Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)
Showing 101-150 of 1,222 Results
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Y. Katherine Bianco
Clinical Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology - Maternal Fetal Medicine
BioMy clinical interest in pregnancies complicated with birth defects has led my underlying research interests in genomic abnormalities in the human trophoblast carrying to faulty placentation. The latter began with initial work during K12 and KO8 funding. I took a great interest in the human placenta as it carries potential advantages over other tissues sources: first, this highly metabolically active organ is the potential source of many transcripts. Second, the placenta forms at a very early stage of embryonic development, potentially allowing detection of primary alterations as compared to secondary changes that may mask the underlying causal phenomena. Finally, studying early placentation may provide targets for development of novel molecular approaches, such as up-regulate or down-regulate genes, the protein products of which could potentially serve as molecular surrogates for diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy complication such as miscarriages, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy induced hypertension and intrauterine growth retardation. This work has led to the first Trisomy 21, Trisomy 18, trisomy 13 cell lines established from human placentas making it possible to apply gene editing in the early stages of human trophoblast development.
As my primary clinical responsibility involves treating patients needing medical care and support through their high risk pregnancies, I am interested in factors that may impact outcomes, such as prenatal screening and diagnosis, maternal heart conditions, labor and delivery management, and safety approaches for the second stage of labor. In investigating length of labor and approaches to shorten the second stage, I have found methods of improving perinatal outcomes in diverse maternal populations.
With regards to my interest in fetal medicine, I have worked in collaboration with other specialists such as radiologists and pediatric cardiologists utilizing imagining studies to assess and determine successful perinatal care and fetal survival. -
Mahamaya Biswal
Postdoctoral Scholar, Molecular and Cellular Physiology
BioMahamaya is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology at Stanford University, where she specializes in Cellular and structural biology with a focus on membrane protein biogenesis, quality control, and the development of innovative nanobody technologies. Her research integrates advanced cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), cell biology, and nanobody engineering to unravel the mechanisms governing the assembly and maturation of membrane protein biogenesis factor hubs with a focus on Voltage gated ion channels as a model substrate.
Dr. Biswal’s scientific journey began with an integrated M.Tech in Biotechnology degree from D.Y. Patil University, India, where she conducted foundational research on bacterial persister cell formation at BARC and characterized breast cancer proteins ZBRK1 and BRCA1 at ACTREC,. After spending a brief time in biotech industry at Yashraj Biotechnology Ltd., Mumbai, optimizing purification pipelines for cancer antigens used in diagnostic kits and facilitating technology transfer from R&D to manufacturing, she moved to US to join UC Riverside’s PhD program under Department of Biochemistry and supervision of Dr. Jikui Song. She made significant advances in understanding the structural dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Notably, she solved the X-ray crystal structure of the NSP7-8 complex, a key cofactor for the viral replicase, and also elucidated the interaction between the viral nucleocapsid protein and human G3BP1. Her doctoral and postdoctoral work has also contributed to studies on viral immune evasion, including the structural basis for STAT2 antagonization by DENV2 NS5.
At Stanford, Dr. Biswal has expanded her expertise to the structural and functional study of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and currently focusing on gaining mechanistic insights on Membrane protein biogenesis factor hubs by combining cell biology and structural biology expertise. She is also developing nanobody libraries targeting synaptic vesicles and bacterial death effectors for in situ tomography and potential therapeutic applications respectively. Dr. Biswal is a committed mentor, having supervised graduate and undergraduate students, and is dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusion in science through active involvement in organizations such as AWIS, BioAIMS, and BSS (India). Her scientific contributions have been recognized with honors including the HEERF Dissertation Year Fellowship, the Mary K. and Randolph T. Wedding Prize, and best poster awards at UC Riverside. Dr. Biswal’s long-term vision is to lead a research program that translates structural insights into therapeutic strategies for neurological and infectious diseases, advancing both scientific knowledge and the next generation of scientists. -
Rebecca Blankenburg, MD, MPH
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy educational research interests focus on building a more diverse, inclusive and equitable learning environment and helping develop a sense of belonging, professional identity formation, and competence through longitudinal coaching and scholarly mentorship.
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Helen M. Blau
Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor, Director, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology and Professor, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsProf. Helen Blau's research area is regenerative medicine with a focus on stem cells. Her research on nuclear reprogramming and demonstrating the plasticity of cell fate using cell fusion is well known and her laboratory has also pioneered the design of biomaterials to mimic the in vivo microenvironment and direct stem cell fate. Current findings are leading to more efficient iPS generation, cell based therapies by dedifferentiation a la newts, and discovery of novel molecules and therapies.
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Catherine Blish
George E. and Lucy Becker Professor in Medicine
On Partial Leave from 05/01/2026 To 09/30/2026Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe major goal of our research is to gain insight into the prevention and control of HIV and other viral pathogens by studying the interplay between the virus and the host immune response. We investigate the role of various arms of the immune response, but with a particular focus on NK cells. We hope to gain additional insights into control of infectious diseases by studying how pregnancy modulates immune responses.
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Yair Blumenfeld, MD
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Maternal Fetal Medicine)
Current Research and Scholarly Interestsprenatal diagnosis, genetics, clinical obstetrics
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Paul D. Blumenthal, MD, MPH
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Gynecology-Family Planning) at the Stanford University Medical Center, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsImproving Access to Family Planning Services in Low Resource Settings:
Through a collaboration with Population Services International, the Stanford Program for International Reproductive Education and Services (SPIRES) provides technical direction in a program designed to improve access to and uptake of family planning, particularly Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) such as IUDs and implants, in 14 developing countries globally. The first year saw insertion of over 280,000 IUDs. -
Alexandria Boehm
Richard and Rhoda Goldman Professor of Environmental Studies, Professor of Oceans and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment
BioI am interested in pathogens in the environment including their sources, fate, and transport in natural and engineered systems. I am interested in understanding of how pathogens are transmitted to humans through contact with water, feces, and contaminated surfaces. My research is focused on key problems in both developed and developing countries with the overarching goal of designing and testing novel interventions and technologies for reducing the burden of disease.
I am also interested broadly in coastal water quality where my work addresses the sources, transformation, transport, and ecology of biocolloids - specifically fecal indicator organisms, DNA, pathogens, and phytoplankton - as well as sources and fate of nitrogen. This knowledge is crucial to formulating new management policies and engineering practices that protect human and ecosystem health at the coastal margins. -
Matthew Bogyo
Professor of Pathology and of Microbiology and Immunology and, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur lab uses chemical, biochemical, and cell biological methods to study protease function in human disease. Projects include:
1) Design and synthesis of novel chemical probes for serine and cysteine hydrolases.
2) Understanding the role of hydrolases in bacterial pathogenesis and the human parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and Toxoplasma gondii.
3) Defining the specific functional roles of proteases during the process of tumorogenesis.
4) In vivo imaging of protease activity -
Paul Bollyky
Stanford Medicine Professor of Infectious Disease and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsBacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, are abundant in the human body. However, their contributions to human health and disease are largely unknown. The Bollyky Lab
studies interactions between phages and both their human and bacterial hosts with the goal of developing innovative strategies to improve human health. -
C. Andrew Bonham, MD, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery (Abdominal Transplantation), Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsTolerance induction in liver transplantation.
Hepatocyte transplantation. -
Anna Booman
Member, Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)
BioAnna Booman, PhD, MS is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine. She conducts perinatal pharmacoepidemiology research to study the safety and effectiveness of medication use during pregnancy, since most pregnant individuals cannot be included in clinical trials. She uses large observational datasets, such as the Merative MarketScan Database, and complex epidemiologic methods in her research.
Dr. Booman received her PhD in Epidemiology from the Oregon Health & Science University School of Public Health, her MS in Computational Biology and Quantitative Genetics from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and her BS in Mathematical Biology (minor: Computer Science) from the College of William & Mary. Her research has spanned many areas of perinatal epidemiology, including a focus on twin children, rare genetic disorders, gestational weight gain, and insurance discontinuity in pregnancy. -
John Boothroyd
Burt and Marion Avery Professor of Immunology, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsUntil its permanent closure in 2025, John Boothroyd's lab focused on the interaction between the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii and its mammalian host. We used a combination of molecular and genetic tools to understand how this obligate intracellular parasite can invade almost any cell it encounters, how it co-opts a host cell once inside and how it evades the immune response to produce a life-long, persistent infection.
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Karoline Marie Bornemann
Postdoctoral Scholar, Cardiology
BioKaroline-Marie Bornemann, PhD, is a biomedical engineer interested in cardiovascular flows, specifically the computational modeling of heart valves using fluid-structure interaction simulations. Her current postdoctoral research in the Marsden lab at Stanford University focuses on the simulation of congenital valve pathologies and valve repair in pediatrics working with Alexander D. Kaiser, Alison Marsden and Michael Ma. She obtained her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Bern where she investigated instability mechanisms leading to laminar-turbulent transition past bioprosthetic aortic valves with Dominik Obrist and Peter Schmid. During her PhD, she performed a secondment at KTH Royal Institute of Technology collaborating with Ardeshir Hanifi and Dan Henningson assessing the stability of flow fields past valve prostheses. Visualizations of her PhD research were showcased in a winning entry of the Gallery of Fluid Motion 2024 and her PhD thesis won the GCB Best PhD Thesis 2024 Award.
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Daniel L. Bowling, PhD
Assistant Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences)
BioDr. Bowling is Director of the Music, Brain & Health Lab at Stanford School of Medicine. His translational research harnesses the neural effects of music to develop personalized music-based treatments for health and wellness, with a particular focus on anxiety and depression in young adults. His approach integrates expertise in neuroscience, bioacoustics, music therapy, and psychiatry to apply insights from music's underlying biology to medicine.
Dr. Bowling earned his PhD in Neurobiology from Duke University School of Medicine and holds graduate certificates in Cognitive Neuroscience and Translational Medicine. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals including Science, PNAS, and Molecular Psychiatry. His research program has been supported by federal and private foundations including the National Institutes of Health, NeuroArts Blueprint, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. -
Sarah Bowling
Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Bowling lab focuses on understanding lineage formation and tissue growth in mammalian development during normal and perturbed embryogenesis. We use a combination of next-generation tools and classical embryological approaches to uncover mechanisms of plasticity and resilience during mammalian embryo development, with the aim of using this knowledge to extend our understanding of regeneration and developmental diseases.
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Scott D. Boyd, MD PhD
Stanford Professor of Food Allergy and Immunology and Professor of Pathology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur goal is to understand the lymphocyte genotype-phenotype relationships in healthy human immunity and in immunological diseases. We apply new technologies and data analysis approaches to this challenge, particularly high-throughput DNA sequencing and single-cell monoclonal antibody generation, in parallel with other functional assays.
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Sabrina Braham, MD FAAP
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - General Pediatrics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Braham's work focuses on bending the arc of health innovation toward equity, value, and better population health. She is interested in the development, funding and implementation of innovative care models for child and family health.
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James D. Brooks
Keith and Jan Hurlbut Professor
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe use genomic approaches to identify disease biomarkers. We are most interested in translating biomarkers into clinical practice in urological diseases with a particular focus in cancer.
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Janine Bruce
Academic Program Professional Manager, Pediatrics - General Pediatrics
Current Role at StanfordAssociate Director, Office of Child Health Equity, Department of Pediatrics
Co-Director for the Scholarly Concentration in Community Engagement and Advocacy, Pediatric Residency Program
Co-director for the Scholarly Concentration in Community Health for Medical Students
Instructor for graduate level qualitative methods, social determinants and community engagement courses -
Jennifer L. Bruno
Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Bruno is a translational researcher at the interface of developmental cognitive neuropsychology and neurobiology. An overarching goal of her work is to understand developmental windows of vulnerability—periods of risk for falling off the trajectory of typical brain development. Her research utilizes genetics, brain imaging, and deep behavioral phenotyping to bridge computational science with clinical knowledge, translating cutting-edge science to solve problems of great clinical need.
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Bruce Buckingham
Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology) at the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy major interest is in type 1 diabetes mellitus, continuous glucose sensor, and the development of an artificial pancreas. Other research interests include using continuous glucose monitoring and algorithms to control blood glucose levels in intensive care units.
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Marion S. Buckwalter, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences (Adult Neurology) and of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe goal of the Buckwalter Lab is to improve how people recover after a stroke. We use basic and clinical research to understand the cells, proteins, and genes that lead to successful recovery of function, and also how complications develop that impact quality of life after stroke. Ongoing projects are focused on understanding how inflammatory responses are regulated after a stroke and how they affect short-term brain injury and long term outcomes like dementia and depression.
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Sujatha Buddhe
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics - Cardiology
Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), Radiology - Pediatric RadiologyBioDr. Buddhe earned her medical degree from the Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, India. She completed her pediatrics residency and chief residency at the Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, NY and pediatric cardiology fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Michigan. Her advanced fellowship training in pediatric cardiac non-invasive imaging was completed at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in New York. She earned her Masters degree in Clinical research and statistical analysis at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She worked at Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington for almost ten years where she served as the Director of Non-invasive Imaging research and the Co-Director of cardiac MRI program. Her research interests include echocardiography and Cardiac MRI.
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Alyssa Burgart (she/her)
Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioWith double board certification in anesthesiology and pediatric anesthesiology and over 20 years of experience in bioethics, Dr. Alyssa Burgart is a unique cross-disciplinary clinician-scholar. Dr. Burgart holds numerous leadership positions, including Associate Director of Pediatric Ethics at the Laurie J. Girand Center for Biomedical Ethics, Medical Director of Ethics for the Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, and physician co-chair of the Stanford Children’s Ethics Committee. She actively supports the Program in Medical Humanities and the Arts and is the Associate Director for Symposium. In the undergraduate school, she serves as affiliate faculty in the Stanford Program in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies in the School of Humanities and Sciences.
Dr. Burgart is an expert in difficult conversations and skillfully mediating complex choices with families and healthcare providers. She speaks nationally on bioethics, relationship-centered communication, trauma-informed care, moral distress/moral injury, disability justice, gender equity, and reproductive justice issues.
Dr. Burgart's unwavering dedication to pediatric trauma mitigation is exemplified in her committed to finding the most successful way for each child to interact with the anesthesia team, ensuring an overall positive experience and reducing the risk of medical trauma. She advocates on behalf of children with unique sensory and behavioral needs. Her clinical focus within pediatric anesthesiology is abdominal solid organ transplant.
Dr. Burgart's influence in the field of bioethics extends beyond her clinical and academic roles. As an associate editor and digital media editor at the American Journal of Bioethics, her work is instrumental in shaping the discourse on ethical healthcare practices. Her writing, featured in JAMA, The Washington Post, USA Today, Slate, and Ms. Magazine, and her newsletter, Poppies & Propofol, are all part of her mission to enhance public education on bioethics issues in public life. She frequently engages with journalists to ensure accurate and comprehensive reporting on complex medical ethics issues. -
MyMy Buu
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics - Pulmonary Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHer scholarly work has been focused on pediatric health in vulnerable communities. Her current research is pulmonary outcomes of patients with neuromuscular disease. She is involved in clinical trials in patients with neuromuscular disease.
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Christina Buysse
Clinical Associate Professor, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsTelemedicine to teach pediatrics residents Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
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Erica P. Cahill MD, MSCP
Clinical Associate Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology
Current Research and Scholarly Interestsreproductive and sexual health care and education
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Weidong Cai
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
BioMy research program investigates the neurobiological basis of cognitive dysfunction across the lifespan, focusing on two critical populations: children with neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ADHD) and elders with neurodegenerative conditions (e.g., Parkinson’s disease). By employing a highly interdisciplinary approach that integrates cognitive science, advanced functional neuroimaging, and computational modeling, I aim to delineate the neurocognitive processes governing both typical and atypical brain development and aging. The ultimate goal is to advance our understanding of the factors contributing to cognitive deficits and translate these findings into improved diagnostic tools and precision treatment strategies.
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Alison Callahan
Research Engineer, Computational Medicine
BioAlison Callahan is a Research Scientist in the Division of Computational Medicine and a Data Scientist on the Stanford Health Care Data Science team. Her current research uses informatics and artificial intelligence to improve rare disease screening. Her work in the SHC Data Science team focuses on developing and implementing methods to assess and identify high value applications of AI in healthcare settings.
Alison holds a master’s degree in information studies from the University of Toronto, and a doctorate in bioinformatics from Carleton University. She completed her postdoctoral training at Stanford. -
Michele Calos
Professor of Genetics, Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy lab is developing innovative gene and stem cell therapies for genetic diseases, with a focus on gene therapy and regenerative medicine.
We have created novel methods for inserting therapeutic genes into the chromosomes at specific places by using homologous recombination and recombinase enzymes.
We are working on 3 forms of muscular dystrophy.
We created induced pluripotent stem cells from patient fibroblasts, added therapeutic genes, differentiated, and engrafted the cells. -
David Camarillo
Associate Professor of Bioengineering and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery and of Mechanical Engineering
On Partial Leave from 04/01/2026 To 06/30/2026BioDavid B. Camarillo is Associate Professor of Bioengineering, (by courtesy) Mechanical Engineering and Neurosurgery at Stanford University. Dr. Camarillo holds a B.S.E in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and completed postdoctoral fellowships in Biophysics at the UCSF and Biodesign Innovation at Stanford. Dr. Camarillo worked in the surgical robotics industry at Intuitive Surgical and Hansen Medical, before launching his laboratory at Stanford in 2012. His current research focuses on precision human measurement for multiple clinical and physiological areas including the brain, heart, lungs, and reproductive system. Dr. Camarillo has been awarded the Hellman Fellowship, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Program award, among other honors including multiple best paper awards in brain injury and robotic surgery. His research has been funded by the NIH, NSF, DoD, as well as corporations and private philanthropy. His lab’s research has been featured on NPR, the New York Times, The Washington Post, Science News, ESPN, and TED.com as well as other media outlets aimed at education of the public.
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Andres Cardenas
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics
BioI am an environmental epidemiologist and serve as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford University. I joined the faculty at Stanford School of Medicine in 2022.
My research focuses on characterizing molecular and epigenetic biomarkers and the extent to which these alterations contribute to disease risk throughout the life course. My group utilizes computational approaches to investigate environmental chemical mixtures, biological aging markers and fetal epigenetic programming. We have several studies looking at chemical and non-chemical stressors in early-life and subsequent health including; neurodevelopment, obesity and immune function.
My research examines the intersection of chemical and social environments in shaping health and disease. -
Jan Carette
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur research focuses on the identification of host genes that play critical roles in the pathogenesis of infectious agents including viruses. We use CRISPR genetic screens in human cells as an efficient approach to perform loss-of-function studies. Besides obtaining fundamental insights on how viruses hijack cellular processes and on host defense mechanisms, it may also facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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Suzan L Carmichael, PhD, MS
Professor (Research) of Pediatrics (Neonatology), of Obstetrics & Gynecology (Maternal Fetal Medicine) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Carmichael is a perinatal and nutritional epidemiologist and Professor of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Her team is committed to finding ways to improve maternal and infant health outcomes and equity by leading research that identifies effective leverage points for change, from upstream 'macro' social and structural factors, to downstream clinical factors (eg, related to care and morbidities) through a collaborative research approach that integrates epidemiologic approaches with community engagement and systems thinking.
Exposure themes include social context, nutrition, care, environmental contaminants and genetics. Outcome themes include severe maternal morbidity, stillbirth, birth defects, and preterm delivery. She is particularly interested in understanding the intersectionality of these varied types of exposures and outcomes and how they interact to impact health and health disparities, for the mother-baby dyad.
Please see the team web-site for further information!
https://med.stanford.edu/carmichaellab.html -
Victor G. Carrión
John A. Turner Endowed Professor for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsExamines the interplay between brain development and stress vulnerability via a multi-method approach that includes psychophysiology, neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology and phenomenology. Treatment development that focuses on individual and community-based interventions for stress related conditions in children and adolescents that experience traumatic stress.
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Thomas Caruso
Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine (Pediatric)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research pursuits are focused on system based improvement projects. At Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, I use system based approaches to improve the quality of care patients receive in the perioperative area and in the ICUs, with a focus on safe transitions of care. Through the Department of Graduate Medical Education at Stanford School of Medicine, I advise residency and fellowship programs on evidence based methods to improve their programs, with a focus on mentorship.
