Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)
Showing 751-800 of 1,214 Results
-
Robert Negrin
Professor of Medicine (Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur labaratory focuses on the study of immune recognition by T and NK cells with special emphasis on graft vs host disease and graft vs tumor reactions. We utilize both murine and human systems in an effort to enhance graft vs tumor reactions while controlling graft vs host disease. We have developed bioluminescence models in collaboration with the Contag laboratory to study the trafficking of immune effector cells with a special emphasis on NK, T and regulatory T cells.
-
Liesl Nel-Themaat, PhD, HCLD, MBA
Clinical Associate Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology - Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility
BioDr. Nel-Themaat has been in the field of assisted reproduction for more than 20 years, with the past 11 years in clinical IVF. She possesses a unique combination of a strong academic background, broad technical experience and extensive leadership, and management training. Through a multi-dimensional approach, she has helped to improve patient care and outcomes in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART).
Dr. Nel-Themaat was most recently employed as the Regional IVF Lab Director for Shady Grove Fertility in Colorado and served as the IVF Lab Director at University of Colorado Advanced Reproductive Medicine. She received her PhD from LSU, Baton Rouge and recently completed an Executive Masters of Business Administration program at the University of Denver.
Her goal is to advance the field “by building strong, high performing lab teams, by carefully evaluating and adapting appropriately to industry trends, by training and educating the current and next generations, and by participating in collaborative research that enhances our understanding of reproduction.”
In her free time, Dr. Nel-Themaat loves to spend time with her husband and two children, preferably in nature. With them, she enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, swimming and anything nature has to offer. She likes to cook out and introduce our American friends to South African cuisine, especially a “braai,” which is their version of a BBQ. During school holidays, she likes to visit family in South Africa, go on safari and enjoy the beautiful beaches. Dr. Nel-Themaat enjoys jamming on the piano, guitar, drums and microphone with her family. She also considers herself very competitive and loves playing and watching sports or playing board games. -
Jennifer A. Newberry
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine (Adult Clinical/Academic)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsInterests include global emergency medicine research, emergency obstetric and neonatal care in low- and middle-income countries, gender-based violence, and the intersection of emergency medicine, social justice, and development goals.
-
William Newsome
Harman Family Provostial Professor and Professor of Neurobiology and, by courtesy, of Psychology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsNeural processes that mediate visual perception and visually-based decision making. Influence of reward history on decision making.
-
Mindie H. Nguyen, MD, MAS, AGAF, FAASLD
Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe conduct clinical trials and epidemiological, translational, and real-world studies of liver cancer, fatty liver (NASH, NAFLD), viral hepatitis B and C, liver cirrhosis, and liver transplant. We focus on risk identification for disease prevention and treatment for improvement of survival. We focus on sex, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. We specialize in clinical trials, large international real-world consortium registry data, and large public/semi-public databases.
-
Mark Nicolls
Stanford University Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur lab focuses primarily on the contribution of the immune response to lung disease. We are specifically examining the contribution of inflammation to the development of vascular injury in transplantation, pulmonary hypertension and lymphedema.
-
Kouta Niizuma
Basic Life Research Scientist, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med Institute
BioI am a Research Scientist in Prof. Hiromitsu Nakauchi's laboratory at Stanford University. I obtained my PhD in Immunology from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. During my doctoral studies in Prof. Akira Shibuya's laboratory, I focused on the characterization of cell surface receptors expressed on immune cells. I successfully cloned a novel human immunoglobulin-like receptor, CD300H, and established a specific monoclonal antibody. My research demonstrated that CD300H is expressed on a subset of human monocytes and dendritic cells and plays a crucial role in enhancing inflammation by promoting the production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines.
During my PhD, I also studied as a visiting scholar in Prof. Lewis L. Lanier's laboratory at UCSF, where I investigated the role of the activating receptor NKG2D on NK cells in viral immunity.
Since May 2018, I have been a member of the Nakauchi lab. My current research focuses on the development of new immunotherapies using myeloid cells derived from iPS cells, the generation of monoclonal antibodies, and hematopoietic stem cell biology. -
Dwight Nishimura
Addie and Al Macovski Professor, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly Interestsmedical imaging, magnetic resonance imaging
-
Garry Nolan
Rachford and Carlota Harris Professor
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Nolan's group uses high throughput single cell analysis technology cellular biochemistry to study autoimmunity, cancer, virology (influenza & Ebola), as well as understanding normal immune system function. Using advanced flow cytometric techniques such as Mass Cytometry, MIBI (ion beam imaging), CODEX and computational biology approaches, we focus on understanding disease processes at the single cell level. We have a strong interest in cancer immunotherapy and pathogen-host interactions.
-
Anthony Norcia
Professor (Research) of Psychology, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsVision, development, functional imaging, systems analysis
-
Roeland Nusse
Virginia and Daniel K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Research
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory studies Wnt signaling in development and disease. We found recently that Wnt proteins are unusual growth factors, because they are lipid-modified. We discovered that Wnt proteins promote the proliferation of stem cells of various origins. Current work is directed at understanding how Wnt signals lead to the proliferation of stem cells and on understanding Wnt signaling during repair and regeneration after tissue injury.
-
Dáibhid Ó Maoiléidigh, PhD
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Ó Maoiléidigh group employs mathematical and computational approaches to better understand normal hearing and hearing impairment. Because complete restoration of auditory function by artificial devices or regenerative treatments will only be possible when experiments and computational modeling align, we work closely with experimental laboratories. Our goal is to understand contemporary experimental observations, to make experimentally testable predictions, and to motivate new experiments. We are pursuing several projects.
Hair-Bundle Mechanics
Auditory and balance organs rely on hair cells to convert mechanical vibrations into electrical signals for transmission to the brain. In response to the quietest sounds we can hear, the hair cell's mechanical sensor, the hair bundle, moves by less than one-billionth of a meter. To determine how this astounding sensitivity is possible, we construct computational models of hair-bundle mechanics. By comparing models with experimental observations, we are learning how a hair bundle's geometry, material properties, and ability to move spontaneously determine its function.
Cochlear Mechanics
The cochlea contains the auditory organ that houses the sensory hair cells in mammals. Vibrations in the cochlea arising from sound are amplified more than a thousandfold by the ear's active process. New experimental techniques have additionally revealed that the cochlea vibrates in a complex manner in response to sound. We use computational models to interpret these observations and to make hypotheses about how the cochlea works. -
Hugh O'Brodovich
Arline and Pete Harman Professor for the Chair in the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical:
Pulmonary edema, acute respiratory distress syndromes (ARDS), hyaline membrane disease (HMD), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
Basic Science:
Lung epithelial sodium transport
Genetic influences on the development of BPD -
Lauren O'Connell
Associate Professor of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe O'Connell lab studies how genetic and environmental factors contribute to biological diversity and adaptation. We are particularly interested in understanding (1) how behavior evolves through changes in brain function and (2) how animal physiology evolves through repurposing existing cellular components.
-
Ruth O'Hara
Director, Spectrum, Senior Associate Dean, Research and Lowell W. and Josephine Q. Berry Professor
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. O'Hara's research aims to investigate how cognitive information processing deficits subserve affective symptoms in psychiatric disorders, and interact with key brain networks integral to these disorders. To do so, she has implemented a translational, interdisciplinary program that encompasses cellular models, brain and behavioral assays of affective and cognitive information processing systems in psychiatric disorders across the lifespan.
-
Juno Obedin-Maliver
Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Gynecology & Gynecologic Specialties/Generalist) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
BioJuno Obedin-Maliver, MD, MPH, MAS, FACOG (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Juno Obedin-Maliver is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist who provides excellent clinical care, while advancing scientific knowledge through her research, and supporting personal and professional development as a physician coach.
She practices full-spectrum gynecology including outpatient, in-patient, operative, and emergency care services. This specifically includes collaborative management of cervical dysplasia and abnormal pap smears, abnormal uterine bleeding, contraception and family planning, pelvic pain, abnormal discharge, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, and more. She specializes in the gynecological and reproductive health care needs of sexual and gender minority people which include but are not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) people. This interest and experience drives her research interests towards promoting the health and well-being and equity of LGBTQ people.
Dr. Obedin-Maliver, is the Co-Director of The PRIDE Study (pridestudy.org), a multi-site online prospective longitudinal cohort of sexual and gender minority individuals based at Stanford. She also serves on the medical advisory board of the University of California San Francisco Center of Excellence for Transgender Health and is helping to author the next version of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care. Dr. Obedin-Maliver has also been active in health policy, including involvement in helping to legally redefine consideration of sexually intimate partner status and to remove the Medicare Non-Coverage Determination ruling on gender -affirming surgeries.
Additionally, Dr. Obedin-Maliver continues her long-standing commitment to growth, healing, and empowerment as a Master Certified Physician Development Coach (Physician Coaching Institute, ICF Level I). In her coaching, Dr. Obedin-Maliver uses personal and professional development tools, mindfulness, and somatic frameworks to enhance health, agency, and creativity in partnering with individuals to help them achieve their professional goals and design their personal lives. She rejoices in partnering with diverse healthcare providers to use her broad skills to supercharge their authentic learning and growth, especially in times of challenge and resistance.
For more information about her research and career, please see: pridestudy.org and http://med.stanford.edu/obedin-maliver.html -
Jelena Obradović
Professor of Education
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAdaptation, resilience, and developmental psychopathology of disadvantaged children populations; Stress reactivity and biological sensitivity to contextual influences; Executive function and self-regulatory abilities; Effects of risk, adversity, and social status on children’s development.
-
Caroline Okorie
Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Pulmonary Medicine
BioDr. Okorie is board certified in pediatric pulmonology, sleep medicine and general pediatrics and joined the Division of Pediatric Pulmonary, Asthma and Sleep Medicine in 2018. She obtained her medical degree and Master’s in Public Health at the University of Arizona before going on to a residency and chief residency in pediatrics at Oregon Health & Science University. She completed her fellowship training in both pediatric pulmonary medicine and sleep medicine at Stanford University. She has a passion for medical education and serves as an Associate Program Director for the Pediatric Residency Program at Stanford.
She treats children with a variety of lung diseases, including: asthma, chronic cough, cystic fibrosis, chronic respiratory failure, and chronic lung disease of prematurity. Her additional training in sleep medicine allows her expertise to treat sleep disorders, including: sleep disordered breathing, parasomnias, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, and insomnia. -
Derick Okwan
Assistant Professor of Pathology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsBroadly, the Okwan lab’s primary interest is to understand how and why the immune system contributes to nearly all chronic diseases. The immune system of the modern human has evolved from a history of stress to the species: famines, continual bouts of lethal pandemics, as well as major climate/environmental and migratory changes that exposed the immune system to novel threats. At the forefront of these challenges are innate immune cells, particularly neutrophils, the most abundant leukocytes. For the first time in human history – at least in the western world- we live in an era of abundance. The Okwan lab is interested in understanding how this traumatic history creates a functional mismatch for the neutrophil, which we believe underpins their roles in chronic diseases of the modern era: cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, and autoimmune disorders. Rather than wholesale depletion of neutrophils and innate immune cells, we seek to identify novel approaches to leverage these cells to combat various diseases.
-
John Openshaw
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research laboratory addresses questions at the intersection of infectious diseases and environmental change. We use field, laboratory, and computational approaches and our work ranges from basic epidemiologic and risk-factor studies to serologic surveys to developing new data collection tools and pathways.
-
Lisa A. Orloff, MD, FACS, FACE
Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS)
BioLisa A. Orloff, MD, FACS, FACE, is Director of the Endocrine Head & Neck Surgery Program and Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery, Division of Head & Neck Surgery, at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is Director of the Stanford Thyroid Tumor Program within the Stanford Cancer Center. Her clinical practice focuses on the surgical management of thyroid and parathyroid tumors and disorders.
Dr. Orloff is an internationally recognized leader in the field of endocrine head and neck surgery. She is also an expert in the application of ultrasonography to the diagnosis and management of diseases of the head and neck, with an emphasis on thyroid cancer. Dr. Orloff performs minimally invasive ultrasound-guided procedures such as radiofrequency ablation for the nonsurgical management of appropriate thyroid pathology. Her background in microvascular and laryngeal surgical techniques lends a unique level of refinement to her endocrine surgical practice. A major component of her clinical work is the management of persistent or recurrent thyroid cancer. Dr. Orloff’s multidisciplinary approach to the management of endocrine head and neck disease involves collaboration with her colleagues in other specialties at Stanford and throughout the country. Dr. Orloff also studies the regeneration of tissue that has been lost as a result of cancer therapies.
Dr. Orloff received her bachelor’s degree at Stanford, and her medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She completed her residency in Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Washington and a visiting fellowship in Microvascular & Reconstructive Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. Prior to joining the faculty at Stanford, she was the Robert K. Werbe Distinguished Professor in Head & Neck Cancer, and Chief of the Division of Head & Neck Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF.)
Dr. Orloff served three consecutive terms as the Chair of the American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Endocrine Surgery committee, and served for many years as a voting member of the FDA’s Panel to evaluate medical devices for Otolaryngology. She holds leadership roles within the American Head and Neck Society, the American Thyroid Association, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and the American College of Surgeons. She is co-chair of the ACS Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Neck Ultrasound training program and a member of the ACS National Ultrasound Faculty executive board. She is also a member of such influential teams as the National Cancer Institute (NCI) steering committee on Thyroid Cancer Clinical Trials and the Endocrine Surgery Committee of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE). She authored the leading textbook, Head and Neck Ultrasonography (Plural Publishing), as a reference for clinicians; the second edition was published in 2017. Dr. Orloff is a former Fulbright scholar. -
Anthony Oro, MD, PhD
Eugene and Gloria Bauer Professor
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur lab uses the skin to answer questions about epithelial stem cell biology, differentiation and carcinogenesis using genomics, genetics, and cell biological techniques. We have studied how hedgehog signaling regulates regeneration and skin cancer, and how tumors evolve to develop resistance. We study the mechanisms of early human skin development using human embryonic stem cells. These fundamentals studies provide a greater understanding of epithelial biology and novel disease therapeutics.
-
Ryan Christopher Padrez
Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - General Pediatrics
BioRyan is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University's Division of General Pediatrics. His primary clinical practices are at Gardner Packard Children's Health Center and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. In addition to his work at Stanford, Ryan also serves as the Medical Director for The Primary School, a new integrated health and education model that serves low income children and families in East Palo Alto, CA. His work and leadership focuses on the intersection and reform of primary pediatric care and early childhood education. He works to integrate systems and promote models that ensure high quality care is accessible to all children.
Ryan graduated from Stanford University with a BA in Human Biology and earned his MD at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He completed his pediatric residency at UCSF and participated in UCSF's Pediatric Leadership for the Underserved (PLUS) program. He went on to complete a chief resident year at The San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. -
Ria Pal
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatric Neurology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Pal's research focuses on pediatric neurological conditions with emphasis on acquired brain injury (stroke, TBI, infection) and long-term outcomes in children. Her work examines the intersection of neurodevelopment with acute neurological injury. She is dedicated to advancing healthcare equity in neurological care delivery through education and policy.
-
Theo Palmer
Professor of Neurosurgery, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMembers of the Palmer Lab study the biology of neural stem cells in brain development and in the adult. Our primary goal is to understand how genes and environment synergize in influencing stem cell behavior during development and how mild genetic or environmental risk factors for disease may synergize in their detrimental effects on brain development or in the risk of neuronal loss in age-related degenerative disease.
-
Carolyn K. Pan, MD
Clinical Professor, Ophthalmology
BioDr. Pan is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained vitreoretinal surgeon. She focuses on retinal vascular diseases, macular degeneration, and surgical repair of retinal detachments, macular pathology, and complications from cataract surgery. She has co-authored peer-reviewed articles on topics ranging from optical coherence tomography imaging to embryonic stem cells for macular degeneration.
In addition to her clinical practice, she is dedicated to the education and training of medical students, residents, and fellows. As recognition of her efforts, she received the Faculty Teaching Award in 2016 from the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University and was the recipient of the national Women in Ophthalmology Educator Award in 2024. Within the department, she was the Associate Residency Program Director from 2020 to 2023, and currently serves as the Residency Program Director. Her educational efforts also extend beyond the department - since 2016, she has served on the annual meeting planning committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology and is currently Associate Secretary of the Annual Meeting and Chair of the Special Projects Committee.
Dr. Pan's clinical practice is mainly based at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Stanford's affiliate county hospital, where she is chief of the retina service. -
Stephanie Jiaying Pan
Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioStephanie Pan, MD, is a Clinical Associate Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine and a pediatric and regional anesthesiologist at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. As the Associate Clinical Director for the pediatric anesthesiology division at Stanford, she is also a Local Mentor for the ASA Diagnostic POCUS Certificate Program, vice chair of POCUS for the SPA-SPPM UltRA POCUS SIG, and recipient of the ASRA Early-Stage Investigator Grant. Her clinical interests include perioperative methadone, pediatric regional anesthesia, pediatric POCUS, and pediatric orthopedic spine surgeries.
-
Alan C. Pao
Associate Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and, by courtesy, of Urology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe are broadly interested in how the kidneys control salt, water, and electrolyte homeostasis in the body. Our disease focus is on kidney stone disease. We use cultured kidney cells, transgenic mice, human plasma/urine samples, and electronic health record data to study the pathogenesis of kidney stone disease. Our therapeutic focus is on the development of small molecule compounds that can be used for kidney stone prevention.
-
David J. Park, MD, PhD, FCNS
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe goal of our Laboratory is to improve patients’ care and outcomes by analyzing clinical data from thousands of patients treated at our institution. Our current primary areas of interest are benign tumors, brain and spine metastases, and neurogenetic disorders.
Our lab is led by Dr. Steven D. Chang and Dr. David J. Park and proudly hosts talented young clinical scientists from around the world.
Link: https://med.stanford.edu/neurosurgery/research/NeuroOncLab.html -
Karen J. Parker, PhD
Truong-Tan Broadcom Endowed Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Comparative Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Parker Lab conducts research on the biology of social functioning in monkeys, typically developing humans, and patients with social difficulties.
-
Julie Parsonnet
George DeForest Barnett Professor of Medicine, Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am an infectious diseases epidemiologist who has done large field studies in both the US and developing countries. We research the long-term consequences of chronic interactions between the human host and the microbial world. My lab has done fundamental work establishing the role of H. pylori in causing disease and understanding its epidemiology. Currently, our research dissects how and when children first encounter microbes and the long term effects of these exposures on health.
-
Sonia Partap
Clinical Professor, Pediatric Neurology
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryCurrent Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests involve the epidemiology, treatment and diagnosis of pediatric and young adult brain tumors. I am also interested in long-term neurologic effects and designing clinical trials to treat brain and spinal cord tumors.
-
Preethy Parthiban
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neonatal and Developmental Medicine
BioMy research centers on how the innate immune system shapes tissue remodeling in health and disease. During my PhD, I uncovered a key role for resident macrophages in driving cardiac fibrosis, identifying a macrophage-derived chemokine that directly activates cardiac fibroblasts. Building on this foundation, my postdoctoral work at Stanford focuses on neutrophil–macrophage crosstalk in disrupted alveolarization in neonatal mice and patients. By integrating cellular, molecular, and translational approaches, I aim to define how innate immune pathways orchestrate extracellular matrix remodeling. Ultimately, my goal is to identify critical therapeutic targets that improve outcomes in ECM-related diseases.
-
Josef Parvizi, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences (Adult Neurology) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
BioDr. Parvizi completed his medical internship at Mayo Clinic, neurology training at Harvard, and subspecialty training in clinical neurophysiology and epilepsy at UCLA before joining the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford in 2007. Dr. Parvizi directs the Stanford Program for Medication Resistant Epilepsies and specializes in surgical treatments of intractable focal epilepsies. Dr. Parvizi is the principal investigator in the Laboratory of Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, where he leads a team of investigators to study the human brain. http://med.stanford.edu/parvizi-lab.html.
Epilepsy patient story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXy-gXg0t94&t=3s -
Anca M. Pasca, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
On Partial Leave from 01/05/2026 To 04/19/2026Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe research focus of the lab is to understand molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders associated with premature birth, neonatal and fetal brain injury with the long-term goal of translating the lab’s findings into therapeutics. The research team employs a multidisciplinary approach involving genetics, molecular and developmental neurobiology, animal models and neural cells differentiated from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. In particular, the lab is using a powerful 3D human brain-region specific organoid system developed at Stanford (Nature Methods, 2015; Nature Protocols, 2018) to ask questions about brain injury during development.
https://www.neopascalab.org/ -
Sergiu P. Pasca
Kenneth T. Norris, Jr. Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Bonnie Uytengsu and Family Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsA critical challenge in understanding the intricate programs underlying development, assembly and dysfunction of the human brain is the lack of direct access to intact, functioning human brain tissue for detailed investigation by imaging, recording, and stimulation.
To address this, we are developing bottom-up approaches to generate and assemble, from multi-cellular components, human neural circuits in vitro and in vivo.
We introduced the use of instructive signals for deriving from human pluripotent stem cells self-organizing 3D cellular structures named brain region-specific spheroids/organoids. We demonstrated that these cultures, such as the ones resembling the cerebral cortex, can be reliably derived across many lines and experiments, contain synaptically connected neurons and non-reactive astrocytes, and can be used to gain mechanistic insights into genetic and environmental brain disorders. Moreover, when maintained as long-term cultures, they recapitulate an intrinsic program of maturation that progresses towards postnatal stages.
We also pioneered a modular system to integrate 3D brain region-specific organoids and study human neuronal migration and neural circuit formation in functional preparations that we named assembloids. We have actively applied these models in combination with studies in long-term ex vivo brain preparations to acquire a deeper understanding of human physiology, evolution and disease mechanisms.
We have carved a unique research program that combines rigorous in vivo and in vitro neuroscience, stem cell and molecular biology approaches to construct and deconstruct previously inaccessible stages of human brain development and function in health and disease.
We believe science is a community effort, and accordingly, we have been advancing the field by broadly and openly sharing our technologies with numerous laboratories around the world and organizing the primary research conference and the training courses in the area of cellular models of the human brain.