Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Showing 101-120 of 120 Results
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Niloofar Taheri
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
BioDr. Niloofar Taheri is a postdoctoral researcher (MD, Inv) in the Mignot Lab at Stanford University, where she conducts research in sleep medicine and neuroimmunology. Her work has been recognized with Gold Medals at international invention competitions, including the IFIA Members’ Competition for developing a novel diagnostic and therapeutic approach to neurodegenerative disorders, and the 2025 American Innovation Exhibition (AIIE) in San Diego, where she received a Gold Medal and Special Prize for designing a medication to improve the treatment of brain metastases in breast cancer. Most recently, she won a Gold Medal at the 2025 Kaohsiung International Invention & Design Expo (KIDE), for a patent on a novel diagnostic method for the early detection of major depressive disorder (MDD).
She brings experience in clinical practice, co-founding an autoimmune society, and developing wet-lab models. She is also a verified peer reviewer for psychiatry and neuroscience journals. -
Xun Tu
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAs a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Erin Gibson’s lab, I am integrating my expertise in molecular signaling and systems neuroscience to study the role of OPCs in sleep. My interest in sleep has been further reinforced by observing the dramatic shifts in sleep architecture across developmental stages as a new parent, highlighting the necessity of sleep for neural refinement. My current research uses in vivo calcium imaging and closed-loop optogenetics to determine how OPC-neuron communication coordinates hippocampal sharp-wave ripples. By characterizing how aging blunts OPC responsiveness to sleep, I aim to identify novel strategies to preserve memory and promote healthy cognitive aging.
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Masataka Wada
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
BioDr. Masataka (he/him/his) is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He is a board-certified psychiatrist and holds a PhD in neuroscience.
His clinical and research interests center on psychiatric disorders in treatment-resistant conditions. To address these challenges, Dr. Masataka is engaged in exploring electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and neuromodulation techniques, including repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). He spearheaded a significant Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) that involved 180 patients with treatment-resistant depression, aiming to develop an innovative rTMS-based treatment. His efforts have led to him receiving awards at international conferences on three occasions for his significant contributions.
Dr. Masataka's scholarly work includes publications on the electrophysiological characteristics of psychiatric disorders and the effects of neuromodulation on clinical symptoms and neuroimaging features. Additionally, he has been the recipient of two scholarships and three grants, further highlighting his contributions to the field. -
Zoey Wang
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsSleep disruptions in neurodegenerative disorders
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Yanan Zhao
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
BioYanan completed her Ph.D. degree at Fudan University, where she uncovered the mechanisms of sleep transitions from the evolutionary point of view in Dr Zhili Huang’s lab, with a combination of optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology, fiber photometry, polysomnography, immunohistochemistry and so on. In the de Lecea lab, Yanan is now curious about how sleep regulates the balance between DNA damage and repair with approaches of imaging. At the same time, she is interested in larger scale imaging during different brain states. Outside the lab, Yanan enjoys biking and exploring the sunny bay area.
