School of Medicine


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  • Oliver O. Aalami, MD

    Oliver O. Aalami, MD

    Clinical Professor, Surgery - Vascular Surgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe launched a national precision medicine PAD trial called, VascTrac (http://vasctrac.stanford.edu/). This trial is mobile phone based and leverages Apple's ResearchKit Platform to monitor a patient's activity both pre- and post-intervention. We are validating mobile phone surveillance for PAD patients and are currently enrolling.

  • Sumaira Z. Aasi, MD

    Sumaira Z. Aasi, MD

    Clinical Professor, Dermatology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHigh risk squamous cell carcinoma; frozen histopathology; reconstructive surgery.

  • Fahim Abbasi

    Fahim Abbasi

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Cardiovascular Medicine

    BioDr. Fahim Abbasi specializes in diagnosis and treatment of prediabetes and insulin resistance. Dr. Abbasi has a special interest in prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease through lifestyle modifications.

  • Oscar J. Abilez

    Oscar J. Abilez

    Senior Scientist, Cardiothoracic Surgery - Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Abilez' interests are aimed at elucidating how various biophysical and biochemical perturbations regulate early cardiovascular development across time and length scales that span several orders of magnitude, using human pluripotent stem cells as a model system.

  • Gillian Abir

    Gillian Abir

    Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

    BioGillian Abir graduated from Glasgow University (UK) in 1998. After initially undertaking parts of surgical residency and emergency medicine residency, she completed her anesthesiology residency training in Glasgow and Sheffield (UK). Following this she undertook an obstetric anesthesiology fellowship-equivalent at Stanford University School of Medicine and is currently a Clinical Professor.
    Gillian is the Associate Division Chief and Clinical Director for the Division of Obstetric Anesthesiology and the residency program coordinator for obstetric anesthesiology.
    Gillian has published several manuscripts and book chapters, and is the lead anesthesiologist in the multidisciplinary obstetric simulation team. She is a member of the obstetric disaster preparedness committee and labor and delivery patient safety committee, amongst several other committees. She is the co-chair of the simulation committee and a member of the patient safety and international outreach committees in the Society of Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology.
    Gillian has an interest in global health and is a member of the Board of Directors of Kybele Inc. (www.kybeleworldwide.org) for which she regularly volunteers to teach obstetric anesthesiology in other countries.

  • Elias Aboujaoude, MD, MA

    Elias Aboujaoude, MD, MA

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Aboujaoude is a Clinical Professor, researcher and writer at Stanford University's Department of Psychiatry, where he is Chief of the Anxiety Disorders Section and Director of the OCD Clinic and the Impulse Control Disorders Clinic. Besides the compulsivity-impulsivity spectrum, his work has focused on the intersection of technology and psychology, with an emphasis on the problematic use of Internet-related technologies, mental health in a post-privacy world, and the potential for telemedicine interventions such as virtual reality and video-based therapy to increase access to care and advance global health. His books include "Virtually You: The Dangerous Powers of the e-Personality" and "Mental Heath in the Digital Age: Grave Dangers, Great Promise". Dr. Aboujaoude also teaches psychology on the main Stanford campus and at UC Berkeley. Scholarly and media platforms that have featured his work include The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, The Harvard Business Review, The Chronicle of Higher Education, BBC, PBS, and CNN.

  • Daniel A. Abrams

    Daniel A. Abrams

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAutism spectrum disorders (ASD) are among the most pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders and are characterized by significant deficits in social communication. A common observation in children with ASD is that affected individuals often “tune out” from social interactions, which likely impacts the development of social, communication, and language skills. My primary research goals are to understand why children with ASD often tune out from the social world and how this impacts social skill and brain development, and to identify remediation strategies that motivate children with ASD to engage in social interactions. The theoretical framework that guides my work is that social impairments in ASD stem from a primary deficit in identifying social stimuli, such as human voices and faces, as rewarding and salient stimuli, thereby precluding children with ASD from engaging with these stimuli.

    My program of research has provided important information regarding the brain circuits underlying social deficits in ASD. Importantly, these findings have consistently implicated key structures of the brain’s reward and salience processing systems, and support the hypothesis that impaired reward attribution to social stimuli is a critical aspect of social difficulties in ASD.

    My lab is currently conducting three research studies:

    Speaker-Listener Coupling and Brain Dynamics During Naturalistic Verbal Communication in Children with Autism
    We have a new study investigating how the brain processes and understands speech in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as typically developing children. We are interested in understanding speech comprehension in children through anticipating incoming speech and accumulating speech information over a period of time.

    Speaker-Listener Coupling and Brain Dynamics During Naturalistic Verbal Communication in Alzheimer’s Disease
    In collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, our new study is exploring how the brain enables us to understand speech, with a focus on both healthy older adults and adults with Alzheimer’s Disease. We also aim to understand how the brain measures seen while we listen and understand a story are linked to language skills in these individuals.

    Pivotal Response Treatment for Adolescents with High Functioning Autism Intervention Study
    This is a 9-week intervention focusing on key social skills for autistic adolescents, while exploring brain plasticity using fMRI imaging. Your child will receive 1:1 sessions with our clinician, with parent training in clinic. Topics include: Greetings, Departures, Question Asking, Talking the Right Amount, Empathy, Sarcasm, and Eating and Drinking. We also coordinate with the school for additional support and opportunities to practice the targeted social skills in a club of interest.

  • Geoffrey Abrams, MD

    Geoffrey Abrams, MD

    Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Abrams' research is focused on elucidating the pathobiology behind tendinoapthy and developing new treatment modalities for the disease. Specifically, his team is studying the role of micro-RNA as it relates to chronic inflammation and stem cell differentiation in the development and perpetuation of chronic tendinopathy.

  • Marwa Abu El Haija

    Marwa Abu El Haija

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Gastroenterology

    BioI am a pediatric gastroenterologist with clinical and research interest in childhood obesity. I believe that each patient is unique in their disease and background, that is why they deserve to be approached in an individualized way. I aspire to discover what's unknown about the pathophysiologic causes of obesity, and the mechanisms of which treatments work. My clinical and research interests in pediatric obesity found home within Stanford's distinctive position academically, medically and geographically.

  • Monther Abu-Remaileh

    Monther Abu-Remaileh

    Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and of Genetics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study the role of the lysosome in metabolic adaptation using subcellular omics approaches, functional genomics and innovative biochemical tools. We apply this knowledge to understand how lysosomal dysfunction leads to human diseases including neurodegeneration, cancer and metabolic syndrome.

  • Janelle Aby

    Janelle Aby

    Clinical Professor, Pediatrics - General Pediatrics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy interest is in the care and evaluation of newborns. In particular, I have been focusing on improving the educational experience for our residents and students in the nursery regarding the examination and management of term or near-term infants.

  • Peter Acker

    Peter Acker

    Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research and work focus on optimizing the use of health system data to create intelligent and accurate emergency referral systems to ensure vulnerable populations receive the care they require as efficiently as possible. I am interested in increasing our understanding of currently available health infrastructure in resource limited settings, and pairing that knowledge with technology tools to help identify patient's true needs and match those needs with health system capacity in real-time.

  • Maya Adam

    Maya Adam

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases

    BioDr. Adam is the Director of Health Media Innovation and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Stanford School of Medicine. Her research focuses on measuring the impact of innovative, video-based entertainment-education approaches to global health communication. She produces short, animated films and online courses on topics related to maternal child health, nutrition, mental health and disease prevention. She has designed and produced online educational content for the Stanford School of Medicine for use in their preclinical programs, continuing medical education programs and global health promotion efforts. She is the Faculty Lead for the Global Child Health Media Initiative and Associate Director of the Center for Digital Health at Stanford. She is also the lead instructor of eight massive open online courses reaching more than a million learners around the world. Adam is principal investigator on two randomized-controlled trials investigating the impact of digital global health education interventions on health-promoting behaviors. Her research is conducted in collaboration with the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health in Heidelberg, Germany. She is a Faculty Fellow at the Center for Innovation in Global Health and the author of Food, Love, Family: A Practical Guide to Child Nutrition.

  • Alyce Sophia Adams

    Alyce Sophia Adams

    Stanford Medicine Innovation Professor and Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, of Health Policy and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics (Endocrinology)

    BioDr. Adams is the inaugural Stanford Medicine Innovation Professor and Professor of Health Policy, Epidemiology and Population Health and of Pediatrics (by Courtesy). She also serves as Associate Chair for Health Equity and Community Engagement for Stanford Health Policy, Associate Director for Health Equity and Community Engagement in the Stanford Cancer Institute, and as Associate Director for Stanford Impact Labs. Focusing on racial and socioeconomic disparities in chronic disease treatment outcomes, Dr. Adams' interdisciplinary research seeks to evaluate the impact of changes in drug coverage policy on access to essential medications, understand the drivers of disparities in treatment adherence among insured populations, and test strategies for maximizing the benefits of treatment outcomes while minimizing harms through informed decision-making. Prior to joining Stanford School of Medicine, Dr. Adams was Associate Director for Health Care Delivery and Policy and a Research Scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, as well as a Professor at the Bernard J. Tyson Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine. From 2000 to 2008, she was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Population Medicine (formerly Ambulatory Care and Prevention) at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. She received her PhD in Health Policy and an MPP in Social Policy from Harvard University. She is a member of the Board of Directors for AcademyHealth and a former recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Excellence in Mentoring Award from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

  • Connor Adams

    Connor Adams

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Connor Adams (she/they) is a Clinical Assistant Professor who received her doctorate in psychology from the George Washington University and completed her internship training at Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance. Her clinical and research interests center on therapeutic interventions that support recovery for individuals living with serious mental illness. Dr. Adams grounds her work in a psychodynamic perspective, assisting individuals in understanding why they think, feel, and behave the way they do, in order to increase agency and choice. Dr. Adams has specialized training in comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy and provides treatment for individuals with emotion regulation difficulties. She also has specialized training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp). Additionally, Dr. Adams provides individual and group psychotherapy within the psychiatric inpatient treatment setting. She is broadly interested in increasing access to person-centered and recovery-oriented care.

  • Karen E. Adams MD, FACOG, DipABLM, MSCP

    Karen E. Adams MD, FACOG, DipABLM, MSCP

    Clinical Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology - General

    BioDr. Adams is doubly board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) and Lifestyle Medicine, and is a Menopause Society-certified menopause specialist and fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health at the Stanford Health Care Gynecology Clinic. She is a clinical professor of medicine in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine, Director of the Stanford Program in Menopause & Healthy Aging, a faculty affiliate of the Stanford Center on Longevity, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Stanford Women's Health and Sex Differences Center.

    As an OB-GYN for over three decades, Dr. Adams specializes in managing the symptoms of menopause, diagnosing and treating female sexual dysfunction, and utilizing lifestyle medicine to decrease the risk of chronic conditions associated with aging. In addition to her clinical practice, she serves as a mentor for the next generation of health care practitioners, working closely with medical students, residents, fellows, and primary care providers to elevate the care of women in California and beyond.

    Prior to her arrival at Stanford Health Care, Dr. Adams held the title of professor emeritus and was director of the Menopause and Sexual Medicine Program at the Center for Women’s Health at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). She also served as Vice Chair for Education and Residency Program Director at OHSU for 13 years.

    Dr. Adams is a recognized leader in medical education, having served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and on the national Review Committee for Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Her TEDx talk entitled “Sleep, Sex, and Menopausal Zest” has received over 160,000 views and she is an in-demand speaker on the topics of menopause and sex medicine to both medical and lay audiences nationally and internationally.

  • Ananta Addala

    Ananta Addala

    Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology)

    BioDr. Ananta Addala is a pediatric endocrinologist and physician scientist addressing disparities in pediatric type 1 diabetes management and outcomes. As a physician with a background in pediatric endocrinology, epidemiology, and behavioral health, she aims to build an evidence-based approach to addressing T1D disparities by systematically evaluating youth-, family-, provider-, and system-level barriers to optimal diabetes care in youth from low socioeconomic and racial/ethnic minority groups.

    To date, her publications have demonstrated that the disparities in pediatric T1D by socioeconomic status are worsening in the US, provider bias against public insurance is common, and public insurance mediated interruptions to diabetes technology adversely impact glycemic outcomes. She has also been leading the efforts to improve justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in research at Stanford University through her leadership at Stanford Pediatrics Advancing Anti-Racism Coalition and as the co-chair of TrialNet's Underrepresented Minorities Outreach Committee.

  • Ehsan Adeli

    Ehsan Adeli

    Assistant Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Public Mental Health and Populations Sciences)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research lies in the intersection of Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Healthcare, Ambient Intelligence, and Computational Neuroscience.

  • Steven Adelsheim

    Steven Adelsheim

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioSteven Adelsheim, MD is a child/adolescent and adult psychiatrist who works to support community behavioral health partnerships locally, regionally, at the state level and nationally. He is the Director of the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Adelsheim has partnered in developing statewide mental health policy and systems, including those focused on school mental health, telebehavioral health, tribal behavioral health programs, and suicide prevention. For many years Dr. Adelsheim has been developing and implementing early detection/intervention programs for young people in school-based and primary care settings, including programs for depression, anxiety, prodromal symptoms of psychosis, and first episodes of psychosis. Dr. Adelsheim is also involved in the implementation of integrated behavioral health care models in primary care settings as well as the use of media to decrease stigma surrounding mental health issues. He is currently leading the US effort to implement the headspace model of mental health early intervention for young people ages 12-25 based in Australia. Dr. Adelsheim also leads the national clinical network for early psychosis programs called PEPPNET.

  • John R. Adler, MD

    John R. Adler, MD

    The Dorothy and Thye King Chan Professor in Neurosurgery, Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe development and implementation of computerized, image-guided surgical tools to be used during minimally invasive brain operations. The clinical outcome of new technologies, and in particular the application of radiosurgery, for the treatment of brain tumors. The creation of new radiosurgical techniques for a wide array of brain and spine disorders.

  • Sarah Adler

    Sarah Adler

    Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am interested in the design and delivery of clinical care using, data and technology. I have focused on disordered eating behaviors and obesity.

  • Shehla Admani, MD

    Shehla Admani, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor, Dermatology

    BioShehla Admani is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Stanford University, School of Medicine. Dr. Admani completed her dermatology residency at the University California, San Diego where she served as chief resident during her final year. She then completed her pediatric dermatology fellowship at Stanford University, School of Medicine and has stayed on as faculty since that time. She is board certified in dermatology and pediatric dermatology. Dr. Admani’s academic interests include pediatric dermatology, vulvar dermatology and teledermatology.

  • Bruce T. Adornato

    Bruce T. Adornato

    Adjunct Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences

    BioDr. Adornato joined the Department of Neurology as Voluntary Clinical Faculty in 1978, (subsequently Adjunct Clinical Faculty) and has served as Director of the Neuromuscular Laboratory from 1978 until 1983, performing and interpreting nerve and muscle biopsies as well as serving as attending physician directing residents and medical students in the diagnosis and care of his private patients admitted to Stanford Hospital. Since 1986, he has been attending physician at the Palo Alto VA Hospital, directing Stanford Neurology residents and medical students in the care of veterans. He has published 69 peer reviewed papers and a number of book chapters in the field of neurology. He is currently the medical officer of a silicon valley startup exploring mobility devices for the neurologically impaired.

  • Ranjana Advani

    Ranjana Advani

    Saul A. Rosenberg, MD, Professor of Lymphoma

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical investigation in Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas and cutaneous lymphomas. Experimental therapeutics with novel chemotherapy and biologically targeted therapies.

    The research program is highly collaborative with radiation oncology, industry, pathology and dermatology.

  • Catherine Aftandilian

    Catherine Aftandilian

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Hematology & Oncology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI conduct clinical research on the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of infectious complications in pediatric patients with leukemia.

  • Rajni Agarwal

    Rajni Agarwal

    Professor of Pediatrics (Stem Cell Transplantation)
    On Leave from 11/04/2024 To 01/05/2025

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHematopoietic Stem cell biology-created a SCID mouse model to study engraftment of cord blood derived hematopoietic cells and use of this model to develop gene transfer technology for Fanconi anemia.
    Clinical research interests are to develop new protocols to reduce Toxicity from the conditioning regimens for stem cell transplants, reducing graft vs host disease, treatment of viral infections post transplant and use of manipulated HSC graft in patients who receive haplo donor transplants.

  • Rita Agarwal

    Rita Agarwal

    Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPart of the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Information Network (SPAIN) Steering Committee, looking at shirt and long tern outcomes of various pain management techniques in children.

  • Anuj Aggarwal

    Anuj Aggarwal

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

    BioAnuj Aggarwal, M.D., is both a practicing anesthesiologist and pain specialist. Originally from Southern California, Dr. Aggarwal completed his undergraduate studies in biology with honors at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. He earned his medical degree from University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine with distinction, completing the Health Professions Education (HPE) Pathway advanced program. He completed his internship at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. He then completed his Anesthesiology residency and Pain Medicine fellowship at Stanford Hospital, joining the faculty in 2018.

    In addition to his research and clinical areas of interest of perioperative pain and orofacial pain, he is the associate program director for the pain management fellowship, theme lead and course director for pharmacology for the medical school, and associate director for Science of Medicine overseeing the teaching of the various organ blocks in the pre-clerkship curriculum. He also is an E4C (Educator for Care) faculty member, teaching clinical skills, clinical reasoning and serving as a mentor to medical students throughout their training. In addition, he is involved within the anesthesia residency education programs through various committees, mentorship of residents, and direct teaching. Formerly, he served as the director of medical student and resident clerkships in pain management and pain theme lead in the pre-clerkship curriculum.

  • Lusine Aghajanova, M.D., Ph.D.

    Lusine Aghajanova, M.D., Ph.D.

    Clinical Associate Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology - Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility

    BioDr. Aghajanova received her medical degree from Yerevan State Medical University in Armenia, followed by residency in obstetrics and gynecology, then completed PhD in Human Implantation at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, followed with embryology training at Karolinska Institute, with an Internship in Austria.
    She continued her research as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California San Francisco.

    Subsequently, Dr. Aghajanova completed residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas and at UC San Francisco. She proceeded then with subspecialty fellowship training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at UC San Francisco. She is a respected researcher in the field of endometrial receptivity, implantation and endometriosis.

    Dr. Aghajanova speaks Russian and Armenian and is very well published with over 50 peer-reviewed publications as well as numerous other oral and poster presentations and is a professional peer-reviewer for over 12 journals.

    Dr.Aghajanova enjoys spending time with her husband and children, and traveling.

  • W. Stewart Agras

    W. Stewart Agras

    Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research is focused on disorders of human feeding including the eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Ongoing or recently completed studies include: A controlled trial of the implementation of interpersonal psychotherapy for eating disorders and depression on college campuses across the U.S. A multisite controlled study of two types of family therapy for the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa. Early prevemtion of overweight and obesity.

  • Patrick Cunningham Ahearn, MD, MAS

    Patrick Cunningham Ahearn, MD, MAS

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Nephrology

    BioDr. Ahearn is a board-certified nephrologist. He is also a clinical assistant professor in the Stanford University School of Medicine Division of Nephrology.

    He specializes in providing innovative care to kidney disease and transplant patients. He develops a comprehensive, compassionate care plan personalized to each patient in his care.

    In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Ahearn has conducted research on barriers to transplantation for patients with extended dialysis exposure, disparities in living kidney donation, and disparities in access to kidney transplant. He also has researched kidney transplant outcomes as they relate to the timing of dialysis initiation plus new pharmaceuticals for the kidney transplant population.

    Dr. Ahearn has made presentations on these and other topics to the American Transplant Congress and Society of General Internal Medicine Meeting. He has published peer-reviewed articles on his research topics in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, JAMA Network Open, American Journal of Kidney Diseases, American Journal of Surgery, and elsewhere. He has published abstracts in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

    Dr. Ahearn has earned honors for his research and scholarship. He has received research funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
    Among his honors, Dr. Ahearn was on the kidney transplant team that earned the Stanford Health Care Integrated Strategic Plan Star Award. The team was recognized for delivering excellence in patient care as well as for identifying opportunities to improve care.

    He is a member of the American Society of Nephrology and American Society of Transplantation.

    He has volunteered his time and expertise as a board member of the Village of Hope, a transitional housing program for homeless men, women, and children in Orange County, California. Dr. Ahearn has served as a volunteer and proctor at the free clinic providing medical services to the uninsured.

  • Iram Ahmad, MD, MME

    Iram Ahmad, MD, MME

    Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics

    BioDr. Iram Ahmad received her MD from the University of Michigan Medical School. She then completed Otolaryngology residency program at the University of Iowa. At Iowa, she was an NIH- sponsored T32 research resident in the Department of Otolaryngology. During her residency training she also gained expertise in education and graduated with a Master in Medical Education from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. After residency, Dr. Ahmad continued at Iowa for her fellowship in Pediatric Otolaryngology.

    Dr. Ahmad is an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery in the Pediatric Division. Her clinical expertise is in Pediatric Otology and hearing loss. She is focused on children with hearing loss, cochlear implantation, cholesteatoma, and general pediatric Otolaryngology. Her research interests are in children with congenital hearing loss and microstructure changes of the brain.

  • Somayeh H. Ahmad, DDS, Dr. Med. Dent.

    Somayeh H. Ahmad, DDS, Dr. Med. Dent.

    Instructor, Surgery - Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDentistry
    Dental Oncology
    Dental Surgery
    Special Needs Dentistry

  • Aijaz Ahmed, MD

    Aijaz Ahmed, MD

    Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology)

    BioDr. Ahmed is an internationally recognized hepatologist with expertise in the treatment of acute and chronic liver diseases. He is a board-certified specialist in gastroenterology and hepatology, transplant hepatology, and obesity medicine. Currently, he serves as the Medical Director of the Adult Liver Transplant Program at Stanford University.

    Dr. Ahmed graduated from Dow Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan. He completed his residency training in Internal Medicine at Brown University, Providence, RI and fellowship training in Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stanford University. During his fellowship, he focused on clinical and research training in General and Transplant Hepatology.

    For patients under his care, Dr. Ahmed remains dedicated to creating a personalized, comprehensive, and above-all a compassionate treatment plan. He outlines the diagnostic and follow-up management pathway in an individualized fashion; he updates his patients and their family/support at each step of the decision-making process; and he focuses on prioritizing the wishes of his patients and their family/support for an optimal outcome and quality of life.

    Dr. Ahmed remains clinically active and has been instrumental in establishing a wide network of hepatology outreach clinics in remote and underserved regions of California and Nevada.

    In addition to his patient care responsibilities, Dr. Ahmed remains committed to the educational mission of Stanford ford University. He remains deeply interested in mentoring trainees and students al levels from undergraduates to trainee physicians and junior colleagues. Dr. Ahmed has received several teaching awards during his career.

    Dr. Ahmed’s research interests include 1) multidisciplinary approach to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), 2) disparities in the management of chronic liver disease, 3) improving screening and management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and 4) outcomes research in NAFLD, HCC, viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and liver transplantation. He heads a busy and productive outcomes research team. In addition, he collaborates with basic scientists and is participating in several translational research projects at Stanford University.

    He has published his findings in textbooks, abstracts, case reports, and high- profile medical journals including Gastroenterology, Journal of Hepatology, Hepatology American Journal of Gastroenterology, and other well-renowned peer-reviewed publications.

    Dr. Ahmed and his team has made presentations to his peers at many national and international conferences: the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease, International Liver Congress, European Association for the Study of the Liver, Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver, and more. His presentations have addressed leading-edge approaches to the treatment of chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and liver failure. He also has presented his insights into the gastrointestinal impact of COVID-19.

    For his clinical, research, and teaching achievements, Dr. Ahmed has earned extensive recognition. His honors include being named as one of America’s Top Physicians by the Consumers’ Research Council of America.

    He is an active member of the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  • Neera Ahuja

    Neera Ahuja

    Professor of Medicine (Hospital Medicine)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical inpatient trials, Quality improvement, Assessing interventions with operations on throughput. SDOH/Health equity
    Medical education research; Intergenerational teaching/learning; Analysis of effects of duty hour regulations on housestaff training and ways to improve the system

  • Raag Airan

    Raag Airan

    Assistant Professor of Radiology (Neuroimaging and Neurointervention) and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and of Materials Science and Engineering

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur goal is to develop and clinically implement new technologies for high-precision and noninvasive intervention upon the nervous system. Every few millimeters of the brain is functionally distinct, and different parts of the brain may have counteracting responses to therapy. To better match our therapies to neuroscience, we develop techniques that allow intervention upon only the right part of the nervous system at the right time, using technologies like focused ultrasound and nanotechnology.

  • Teddy J. Akiki, MD

    Teddy J. Akiki, MD

    Clinical Scholar, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
    Postdoctoral Medical Fellow, Psychiatry

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDepression, PTSD, Glutamatergic Antidepressants (e.g., ketamine), Psychedelics, Multimodal Neuroimaging, Network Neuroscience, Machine Learning/Predictive Modeling, Morphometry

  • Todd Alamin, MD, FAAOS

    Todd Alamin, MD, FAAOS

    Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

    BioDr. Alamin is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeon and spine surgeon at Stanford Health Care Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. He is director of the Spine Surgery Fellowship Program and the Minimally Invasive Spine Center and a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Alamin completed his spine care and surgery fellowship training at Stanford University School of Medicine/St. Mary’s Medical Center.

    Dr. Alamin specializes in advanced, minimally invasive treatments for a range of conditions affecting the spine. He is skilled at relieving pain that results from spinal stenosis, scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, arthritis, and traumatic injuries. He combines extensive expertise with decades of experience to deliver innovative, personalized care to each of his patients.

    Dr. Alamin’s research interests include effective treatments for vertebral fractures, spinal deformities, scoliosis, herniated discs, and spondylolisthesis (when a vertebra slides out of place). As principal investigator for multiple clinical trials and research studies, Dr. Alamin has explored nerve ablation as a treatment for chronic low back pain and motion-preserving lumbar fusion techniques. He uses state-of-the-art medical devices, implants, and technology to make spine surgery more effective and help his patients move without pain.

    Dr. Alamin is known around the world for the treatment of spine disorders and injuries. He has published more than 65 articles in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including Spine, The Spine Journal, Clinical Spine Surgery, International Journal of Spine Surgery, and Journal of Orthopaedic Research. He has also written several book chapters that focus on diagnosing and treating spine conditions.

    A recognized leader in innovative spine surgery techniques, Dr. Alamin has invented dozens of medical devices, methods, and techniques for spine surgery. He holds a number of patents for his inventions, many of which have revolutionized back pain treatments. Physicians around the globe use his techniques and devices to help their patients with spine conditions.

    Dr. Alamin has been invited to present at conferences around the globe about spinal fusion procedures, novel techniques to treat spinal stenosis, and the latest medical devices to treat degenerative spondylolisthesis. He has lectured at annual meetings for the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons, the North American Spine Society, and the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine.

    Dr. Alamin is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine, the Spine Arthroplasty Society, and the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.

  • Fernando Alarid-Escudero

    Fernando Alarid-Escudero

    Assistant Professor of Health Policy

    BioFernando Alarid-Escudero, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University School of Medicine. He obtained his Ph.D. in Health Decision Sciences from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He was an Assistant Professor at the Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE) Región Centro, Aguascalientes, Mexico, from 2018 to 2022, prior to coming to Stanford. His research focuses on developing statistical and decision-analytic models to identify optimal prevention, control, and treatment policies to address a wide range of public health problems and develops novel methods to quantify the value of future research. Dr. Alarid-Escudero is a member of three cancers (colorectal [CRC], bladder, and gastric) of the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) consortium, a group of investigators sponsored by the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. that uses simulation modeling to evaluate the impact of cancer control interventions (e.g., prevention, screening, and treatment) on population trends in incidence and mortality. Dr. Alarid-Escudero co-founded the Stanford-CIDE Coronavirus Simulation Modeling (SC-COSMO) workgroup (https://www.sc-cosmo.org). He also co-founded the Decision Analysis in R for Technologies in Health (DARTH) workgroup (http://darthworkgroup.com) and the Collaborative Network on Value of Information (ConVOI; https://www.convoi-group.org), international and multi-institutional collaborative efforts where we develop transparent and open-source solutions to implement decision analysis and quantify the value of potential future investigation for health policy analysis. He received a BSc in Biomedical Engineering from the Metropolitan Autonomous University in Iztapalapa (UAM-I), and a Master’s in Economics from CIDE, both in Mexico.

  • Alexandriah Nicole Alas, MD

    Alexandriah Nicole Alas, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology

    BioDr. Alas is a board-certified, fellowship-trained urogynecologist with Stanford Health Care Obstetrics & Gynecology. She is also a pelvic surgeon and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine. She specializes in minimally invasive urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery, including vaginal, laparoscopic, robotic and VNOTES approaches.

    Dr. Alas has expertise in treating pelvic organ prolapse, urinary and fecal incontinence, bladder pain, vaginal fistulas, mesh and non-mesh procedures as well as treating complications. In addition, she offers uterine preservation surgeries as well as non-surgical options. She is trained in a variety of in-office procedures, including urodynamics, office cystoscopy, bladder Botox injections, urethral injections, PTNS, and sacral neuromodulation tests.

    Dr. Alas is nationally recognized for her expertise and serves as a national oral board examiner for the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is passionate about teaching and has served as the associate fellowship director in Urogynecology in the past and currently supervises, teaches, and mentors medical students, residents, and fellows in urogynecology.

    Dr. Alas is actively involved in research and serves on the Society of Gynecological Surgeons Systematic Review Group. She has published her work in many peer-reviewed journals, including International Urogynecology Journal, Journal of Urology, and Obstetrics & Gynecology. She also serves as a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals and has presented her research nationally and internationally.

  • Gregory W. Albers, MD

    Gregory W. Albers, MD

    Coyote Foundation Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur group’'s research focus is the acute treatment and prevention of cerebrovascular disorders. Our primary interest is the use of advanced imaging techniques to expand the treatment window for ischemic stroke. We are also conducting clinical studies of both neuroprotective and thrombolytic strategies for the treatment of acute stroke and investigating new antithrombotic strategies for stroke prevention.

  • Deborah Alcorn, MD

    Deborah Alcorn, MD

    Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Stanford University Medical Center, Emerita

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsGene linkage - tuberous sclerosis; stabismus and, molteno implants; congenital stationary night blindness

  • Maria Alexandrovna Aleshin, MD

    Maria Alexandrovna Aleshin, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor, Dermatology

    BioMaria Aleshin, M.D., is Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology, Director of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinic, and Co-Director of the Inpatient Dermatology Consult Service at Stanford Medicine. Her clinical interests include hidradenitis suppurativa, complex medical dermatology, and inpatient dermatology. Dr. Aleshin received her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley and her M.D. from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. She completed her dermatology residency at UCLA, where she also served as Chief Resident in her final year.

  • Amy Alexander

    Amy Alexander

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCollege Mental Health, Emotional Support Animals & Service Animals, Women's Health, Mental Health & Well-being in Veterinarians

  • Kevin M. Alexander, MD, FACC, FHFSA

    Kevin M. Alexander, MD, FACC, FHFSA

    Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)

    BioDr. Alexander is an advanced heart failure-trained cardiologist. He is also an Assistant Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.

    Dr. Alexander specializes in the management of advanced heart failure and transplant cases, seeing a wide range of patients. He also has an active research laboratory, studying various forms of heart failure.

    Dr. Alexander has expertise in diagnosing and treating transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis, a critical yet underdiagnosed cause of heart failure among African Americans and the elderly. He is conducting extensive research to enhance our understanding of this condition, with grant support from the National Institutes of Health and American Heart Association, among other sources.

  • Steven R. Alexander, MD

    Steven R. Alexander, MD

    Professor of Pediatrics (Nephrology), Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDialysis, kidney transplantation, continuous renal replacement therapy in pediatric patients; chronic kidney disease in pediatric patients.

  • Tayyeba K. Ali, MD

    Tayyeba K. Ali, MD

    Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, Ophthalmology

    BioTayyeba K. Ali, MD, a Board Certified ophthalmologist, specializes in complex corneal disease and uveitis. She sees patients at Palo Alto Medical Foundation / Sutter Health in Sunnyvale, CA. Dr. Ali also works as a medical specialist on contract for Google.

    Prior to completing two fellowships in cornea, external disease, refractive surgery and uveitis at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, ranked #1 eye hospital in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Dr. Ali finished her ophthalmology residency at the Jones Eye Institute / UAMS. She earned her medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine and completed her undergraduate training in English literature and creative writing from Agnes Scott College.

    Dr. Ali has received many academic and teaching awards including the Bascom Palmer Fellow of the Year Award and the Jone’s Eye Dean’s Faculty Award. She has delivered dozens of lectures on the national and international level and published numerous meeting abstracts and peer-reviewed journal articles.

    As a second generation American, Tayyeba finds herself dwelling on migrant and refugee stories, their need for ethnic and religious identity, and the repercussions of these journeys. She is keenly interested in international medicine, resident education, health technology and taking a closer look at the moral crossroads we face in healthcare. She is the Associated Director for Pegasus Physician Writers at Stanford as well as the Senior Fiction Editor for the medical literary magazine, The Pegasus Review; she has a particular affinity for colons (grammatically, not anatomically, speaking) and semicolons.

  • Ash A. Alizadeh, MD/PhD

    Ash A. Alizadeh, MD/PhD

    Moghadam Family Professor

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research is focused on attaining a better understanding of the initiation, maintenance, and progression of tumors, and their response to current therapies toward improving future treatment strategies. In this effort, I employ tools from functional genomics, computational biology, molecular genetics, and mouse models.

    Clinically, I specialize in the care of patients with lymphomas, working on translating our findings in prospective cancer clinical trials.

  • Matthew S Alkaitis, MD PhD

    Matthew S Alkaitis, MD PhD

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine

    BioMatthew S Alkaitis MD, PhD is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Hospital medicine and Stanford School of Medicine. He received his PhD in biochemistry from the University of Oxford, in collaboration the National Institutes of Health as part of the NIH’s graduate partnership program. He received his MD from Harvard Medical school and completed his residency in internal medicine at Stanford. Dr. Alkaitis’ research interests span basic biochemistry, clinical informatics, natural language processing, genetics of hematologic malignancies and methods of cell-free DNA detection. His primary medical education interest is expanding accessibility of modern computational and bioinformatics techniques for clinical research.

  • Kimberly Allison

    Kimberly Allison

    Professor of Pathology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Allison’s clinical expertise is in breast pathology. Her research interests include how standards should be applied to breast cancer diagnostics (such as ER and HER2 testing), the utility of molecular panel-based testing in breast cancer, digital pathology applications and identifying the most appropriate management of specific pathologic diagnoses.

  • Leina Alrabadi

    Leina Alrabadi

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Gastroenterology

    BioI enjoy working with a multidisciplinary team to care for patients who have complex medical needs with the aim of giving children a better future. As a clinical researcher, my main focus is on finding improved therapies for autoimmune and cholestatic liver diseases, since an ideal therapy currently does not exist.

  • Emily Alsentzer

    Emily Alsentzer

    Assistant Professor of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Computer Science

    BioDr. Emily Alsentzer is an Assistant Professor in Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, Computer Science at Stanford University. Her research leverages machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to augment clinical decision-making and broaden access to high quality healthcare. She focuses on integrating medical expertise into ML models to ensure responsible deployment in clinical workflows. Dr. Alsentzer completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where she worked to deploy ML models within the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. She received her PhD from the Health Sciences and Technology program at MIT and Harvard Medical School and holds degrees in computer science (BS) and biomedical informatics (MS) from Stanford University. She has served as General Chair for the Machine Learning for Health Symposium and founding organizer for SAIL and the Conference on Health, Inference, and Learning (CHIL).

  • Olivia Altamirano, PhD

    Olivia Altamirano, PhD

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCulturally Sensitive Therapy is a group psychotherapy for people with early psychosis and their families. Study aims are to understand if this treatment is compatible with this population, to assess improvements in family functioning and mental health symptoms, to assess mediating factors (e.g., increased usage of adaptive religious and other cultural beliefs/values), and to assess longevity of improvements. Last, we aim to qualitatively understand participants’ experiences with this treatment.

  • Nicolas Altemose

    Nicolas Altemose

    Assistant Professor of Genetics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Altemose Lab develops new experimental and analytical tools to study how chromatin proteins organize and regulate complex regions of the human genome.

  • Russ B. Altman

    Russ B. Altman

    Kenneth Fong Professor and Professor of Bioengineering, of Genetics, of Medicine, of Biomedical Data Science, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Institute for HAI and Professor, by courtesy, of Computer Science

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI refer you to my web page for detailed list of interests, projects and publications. In addition to pressing the link here, you can search "Russ Altman" on http://www.google.com/

  • Al'ai Alvarez, MD

    Al'ai Alvarez, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am a Biodesign Faculty Fellow graduate, and my active research is on using biometrics for personalized fatigue-mitigation lifestyle coaching in high-performance teams to minimize sleep-related disruptions.

  • Ruben Alvero, M.D.

    Ruben Alvero, M.D.

    Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility)

    BioDr. Ruben Alvero is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford Medical School and is the Division Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital. He is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American College of Surgeons.

    Following undergraduate training at Harvard College (BA, Economics, 1980), Dr. Alvero received his medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland in 1986. He completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (1990) and a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes of Health (NIH, 1995).

    Dr. Alvero was the Division Director for Infertility Services at the National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center and faculty in the NIH-sponsored fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Alvero remained a reserve Colonel in the U.S. Army Medical Corps until 2012 and during 27 years in the Army was mobilized several times for missions around the world, including service in Iraq, Kuwait, Mongolia, Germany and various locations in the United States.

    Dr. Alvero was Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Vice Chair for Education at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the Director of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies, and founding member of the Center for Surgical Innovation. Dr. Alvero was Residency Program Director in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado. He was subsequently Division and Fellowship Director at Brown University.

    The Council in Residency Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology awarded him its National Faculty Award for Excellence three times. He has been NIH-funded, most recently as part of the Reproductive Medicine Network.

    Dr. Alvero is currently the Vice President of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology, the national organization of fertility specialists and will take over as President in October 2020.

    Dr. Alvero’s clinical interests include IVF, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis and robotic surgery. Dr. Alvero’s research interests include non-invasive evaluation of embryo quality, cost-effectiveness analysis, and the role of critical thinking in medical education. A fluent Spanish-speaker, Dr. Alvero is also dedicated to improving the health of the Latinx community.

    Dr. Alvero is happiest on the water, whether sailing or singles rowing. He is also constantly attempting to improve his mastery of Latin American cuisine. Most of all, he loves spending time with his family.

  • Cristina Maria Alvira

    Cristina Maria Alvira

    Assoc Prof-Univ Med Line, Pediatrics - Critical Care

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe overall objective of the Alvira Laboratory is to elucidate the mechanisms that promote postnatal lung development and repair, by focusing on three main scientific goals: (i) identification of the signaling pathways that direct the transition between the saccular and alveolar stages of lung development; (ii) exploration of the interplay between postnatal vascular and alveolar development; and (iii) determination of developmentally regulated pathways that mediate lung repair after injury.

  • Jennifer Alyono, MD, MS

    Jennifer Alyono, MD, MS

    Clinical Associate Professor, Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery)

    BioDr. Alyono completed her undergraduate degree in Chemistry as well as her master’s degree in Bioengineering at Stanford University. After completing medical school at the University of California, San Diego, she returned to Stanford where she completed both her residency in Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, as well as her fellowship in Otology/Neurotology and Skull base surgery. Clinically, Dr. Alyono specializes in adult and pediatric surgery for disorders of the middle ear, inner ear, ear canal, facial nerve, and skull base. This includes care for hearing loss, tympanic membrane perforations, cholesteatoma, glomus tumors, and vestibular schwannomas, among others. Her research interests lie in hearing in population health, quality of care, and technology in medicine.

  • Derek F. Amanatullah, M.D., Ph.D.

    Derek F. Amanatullah, M.D., Ph.D.

    Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery

    BioDr. Amanatullah specializes in hip and knee replacements for individuals with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, infectious arthritis and avascular necrosis. He also performs revision surgeries of knee and hip implants with problems.

  • Manuel R. Amieva

    Manuel R. Amieva

    Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy laboratory studies how bacteria colonize our bodies for long periods of time, and how interactions between bacteria and the epithelial surfaces of the gastrointestinal tract and skin may lead to disease. Epithelial surfaces are the first barrier against infection, but they also where our bodies meet and co-evolve with the microbial world.. Several of our studies have focused on the epithelial junctions as a target for bacterial pathogens. The host epithelium uses its epithelial junctions to form a tight but dynamic barrier with an external surface that is inhospitable to microbial attachment, secretes anti-microbial compounds, and has a rapid rate of self-renewal. The balance in the microbe-epithelial relationship results in silent commensalism or symbiosis; an imbalance results in diseases ranging from acute bacterial invasive disease to chronic ulcers or carcinoma.

    Our laboratory has developed novel microscopy applications such as quantitative 3D confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, time-lapse imaging, microinjection and micromanipulation to visualize the interaction of pathogens with epithelial cells in culture and in animal and human tissues. Many of out studies focus on the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori, but we have also expanded our investigations to include the intestinal pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica, and the skin pathogen and colonizer Staphylococcus aureus. I believe that elucidating how microbes communicate with and alter our epithelial cells at a molecular level will be important for finding novel therapeutic targets to control mucosal colonization and prevent invasive disease.

    Using this perspective, we have uncovered several novel concepts of how bacteria colonize and breach our epithelial surfaces. For example, we discovered that Helicobacter pylori target the intercellular junctions, and in particular that the virulence factor CagA affects junction assembly and cell polarity. This confers H. pylori the ability to extract nutrients and grow directly on the epithelial surface. We also found that these properties of CagA have consequences for cellular transformation of the epithelium. For instance, we showed that H. pylori affect the activity and state of epithelial stem cells in the stomach by colonizing the epithelial surface deep in the gastric glands. This gland-associated population is essential for pathological inflammation and hyperplasia in animal models, and confers significant colonization advantages to the bacteria. Our Listeria research uncovered a new mechanism and site where bacteria can breach the gastrointestinal epithelial barrier to invade. We found that Listeria find their receptor for invasion at sites of epithelial senescence, where the epithelial junctions undergo dynamic turnover. To study Salmonella and H. pylori we have developed a human organoid model to study their interactions with human gut epithelium in vitro. To study Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis, we have developed methods to visualize infection at the scale of a single bacterial microcolony using an organoid culture system of human keratinocytes and fibroblasts that grow into a 3D skin-equivalent. We recently identified several proteins at the eptithelial junctions as host factors involved in the pathogenesis of one of Staphylococcus aureus major toxins.