnea, temporomandibular disorders, and migraine.
Dr. Levi is passionate about improving access to care and lectures locally, nationally, and internationally. Additionally, she is actively involved in teaching and professional education. -
Shana Charlie Levine
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
Current Role at StanfordCRCA with Dr. Jennifer Hah's Strategies for Pain Alleviation though Research and Knowledge for Long-term Efficacy (SPARKLE✨) Lab
Stanford University School of Medicine
Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine | Division of Pain Medicine -
Alice Huai-Yu Li, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Alice Huai-Yu Li is an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at Stanford Health Care. She is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Division of Pain Management at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Li specializes in headache and facial pain conditions, offering advanced, personalized care for patients with complex and often debilitating pain syndromes. Her clinical expertise spans a wide range of disorders, including migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, cluster headache, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), and other forms of craniofacial pain.
She collaborates closely with her colleagues in neurosurgery, otorhinolaryngology (ENT), neurology, dentistry, and oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) to ensure comprehensive and coordinated care. With this interdisciplinary approach, she works with each patient to help them feel better and improve their daily life. This includes creating a tailored treatment plan with healthy lifestyle modifications, prescription medications, and targeted procedures.
Dr. Li’s research focuses on finding better ways to treat migraines and facial pain and improving care before and after surgery for people who live with chronic pain. She uses imaging tools, such as ultrasound, to predict how well certain treatments will work. Her research also includes developing small devices that can be placed in the body to relieve pain without major surgery. In addition, she studies how artificial intelligence can help diagnose different types of headaches and facial pain.
Dr. Li has authored more than a dozen peer-reviewed publications and has presented her work at national and international conferences for organizations including the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, and the North American Neuromodulation Society. -
Joseph Liao, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Joseph Liao, M.D., is a double board-certified pain management specialist and anesthesiologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he brings a wealth of expertise to the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine.
His clinical interests span a wide range of pain conditions with an emphasis on back pain, neck pain, joint pain, nerve pain, cancer-related pain, chronic post-surgical pain, and chronic post-traumatic pain. He specializes in neuromodulation, such as spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, restorative neuromodulation, and dorsal root ganglion stimulation. Dr. Liao’s expertise extends to minimally invasive surgical spine interventions, using techniques like radiofrequency ablation, basivertebral nerve ablation, percutaneous decompression, sacroiliac joint fusion, and steroid injections. He is skilled in using ultrasonography and fluoroscopy to address spine, degenerative joint, and musculoskeletal diseases, as well as neurolysis and ablation for cancer-related pain.
In his research, Dr. Liao focuses on innovative therapies through neuromodulation and minimally invasive spine interventions, with his work published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals such as Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine. He serves as an ad hoc reviewer for multiple pain and anesthesiology journals. He is actively engaged in presenting and teaching at national and international conferences.
Dr. Liao is an avid patient and physician advocate. He takes pride in facilitating safe care and enjoys teaching other physicians how to safely deliver anesthetics and pain care and limit injuries in various forums. He adheres to the philosophy of applying the right treatment for the right patient at the right time. His goal is to utilize minimally invasive interventions to enhance functionality, elevate quality of life, and alleviate pain.
He serves on leadership boards and is affiliated with numerous esteemed medical associations such as the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, American Society of Pain and Neuroscience, North American Neuromodulation Society, International Association for the Study of Pain, American Academy of Pain Medicine, Pacific Spine and Pain Society, California Society of Interventional Pain Physicians, American Society of Anesthesiologists, American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Society of Critical Care Medicine, and World Academy of Pain Medicine United. -
Theresa Lii, M.D., M.S.
Instructor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsEvaluating the analgesic and antidepressant effects of ketamine in humans
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Anthony Machi, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Anthony Machi is a double-board-certified, fellowship-trained anesthesiologist and pain management specialist with Stanford Health Care. He is also a clinical associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Machi diagnoses and treats a wide range of pain conditions, including acute and chronic postsurgical pain, nerve-related (neuropathic) pain, and pain affecting the back, neck, and joints. He specializes in using minimally invasive techniques to relieve pain and enhance quality of life for his patients who are recovering after surgery.
Dr. Machi’s research interests include using ultrasound to study the greater occipital nerve in people with greater occipital neuralgia. He has also studied patient outcomes and pain management strategies for many types of surgery, including minimally invasive valve surgery and major shoulder surgery.
Dr. Machi has published his research in peer-reviewed journals, such as Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, Anesthesia & Analgesia, and PAIN. He has also presented to his peers at national and regional meetings, including the annual meetings of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA), and the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists.
Dr. Machi is a member of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, ASA, ASRA, the North American Neuromodulation Society, and the World Academy of Pain Medicine United. -
Kristen Klepac MacKenzie, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Kristen MacKenzie is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine. Dr. MacKenzie graduated AOA with a MD from UCSF and then completed her anesthesia residency and pain medicine fellowships at Stanford. She works at the Stanford Pain Management Center with specialty interests in chronic pelvic and abdominal pain, as well as peripartum pain. She is the co-director for the Stanford Pelvic Pain Program as well as part of the Stanford Pelvic Health Center for interdisciplinary, multimodal care.
She completed a Stanford Faculty Medical Humanities Fellowship, focusing on the role of communication and the arts in modern medicine. She serves as the co-director for the Women's Sexual Dysfunction Case Conference as well as the Pain Division representative to the Stanford Anesthesia Communications Council. She enjoys being able to spend time with learners and participates in the Women in Medicine mentoring program annually.
She is active in the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM), and for the 2025-2026 year is serving as the Women in Pain Medicine Shared Interest Group (SIG) Co-Chair as well as the Media & Public Relations SIG Chair.
Outside of work, she enjoys being outdoors in the Bay Area, trail running, and spending time with her husband and two boys.
Clinical focus:
Pelvic pain, due to multiple causes including:
Dyspareunia
Painful Bladder Syndrome/ Interstitial cystitis/ Dysuria
Endometriosis
Fibroids
Pelvis Congestion Syndrome
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Pudendal Nerve Pain
Rectal/Anal Pain
Vulvar Pain/ Vulvodynia/ Vaginismus
Nerve entrapment syndromes, including hernia nerve entrapment
Post-partum and Peri-partum pain
Abdominal pain
Musculoskeletal pain
New Patients: Please have your primary treating provider place a referral to Stanford Pain Clinic and specify Pelvic Pain, Dr. MacKenzie. -
Sean Mackey, M.D., Ph.D.
Redlich Professor, Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain) and, by courtesy, of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMultiple NIH funded projects to characterize CNS mechanisms of human pain. Comparative effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy and chronic pain self-management within the context of opioid reduction (PCORI funded). Single session pain catastrophizing treatment: comparative efficacy & mechanisms (NIH R01). Development and implementation of an open-source learning healthcare system, CHOIR (http://choir/stanford.edu), to optimize pain care and innovative research in real-world patients.
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Theresa Mallick-Searle, MS, PMGT-BC, ANP-BC, FAANP
Casual - Non-Exempt, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
BioTheresa is an Adult Nurse Practitioner with over 29 years’ experience at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California. She received her graduate degree from University of California, San Francisco.
Theresa’s current clinical practice within the Division of Pain Medicine, focuses primarily on evaluation and treatment of individuals suffering from acute and chronic pain conditions in both the hospital and outpatient settings.
As part of her commitment to education and professional development, she lectures extensively on topics surrounding pain management both locally and regionally. She has authored and co-authored numerous articles, abstracts, and book chapters on topics pertaining to pain assessment and management. Theresa is a clinical preceptor for NP and PA students in the greater Bay Area; she also mentors and instructs the fellows and residents on the Stanford Pain Service.
Theresa is actively involved in multiple professional organizations including: The American Association of Nurse Practitioners, California Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Society of Pain Management Nursing and American Academy of Pain Medicine. As part of her commitment to safety and ethical treatment of patients with pain; Theresa has provided services as an independent expert witness on issues related to pain management and treatment. -
Amy Li Matecki
Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Amy (Ying Li) Matecki has been licensed to practice medicine in California since 2002 and completed her Internal Medicine Residency as Chief Resident at Highland Hospital, Alameda Health System, a UCSF affiliate, in 2004. She received her degree in Acupuncture and Chinese medicine from ACCHS in 2009. She was a Faculty Attending Physician at Department of Medicine Residency at Highland Hospital from 2004 to 2019 and Chief of the Integrative Medicine Division from 2014 to 2019. She and her colleagues from allopathic medicine and Chinese Medicine created hospital privilege policy for licensed acupuncturists in 2011 and designed policies, procedures and training methods for acupuncturists to join the medical staff to provide inpatient acupuncture services at Highland Hospital. She helped to create the first Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Residency from 2016 to 2019 at Alameda Health System Highland Hospital. Graduates from this residency program are able to work in allopathic academic teaching hospitals’ inpatient care and outpatient medical centers.
In addition to serving in the public hospital, Dr. Matecki joined Alta Bates Summit Medical Center (ABSMC) Comprehensive Cancer Center in 2004 where she started a community hospital-based acupuncture program to bridge Eastern and Western Medicine. She has been the Medical Director of Integrative Medicine at ABSMC since 2008. Integrating Chinese Medicine into conventional oncology practice, Dr. Matecki and her team not only provide clinical care but also present and publish their findings on safety from using acupuncture and integrative medicine to reduce the pain, nausea and anxiety that frequently accompanies conventional cancer treatments. In many case level observations, Dr. Matecki and her team note that the integration of Chinese Medicine may enhance cancer patients' quality of life.
Dr. Matecki was the principal investigator (PI) for acupuncture research for chronic post-chemotherapy fatigue in collaboration with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. She presented her study on the safety of acupuncture for patients with lymphedema at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Symposium in October 2009. She was co-investigator in a public hospital that studied acupuncture feasibility for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients which was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM) in 2017. She is the current PI for a Chinese herbal medicine research project at ABSMC. Following her team’s previous success at Highland hospital, she pioneered the first Sutter Bay Hospital Integrative Medicine TCM Residency training program at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center in 2023. https://vitals.sutterhealth.org/east-meets-west-health-system-launches-its-first-traditional-chinese-medicine-clinical-training-program/
Dr. Matecki is an Adjunct Clinical Faculty at Stanford Health Care, a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Society of Integrative Oncology (SIO); Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP); Co-founder of International Center for Integrative Medicine (ICIM); Board member of Society of Chinese American Physician Entrepreneurs (SCAPE); House delegate for California Medical Association (CMA). Matecki is currently serving on the State California Acupuncture Board, first appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2016, reappointed by Brown in 2017 and Governor Gavin Newsom in 2021. She served as the California Acupuncture Board President from 2017-2021 and the current board member. https://www.acupuncture.ca.gov/about_us/member_profiles.shtml#matecki . She continues to work on policy and safety guidelines for hospital-based Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine practice with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nursing staff, acupuncturists and hospital administrators. -
Garret K. Morris, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Morris is a board-certified, fellowship-trained anesthesiologist with a clinical focus on pain medicine. He is also a clinical assistant professor in the Division of Pain Medicine of the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Morris has expertise in chronic pain management, inpatient pain management, spine care, and functional restoration.
He treats a wide range of pain conditions including musculoskeletal, neuropathic, visceral and mixed. With each patient in his care, Dr. Morris’ objective is to alleviate suffering using the treatment approach that is most likely to maximize effectiveness and minimize risk. The focus is on using the least invasive interventions possible to improve each individual’s function and quality of life.
To help achieve these goals, Dr. Morris takes a holistic approach encompassing six domains of pain management: pharmacological, interventional, behavioral/psychological, physical rehabilitative, alternative and complementary therapies, and self-management. Often this approach requires a multidisciplinary team of diverse professionals with Dr. Morris overseeing care planning, implementation, and follow-up. This is especially helpful for challenging cases, where a collaborative team-based approach affords greater potential for superior outcomes.
Dr. Morris communicates closely with referring physicians to devise holistic pain management that fits holistically into each patient’s comprehensive care plan.
Dr. Morris has authored articles and reviews in publications including Anesthesiology, Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, American Society for Artificial Organs Journal, Cancer Detection and Prevention, and the Journal of Orthopedics & Sports Physical Therapy. He also has contributed the chapter “Occipital Nerve Block” in the textbook Comprehensive Treatment of Chronic Pain by Medical, Interventional, and Behavioral Approaches published by the American Academy of Pain Medicine. In addition, Dr. Morris has contributed online content on postoperative pain relief to the electronic forum, The Stanford Anesthesia Informatics and Media Lab (AIM).
He has made presentations at conferences including the American Society of Anesthesiology Annual Meeting and the Annual Rochester (New York) Regional Anesthesia Symposium. He also has delivered invited lectures, most recently on interventional techniques for the treatment of spinal disorders as part of the Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield Project.
Dr. Morris’ honors for clinical practice include awards from Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center. He has received recognition for his scholarship from the Dannemiller Memorial Education Foundation and Midwest Anesthesia Resident’s. -
Gabriella Muwanga
Temp - Non-Exempt, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
BioGabriella Muwanga is a Neurosciences graduate student in the Tawfik and Airan labs at Stanford. She is interested in understanding acute and chronic pain mechanisms and developing therapies for acute and chronic pain through basic and translational research. Gabriella holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. She is passionate about teaching, mentorship, science communication, and fostering diversity in science. Outside the lab, she enjoys writing, singing, drawing, Bible Study, and fellowship.
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Jordan L. Newmark, MD, QME
Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical Interests:
Chronic & perioperative pain, interdisciplinary & procedural pain treatment, trauma anesthesia, spine surgery anesthesia, CRPS, nerve injury
Academic Interests:
- Graduate & undergraduate medical education, medical simulation & immersive learning, performance assessment & evaluation, adult learning theory, clinician selection processes, patient safety & quality of care, health equity -
Einar Ottestad
Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI have a strong interest in ultrasound for chronic pain management for diagnostics as well as therapeutics. I also have strong interest in acute pain in the hospital setting, including post-operative as well as cancer pain.
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Heather Poupore-King
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly Interests11/01/17 – 10/30/2022
Role: Co-Investigator (0.10 FTE) and Director of Treatments for the Bay Area (Stanford Pain and Primary Care clinics)
PCORI (Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute). Title: “Comparative Effectiveness of Pain Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Chronic Pain Self-Management Within the Context of Opioid Reduction.” Total: $8.8M PI: Beth Darnall
2017- present
Dr. King is also collaborating with Fiona Barwick, PhD, at Stanford’s Sleep Medicine Center, to develop an integrated treatment protocol for improving sleep and chronic pain. With the protocol now complete, Dr. Barwick and Dr. King plan to run the six-session group throughout 2019, collecting pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow-up data to analyze outcomes.
2015-present
Role: Lead Therapist, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy manualized intervention
National Institutes of Health P01 AT006651 National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health Title: Stanford Center for Back Pain
PI: Sean Mackey, MD, PhD
2015 -present
Lead Therapist, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy manualized intervention
National Institutes of Health R01AT008561 National Center for Complementary and
Integrative Health Title: Single Session Pain Catastrophizing Treatment: Comparative
Efficacy & Mechanisms Multi-PI: Darnall BD & Mackey SC -
Abdullah Qatu, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Qatu is a board-certified, fellowship-trained pain management specialist at the Stanford Health Care Pain Management Center. He is also a clinical instructor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Division of Pain Medicine, at Stanford University School of Medicine.
He specializes in the diagnosis and management of many different types of pain, including nerve pain, joint pain, cancer pain, low back and neck pain. Dr. Qatu obtained his medical degree from the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine. He continued on at NYU to complete his residency in anesthesiology after completing an internship in general surgery. He subsequently completed his pain medicine fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Qatu believes in utilizing a multimodal approach for pain management. This includes interventional, pharmacological, rehabilitative and psychological strategies. He is well-trained in a wide variety of interventional modalities that include injections, epidurals, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablations, peripheral nerve stimulation, spinal cord/dorsal root ganglion stimulation and minimally invasive decompression. His research focuses on the clinical use of neuromodulation for various types of pain. In addition, he has investigated whether certain demographic and socioeconomic variables, as well as psychiatric illness, affect the outcomes of various orthopaedic traumas and surgeries. Dr. Qatu has presented his research at conferences throughout the U.S. and in Canada. -
Xiang Qian
Stanford Medicine Endowed Director
Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryCurrent Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical Interests
-Pain Medicine:
Facial pain
Migraine and headache
Trigeminal Neuralgia and Glossopharyngeal neuralgia
Cancer Pain
Spine Disease
Neuropathic pain
Interventional Surgery
CT guided Procedure
Opioid Management
-Facial Nerve neuralgia and neuropathy
Hemifacial Spasm
CT guided awake RFA of facial nerve
Research Interests:
-Medical device development
-AI based headache diagnosis and management
-CT guided intervention
-Intra-nasal endoscopy guided procedure
-Optogenetics
-Mechanisms of neuropathic pain
-Ion channel and diseases
-Neurotoxicity of anesthetics -
Dara Rouholiman
Affiliate, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
BioDara Rouholiman is a machine learning research engineer at Stanford AIM Lab, where he develops and evaluates predictive and generative models for anesthesia and perioperative medicine. His current research focuses on LLM evaluation in clinical settings, deep learning for time-series forecasting, and ML-driven perioperative risk prediction using electronic health records.
His work on tool-augmented LLMs for clinical calculations was published in Nature's npj Digital Medicine (2025). Previously, he led ML development at COR, an at-home blood-monitoring device startup (3 patents filed), and co-founded Telesphora, whose opioid overdose prediction model was deployed with the Connecticut Department of Public Health. He holds a B.S. in physical chemistry from UC Santa Cruz and serves as Lead Instructor for Stanford SASI's Healthcare Innovation Internship. -
Anuradha Roy
Casual - Non-Exempt, Anesthesia - Adult Pain Medicine
BioAnuradha (Anu) Roy is the Project Manager for the NCCIH R01 Grant, Single Session Pain Catastrophizing Treatment Efficacy and Mechanisms Trial in Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine at Stanford Medical School. Originally from the East Coast, she received her BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia and her MSc in Public Health in Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. After years of working abroad in global public health, her research interest transitioned to the public health impact of chronic health conditions - in particular, chronic pain - and understanding the intersection of mind’s impact on health and well-being. For the past three years, on the R01, she has been running day-to-day operations and management of study recruitment, data collection/pre-processing, and reporting. In the near future, she plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology. In her spare time, Anu enjoys home/exterior design projects, spending time with her partner and dog, creating community, and finding the best food in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Vafi Salmasi
Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain)
BioVafi Salmasi, M.D., M.S. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Division of Pain Medicine atStanford University School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2004 and completed hisanesthesiology training at Cleveland Clinic, where he also completed a research fellowship in the Department of Outcomes Research. He subsequently joined Stanford University for fellowship training in Pain Medicine and earned a Master of Science in Clinical Research and Epidemiology from Stanford in 2019.
Dr. Salmasi's research focuses on integrating pragmatic comparative effectiveness research with clinical care in perioperative and pain medicine, supported by his NIH funding. He is an active member of the neuromodulation team at Stanford Pain Management Center, where he has established and organizes the multidisciplinary team conference for neuromodulation candidates. His clinical expertise encompasses interventional pain management with particular emphasis on neuromodulation techniques including spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation; and minimally invasive spine techniques including basivertebral nerve ablation and percutaneous minimally invasive lumbar decompression. -
Peter Schmidt
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioPete Schmidt, MD, MSc is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he conceptualized and launched the Stanford Cancer Pain program. He provides comprehensive and individualized care for patients with cancer-related pain, including patients who are suffering from the effects of cancer treatment. His clinical expertise also includes ultrasound-guided nerve blocks, perioperative pain management, and safe medication tapering after definitive cancer treatment. He is board-certified in Anesthesiology, Pain Medicine, and Addiction Medicine.
Dr. Schmidt's research interests are in clinical trials, drug development, and novel regulatory endpoints. He has designed and led over a dozen clinical trials in the fields of pain management, neurology, infectious diseases, and rare diseases. Dr. Schmidt has published his research findings in several high-impact journals, including Science: Translational Medicine and the New England Journal of Medicine. He is also the author of several book chapters on pain management and perioperative management. -
Sajan Shah, MD, MBA
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Sajan Shah is a board-certified, fellowship-trained pain management specialist with the Stanford Health Care Pain Management Center. He is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Shah specializes in managing acute and chronic pain. He commonly cares for people living with complex spinal conditions that have not responded to conventional treatment. He offers a range of injections to manage pain, including joint corticosteroid injections, peripheral nerve blocks, trigger point injections, and Botox injections for migraines and dystonia. He has experience with neuromodulation techniques, including spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation, and minimally invasive spinal procedures. He strives to provide effective pain therapies that improve the everyday function and quality of life of his patients.
Dr. Shah’s research has explored topics in anesthesiology and pain medicine. He has studied chronic pain syndromes, including how to diagnose and manage rare pain conditions. Dr. Shah has published his findings in several peer-reviewed journals and co-authored a book chapter on complex regional pain syndrome. He has presented his research at national and international meetings, including those held by the American Academy of Pain Medicine, American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, and North American Neuromodulation Society. -
Kristen M. Slater, PsyD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Bio“Understanding and appreciating the totality of a person’s experience within the context of a challenging pain condition is essential to helping them heal in a way that honors their body and reduces suffering,” says Dr. Kristen Slater. “With a compassionate, interdisciplinary team in place, I wholeheartedly believe that anyone living with pain can pursue a meaningful, values-driven life.”
Dr. Slater is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, where she specializes in pain psychology and behavioral medicine.
She earned her Doctorate in Psychology (PsyD) with an emphasis in Behavioral Medicine and Health Psychology from Loma Linda University. She completed her APA-accredited predoctoral internship at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System in Tucson, Arizona, where she developed a deep appreciation for the profound impact pain has on all domains of life — and the transformative potential of interdisciplinary pain treatment.
Dr. Slater went on to complete an APA-accredited Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pain Psychology at Stanford University School of Medicine in 2014. Following fellowship, she served as Lead Psychologist and Director of Behavioral Medicine and Psychological Services at Comprehensive Spine and Sports Center in Campbell, California, where she co-founded and helped develop both the Functional Restoration Program and the Pain Psychology Program. During this time, she also maintained a clinical instructor role at Stanford and a private practice.
She transitioned to Stanford full-time in 2019 and now dedicates the majority of her work to delivering and advancing evidence-based pain psychology interventions within a multidisciplinary framework. Her clinical work focuses on comprehensive pain evaluations, neuromodulation candidacy assessments, and mechanism-based behavioral treatments for brain-based and complex chronic pain conditions.
Dr. Slater is actively involved in advancing the field through research and serves as an investigator on multiple NIH- and PCORI-funded clinical trials aimed at improving treatment accessibility, efficacy, and implementation. She is also faculty with the Empowered Relief™ program and is a Master Trainer, teaching national and international workshops to train clinicians in delivering the single-session, evidence-based pain relief skills class (www.empoweredrelief.com).
Outside of work, Dr. Slater enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, traveling, and visiting her home state of Colorado. -
Vivianne Tawfik
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy overall research interest is to understand how the immune system interacts with the nervous system after injury to promote the transition from acute to chronic pain. In my clinical practice I care for patients with persistent pain that often occurs after minor trauma such as fracture or surgery. Using basic science approaches including whole system immune phenotyping with mass cytometry and genetic manipulation of peripheral and central immune cells, we seek to dissect the temporal and tissue-specific contribution of these cells to either promotion or inhibition of healing.
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Kenneth Weber, DC, PhD
Assistant Professor (Research) of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Adult Pain) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery (Adult Neurosurgery) and of Radiology (Neuroimaging and Neurointervention)
BioDr. Weber directs the Neuromuscular Insight Lab. Dr. Weber's research seeks to develop quantitative markers of sensory and motor function, including pain, using machine-learning and advanced brain, spinal cord, and musculoskeletal magnetic resonance imaging. Dr. Weber aims to use these techniques to better understand the neuropathology of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions and discover more effective treatments and preventative strategies.
