Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)
Showing 1,101-1,150 of 1,229 Results
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Jason Tucciarone, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology)
BioJason Tucciarone, MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford School of Medicine. A neuroscientist and psychiatrist, he leads a laboratory focused on uncovering the biological mechanisms of mental illness and developing novel therapies for mood disorders and addiction. His research centers on defining new cell types and evolutionarily conserved neural circuits involved in emotional processing, with the goal of identifying new therapeutic entry points. Using optogenetic, chemogenetic, neuroimaging, and behavioral approaches in mouse models of addiction, his lab investigates vulnerable brain circuitry underlying opioid use disorder. He also works and collaborates with the Depression Research Clinic, participating in academic and industry sponsored clinical trials investigating novel antidepressant therapies.
Clinically, Dr. Tucciarone works in Stanford’s Neuropsychiatry Clinic, where he treats patients with complex presentations at the interface of psychiatry and neurology, with particular interest in functional neurological disorders. He also sees a small cohort of psychotherapy patients in the Individual Psychotherapy Clinic and works shifts on Stanford’s inpatient psychiatry units.
Dr. Tucciarone completed his psychiatry training through Stanford’s Research Residency Track, where he conducted postdoctoral research under the supervision of Drs. Robert Malenka and Alan Schatzberg. During residency, his research examined neural circuits recruited during opioid withdrawal and explored strategies to enhance the anti-suicidal effects of ketamine through μ-opioid receptor partial agonism.
He received his bachelor’s degree in biology and philosophy from Union College, followed by three years as a Post-Baccalaureate IRTA fellow at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, where he developed MRI-reportable contrast agents to map neuronal connectivity. He then entered the Medical Scientist Training Program (MD/PhD) at Stony Brook University, completing his PhD in neuroscience under the mentorship of Dr. Josh Huang at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. His doctoral work used mouse genetic approaches to dissect excitatory and inhibitory cortical circuits, with a focus on chandelier interneurons in the prefrontal cortex.
In addition to his research and clinical work, Dr. Tucciarone is deeply committed to teaching and mentorship. During residency, he helped restructure neuroscience education for trainees and currently teaches introductory lectures on the neuroscience of addiction, PTSD, psychosis, and mood disorders. He leads resident group supervision in introductory psychodynamic psychotherapy and supervises undergraduates, medical students, residents, and clinical fellows in psychiatry clinics. -
Mirko Uljarevic
Affiliate, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development
BioI am a medically trained researcher focused academic with a background in developmental psychopathology, psychometrics and big data science. My research takes a life-span perspective and is driven by the urgent need to improve outcomes for people with autism and other neuropsychiatric (NPD) disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions (NDD). My primary research interest has focused on combining cutting-edge psychometric procedures and a big data approach to better understand structure of clinical phenotypes across autism and other NPD and NDD and on using this knowledge to improve existing and develop new clinical assessments that are more effective for screening and diagnosis, tracking the natural and treatment-related symptom progression and for use in genetic and neurobiological studies. In addition to my focus on the development of outcome measures, I have collaborated with leading psychopathology researchers and groups in the United States, Europe and Australia on numerous projects spanning a range of topics including genetics, treatment and employment, with a particular focus on understanding risk and resilience factors underpinning poor mental health outcomes in adolescents and adults. Most recently, through several competitively funded projects, I have led the statistical analyses to uncover the latent structure of social and communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) clinical phenotypes across NPD and NDD. These findings have enabled us to (i) start capturing and characterizing a highly variable social functioning phenotype across a range of disorders and understanding mechanisms underpinning this variability, (ii) combine phenotypic and genetic units of analyses to advance our understanding of the genetic architecture of RRB, and (iii) focus on identification and characterization of subgroups of individuals that share distinct symptom profiles and demonstrate clinical utility and neurobiological validity. Importantly, this work has provided key information for developing a programmatic line of research aimed at developing novel, comprehensive assessment protocols that combine parent and clinician reports, objective functioning indicators and incorporate state-of-the-art psychometric, mobile and connected technologies and procedures.
I am a co-director of the recently established Program for Psychometrics and Measurement-Based Care (https://med.stanford.edu/sppmc.html) that aims to bring together world-leading expertise in clinical science, psychometrics, and big data analytics to bridge the gap between the science of measurement development and clinical practice and bring improvements to both clinical care and research. -
Ndidi Unaka
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics
BioDr. Unaka is the inaugural Chief Health Equity Officer (CHEO) for Stanford Medicine Children’s Health (SMCH) and a Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. Prior to her transition to SMCH in July 2024, Dr. Unaka was a faculty member in the Division of Hospital Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. In addition to her clinical role as a pediatric hospitalist, Dr. Unaka served as the Associate Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Program from 2011 – January 2022. She served as the medical director of a 48- bed inpatient unit primarily for patients admitted to the Hospital Medicine service. In this role, Dr. Unaka was involved in several equity-oriented quality improvement initiatives which included work to identify, and address hunger among caregivers of hospitalized children insured by Medicaid.
Dr. Unaka worked on institution-level community health initiatives at Cincinnati Children’s. She served as the Medical Director of Quality Improvement and Data Analytics for Cincinnati Children’s Medicaid- focused, accountable care organization (HealthVine). In this role, she developed and led initiatives designed to improve the quality and efficiency of health care delivery to HealthVine’s patient population and helped lead the change management associated with the movement toward a population-health care model that improves quality, narrows equity gaps, streamlines care, and reduces costs. She helped define appropriate health care delivery, equity, and population health measures and quality benchmarks. Additionally, Dr. Unaka was a faculty lead within Cincinnati Children's Fisher Child Health Equity Center, and she specifically focused on working with operations leaders to ensure equity was embedded within all strategic plans, goals, and metrics across all sites of care. Dr. Unaka partnered with several colleagues to lead system-wide quality improvement initiatives including work accelerated via learning networks. She was the co-lead of Cincinnati Children's Health Equity Network (HEN), an initiative borne out of the pursuit of excellent and equitable health outcomes for youth in Greater Cincinnati. The HEN supports clinical teams seeking to eliminate disparities in child health outcomes by race, ethnicity, and/or socioeconomic status via targeted interventions and best practices by addressing both medical and social factors known to confer poor health outcomes. -
Alexander Eckehart Urban
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator) and of Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsComplex behavioral and neuropsychiatric phenotypes often have a strong genetic component. This genetic component is often extremely complex and difficult to dissect. The current revolution in genome technology means that we can avail ourselves to tools that make it possible for the first time to begin understanding the complex genetic and epigenetic interactions at the basis of the human mind.
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PJ Utz
George DeForest Barnett Professor of Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe long-term research goal of the Utz laboratory is to understand autoimmunity, autoantibodies, and how tolerance is broken and can be reestablished.
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Tulio Valdez, MD, MSc
Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics
BioDr. Tulio A Valdez is a surgeon scientist with a subspecialty interest in Pediatric Otolaryngology. He attended medical school at Universidad Javeriana in Bogota Colombia before undertaking his residency in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery in Boston. He completed his Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship at Texas Children’s Hospital (2007), Houston and obtained his Master’s in Clinical and Translational Research at the University of Connecticut.
Clinically, Dr. Valdez has an interest in pediatric sleep apnea. He has a special interest in the management of sinus disease in cystic fibrosis. Dr. Valdez has co-authored one textbook and numerous book chapters and scientific manuscripts. Dr. Valdez continues his clinical research in these areas, particularly with a focus on aerodigestive disorders.
Scientifically, Dr. Valdez has developed various imaging methods to diagnose otitis media and cholesteatoma a middle ear condition that can lead to hearing loss. He was part of the Laser Biomedical Research Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research includes novel imaging modalities to better diagnose ear infections one of the most common pediatric problems. His research has now expanded to include better intraoperative imaging modalities in pediatric patients to improve surgical outcomes without the need for radiation exposure.
Dr. Valdez believes in multi-disciplinary collaborations to tackle medical problems and has co-invented various medical devices and surgical simulation models. -
Matt van de Rijn
Sabine Kohler, MD, Professor of Pathology, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur research focuses on molecular analysis of human soft tissue tumors (sarcomas) with an emphasis on leiomyosarcoma and desmoid tumors. In addition we study the role of macrophages in range of malignant tumors.
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Keith Van Haren, MD
Associate Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences (Pediatric Neurology) and of Pediatrics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur research team is working to develop new treatments for children at risk of neurodegenerative diseases. We are primarily focused on multiple sclerosis and X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, two conditions that involve inflammatory and metabolic disruption of the myelin that insulates brain cells. A key area of interest for us is how nutrient deficiencies during childhood may contribute to the disease processes and whether nutritional interventions could play a role in prevention.
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Krisa Van Meurs
Rosemarie Hess Professor, Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests include persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, hypoxic respiratory failure, inhaled nitric oxide therapy, ECMO, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, neonatal clinical trials, and the use of aEEG and NIRS to detect brain injury.
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Capucine Van Rechem
Member, Bio-X
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy long-term interest lies in understanding the impact chromatin modifiers have on disease development and progression so that more optimal therapeutic opportunities can be achieved. My laboratory explores the direct molecular impact of chromatin-modifying enzymes during cell cycle progression, and characterizes the unappreciated and unconventional roles that these chromatin factors have on cytoplasmic function such as protein synthesis.
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Shreyas Vasanawala, MD/PhD
William R. Brody Professor of Pediatric Radiology and Child Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur group is focused on developing new fast and quantitative MRI techniques.
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Alexander Michael Vezeridis, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Radiology (Interventional Radiology)
BioAlexander Vezeridis MD, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, and a physician-scientist specializing in Interventional Radiology. His clinical expertise includes interventional oncology, biliary disease and endoscopy, venous disease, portal hypertension, urologic interventions, women’s and men’s health interventions, and general vascular/interventional radiology.
Dr. Vezeridis is an active researcher with expertise in translational techniques in engineering to make image-guided interventions safer and more effective for patients.
Dr. Vezeridis obtained his undergraduate, MD, and PhD degrees from Boston University. He completed a two year post-doctoral training at UC San Diego in ultrasound molecular imaging under the auspices of the Cancer Researchers in Nanotechnology (CRIN) R25T, followed by residency and fellowship at UC San Diego.
Dr. Vezeridis is highly committed to training the next generation, including students, residents, fellows, and engineering graduate students through co-directing Bio301B.
Dr. Vezeridis has a strong interest in medical device development and commercialization, and completed the Stanford Biodesign Faculty Fellowship. -
Anne Villeneuve
Berthold and Belle N. Guggenhime Professor and Professor of Developmental Biology and of Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMechanisms underlying homologous chromosome pairing, DNA recombination and chromosome remodeling during meiosis, using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an experimental system. High-resolution 3-D imaging of dynamic reorganization of chromosome architecture. Role of protease inhibitors in regulating sperm activation.
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Allison Vreeland
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development
BioDr. Allison Vreeland (she/her) is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in working with children, teens, and families. Dr. Vreeland received her PhD in Clinical Psychological Science with a minor in Quantitative Studies at Vanderbilt University. She completed her predoctoral clinical internship in Child Psychology at UCSF with specialty training through the Child Trauma Research Program. She completed a research and clinical fellowship in the Immune Behavioral Health Clinic at Stanford University, where she focused her research efforts on examining neurological markers of patients diagnosed with pediatric acute neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). Clinically, Dr. Vreeland’s program of clinical care is focused on the delivery of evidence-based clinical interventions for individuals with anxiety, OCD, PANS/PANDAS, mood disorders, and behavioral challenges.
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David Vu
Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases
BioDr. Vu is a pediatric infectious diseases specialist who is researching human responses to dengue virus and malaria infections. He performed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, San Diego, and obtained his medical doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He trained in general pediatrics at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, and in pediatric infectious diseases at Emory University School of Medicine. His present studies on pediatric dengue and malaria co-infection are supported by an NIAID Career Development Award (K23 AI127909) and a Instructor K Award Support Program Award from the Maternal & Child Health Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics.
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Soichi Wakatsuki
Professor of Photon Science and of Structural Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsUbiquitin signaling: structure, function, and therapeutics
Ubiquitin is a small protein modifier that is ubiquitously produced in the cells and takes part in the regulation of a wide range of cellular activities such as gene transcription and protein turnover. The key to the diversity of the ubiquitin roles in cells is that it is capable of interacting with other cellular proteins either as a single molecule or as different types of chains. Ubiquitin chains are produced through polymerization of ubiquitin molecules via any of their seven internal lysine residues or the N-terminal methionine residue. Covalent interaction of ubiquitin with other proteins is known as ubiquitination which is carried out through an enzymatic cascade composed of the ubiquitin-activating (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating (E2), and ubiquitin ligase (E3) enzymes. The ubiquitin signals are decoded by the ubiquitin-binding domains (UBDs). These domains often specifically recognize and non-covalently bind to the different ubiquitin species, resulting in distinct signaling outcomes.
We apply a combination of the structural (including protein crystallography, small angle x-ray scattering, cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) etc.), biocomputational and biochemical techniques to study the ubiquitylation and deubiquitination processes, and recognition of the ubiquitin chains by the proteins harboring ubiquitin-binding domains. Current research interests including SARS-COV2 proteases and their interactions with polyubiquitin chains and ubiquitin pathways in host cell responses, with an ultimate goal of providing strategies for effective therapeutics with reduced levels of side effects.
Protein self-assembly processes and applications.
The Surface layers (S-layers) are crystalline protein coats surrounding microbial cells. S-layer proteins (SLPs) regulate their extracellular, self-assembly by crystallizing when exposed to an environmental trigger. We have demonstrated that the Caulobacter crescentus SLP readily crystallizes into sheets both in vivo and in vitro via a calcium-triggered multistep assembly pathway. Observing crystallization using a time course of Cryo-EM imaging has revealed a crystalline intermediate wherein N-terminal nucleation domains exhibit motional dynamics with respect to rigid lattice-forming crystallization domains. Rate enhancement of protein crystallization by a discrete nucleation domain may enable engineering of kinetically controllable self-assembling 2D macromolecular nanomaterials. In particular, this is inspiring designing robust novel platform for nano-scale protein scaffolds for structure-based drug design and nano-bioreactor design for the carbon-cycling enzyme pathway enzymes. Current research focuses on development of nano-scaffolds for high throughput in vitro assays and structure determination of small and flexible proteins and their interaction partners using Cryo-EM, and applying them to cancer and anti-viral therapeutics.
Multiscale imaging and technology developments.
Multimodal, multiscale imaging modalities will be developed and integrated to understand how molecular level events of key enzymes and protein network are connected to cellular and multi-cellular functions through intra-cellular organization and interactions of the key machineries in the cell. Larger scale organization of these proteins will be studied by solution X-ray scattering and Cryo-EM. Their spatio-temporal arrangements in the cell organelles, membranes, and cytosol will be further studied by X-ray fluorescence imaging and correlated with cryoEM and super-resolution optical microscopy. We apply these multiscale integrative imaging approaches to biomedical, and environmental and bioenergy research questions with Stanford, DOE national labs, and other domestic and international collaborators. -
Claire E Wakefield
Professor of Pediatrics (Quality of Life and Palliative Care)
BioI am a medical psychologist and researcher dedicated to improving quality of life for children affected by serious illness, as well as their families. My research spans pediatric palliative care, precision medicine, psycho-oncology, and global health, and is grounded in a deep commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care. I have published more than 340 journal articles and am named as Chief Investigator on competitive research grants totaling more than $55M.
I served as Continental President of SIOP Oceania and as a Director on the Board of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP), advocating for children with cancer across 14 countries. I advise the World Health Organization on global childhood cancer initiatives and am a proud member of the Presidential Task Force on Advocacy for the Society of Pediatric Psychology. I am passionate about building national and global capacity in pediatric palliative care and ensuring that every child and family receives not only the best medical treatment, but also the emotional and psychological support they need. -
Rebecca D. Walker
Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsInterests include international development in emergency care, healthcare disparities, wilderness medicine, human rights, administration
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Dennis Wall
Professor of Pediatrics (Clinical Informatics), of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsSystems biology for design of clinical solutions that detect and treat disease
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James Wall
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHealth Technology Innovation
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Brian A. Wandell
Isaac and Madeline Stein Family Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering, of Ophthalmology and of Education
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsModels and measures of the human visual system. The brain pathways essential for reading development. Diffusion tensor imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging and computational modeling of visual perception and brain processes. Image systems simulations of optics and sensors and image processing. Data and computation management for reproducible research.
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Bing Wang
Postdoctoral Scholar, Stem Cell Transplantation
BioMy academic training and research experience have equipped me with multidisciplinary skills and knowledge of molecular biology and immunology.
I led two projects when I was an undergraduate, in which I got primary academic learning. My team member and I investigated the bacteria content in drinking water from two types of machines that are commonly used in colleges under the guidance of our experimental microbiology teacher Zhihong Zhong. Secondly, we produced a hybridoma cell line secreting monoclonal antibody against the core antigen of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) to develop an ELISA kit for the detection of HCV under the guidance of Dr. Rushi Liu and Minjing Liao.
Thereafter, as a Ph. D. candidate at Xiaoming Feng’s lab, my research primarily focused on understanding the biology of regulatory T cells (Treg) and CD11c+ myeloid cells using cutting-edge single-cell sequencing and conditional knockout mice under healthy and disease conditions. We first revealed the heterogeneity and bifurcated differentiation pathway of human Tregs from normal donors and transplanted patients at the single-cell transcriptome level. A subsequent first and corresponding author publication identified a key innate responsive protein in CD11c+ alveolar macrophages, NRP2, that protects mice from lung injury via promoting the phagocytosis of neutrophils. I also participated in two projects regarding the role of a serine/threonine kinase, LKB1, in mice CD11c+ dendritic cells from lymphoid tissues and adipose tissue with diet-induced obesity. These academic experiences guided me into a strong passion and independent capacities for biomedical studies.
For my postdoctoral training, I will focus on developing Treg therapies and genetic stem cell therapy to cure patients with IPEX syndrome (a severe autoimmune disease) at preclinical and clinical stages, and other immune disorders. My sponsor Dr. Rosa Bacchetta is a well-known leader in treating IPEX patients and developing Treg therapies. My co-mentor Dr. Maria Grazia Roncarolo is a well-recognized pediatric immunologist and also one of the pioneers in the stem cell and gene therapy field, who discovered the type 1 regulatory T cells or Tr1 cells and translate the scientific discoveries into novel Treg therapies. Both of them have an excellent record of training postdoctoral fellows. The proposed projects will provide me with great opportunities in cutting-edge technology and translational research and outline a set of career development including grant writing, public presentation, and lab management, which will enhance my ability to become an independent investigator and help me to reach my goal of developing efficient and safe Treg therapies for a wide range of immune disorders and associated human diseases. -
C. Jason Wang, MD, PhD
LCY: Tan Lan Lee Professor and Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics) and of Health Policy
BioDr. Wang is the Director of Center for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention. Prior to coming to Stanford in 2011, he was a faculty member at Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health. His other professional experiences include working as a management consultant with McKinsey and Company and serving as the project manager for Taiwan's National Health Insurance Reform Task-force. His current interests include: 1) pandemic preparedness; 2) role of generative Ai on child health and development; 3) use of mobile technology in improving quality of care; 4) assessing and improving the value of healthcare, and 5) healthcare delivery innovations and payment reforms.
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Li Wang
Assistant Professor of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study how the extraordinary diversity of cells and synapses in the brain is generated, organized, and maintained, and how these processes are disrupted in diseases such as neurodevelopmental disorders and brain cancer. By combining single-cell and spatial genomics, lineage tracing, perturbation screens, synaptic proteomics, and machine learning models, we aim to uncover the molecular rules that define neural identity and connectivity.
Our research spans two interrelated themes, each grounded in human biology and driven by cutting-edge technologies. By comparing these processes across species, we aim to uncover both conserved mechanisms and human-specific innovations that define the unique features of the human brain. -
Marie Wang
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsEvaluation and management of the febrile young infant and infections in hospitalized children; promotion of appropriate antibiotic use.
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Nancy Ewen Wang
Professor of Emergency Medicine (Pediatrics), Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly Interests- Disparities in Emergency Medical Services for children.
- Efficacy of novel interventions for pediatric access to care.
- Teaching and supporting community-initiated interventions and programs internationally. -
Paul J. Wang, MD
John R. and Ai Giak L. Singleton Director, Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine) and, by courtesy, of Bioengineering
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Wang's research centers on the development of innovative approaches to the treatment of arrhythmias, including more effective catheter ablation techniques, more reliable implantable devices, and less invasive treatments. Dr. Wang's clinical research interests include atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, syncope, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Dr. Wang is committed to addressing disparities in care and is actively involved in increasing diversity in clinical trials.
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Samantha Wang
Clinical Associate Professor, Medicine
BioDr. Samantha Wang is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. She received her medical and masters in health sciences degrees from Yale School of Medicine and completed her Internal Medicine residency at Stanford, where she served as Chief Resident. She practices as a hospitalist at Stanford Health Care and works closely with residents and students in clinical teaching and mentorship. Her clinical focus is in patient-centered communication, and she directs inpatient implementation of the Serious Illness Care Program while studying strategies to improve the quality and impact of serious illness conversations for hospitalized patients.
Dr. Wang’s academic work spans health equity, medical education, and faculty development. She leads national collaborations advancing scholarship and advocacy in health equity and has received innovation grants to develop curricula addressing bias, structural racism, and diagnostic equity in clinical care. Her “5-Minute Moment for Racial Justice” curriculum has been disseminated nationally and internationally through Stanford CME and YouTube and translated into multiple languages. She received the American Board of Internal Medicine Professionalism Article Prize (2025) for her scholarship on professionalism and advancing health equity.
Dr. Wang leads faculty development initiatives within the Division of Hospital Medicine that support mentorship, scholarship, and community building. Her work focuses on creating environments where faculty can thrive academically while fostering inclusive learning communities for the next generation of physicians. In recognition of these efforts, she received the Stanford University Women’s Forum Inspiring Early Academic Career Award. -
Shan X. Wang
Leland T. Edwards Professor in the School of Engineering and Professor of Electrical Engineering and, by courtesy, of Radiology (Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsShan Wang was named the Leland T. Edwards Professor in the School of Engineering in 2018. He directs the Center for Magnetic Nanotechnology and is a leading expert in Edge AI, biosensors, information storage and spintronics. His research and inventions span across a variety of areas including Edge AI, magnetic biochips, in vitro diagnostics, cancer biomarkers, magnetic nanoparticles, magnetic sensors, magnetoresistive random access memory, and magnetic integrated inductors.
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Sui Wang, PhD
Associate Professor of Ophthalmology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur research focuses on unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying retinal development and diseases. We employ genetic and genomic tools to explore how various retinal cell types, including neurons, glia, and the vasculature, respond to developmental cues and disease insults at the epigenomic and transcriptional levels. In addition, we investigate their interactions and collective contributions to maintain retinal integrity.
1. Investigating retinal development:
We utilize genetic tools and methods such as in vivo plasmid electroporation and CRISPR to dissect the roles of cis-regulatory elements and transcription factors in controlling retinal development.
2. Understanding diabetes-induced cell-type-specific responses in the retina:
Diabetes triggers a range of multicellular responses in the retina, such as vascular lesions, glial dysfunction, and neurodegeneration, all of which contribute to retinopathy. We delve into the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying these diabetes-induced cell-type-specific responses and the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.
3. Developing molecular tools for labeling and manipulation of specific cell types in vivo:
Cis-regulatory elements, particularly enhancers, play pivotal roles in directing tissue- and cell-type-specific expression. Our interest lies in identifying enhancers that can drive cell type-specific expression in the retina and brain. We incorporate these enhancers into plasmid or AAV-based delivery systems, enabling precise labeling and manipulation of specific cell types in vivo. -
Taia T. Wang, MD, PhD, MSCI
Associate Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsLaboratory of Mechanisms in Human Immunity and Disease Pathogenesis
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Tao Wang (王韬)
Director of Precision Diabetes Care, Genetics
Current Role at StanfordPrincipal Investigator, AI for Precision Diabetes Management
Project Manager & Scientific Co-lead, PsychENCODE Project
Project Initiator & Clinical Co-lead, Long COVID Clinical RCT with TCM
Project Initiator & Manager, AI & Wearables Toolkit for Biomedical Sciences
ENCODE and PsychENCODE Project Data Manager
Research Scientist, US Veteran Affairs Hospital
SCGPM HPC System Administrator -
Wenjun Wang
Postdoctoral Scholar, Stem Cell Transplantation
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy postdoctoral research focuses on investigating novel therapy for childhood leukemias.
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Xinnan Wang
Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMechanisms underlying mitochondrial dynamics and function, and their implications in neurological disorders.
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Victoria Ward
Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsGlobal child health, digital health, preterm birth, human trafficking
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Annika M. Weber
Postdoctoral Scholar, Gastroenterology
BioAnnika is a postdoctoral scholar in the Spencer Lab studying how gut microbes metabolize prebiotic fibers to produce bioactive metabolites linked to lowering disease risk. She holds an MS in Human Nutrition from the University of Sheffield and a PhD in Food Science and Human Nutrition from Colorado State University. Her work integrates multi-omic approaches to map diet-microbe-metabolite relationships. Annika aims to translate these mechanistic insights into microbiome-informed dietary strategies for reducing chronic diseases.
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Katja Gabriele Weinacht, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
DiGeorge Syndrome
Genetic Immune Diseases
Immune Dysregulation -
Alexis Thomas Weiner
Basic Life Research Scientist, Pathology Sponsored Projects
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway polarizes animal cells along an axis parallel to the tissue plane, and in so doing generates long-range organization that can span entire tissues. Although its core proteins and much about their interactions are known, how PCP signaling occurs at a mechanistic level remains fundamentally mysterious. In my current project I will employ novel genetic methods to dissect the logic underlying how cellular asymmetry arises at a molecular level.
