School of Medicine


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  • Qianheng Ma

    Qianheng Ma

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry

    BioQianheng (Jessica) Ma obtained her PhD degree of biostatistics at University of Chicago under the supervision of Prof. Donald Hedeker and is the 2021 recipient of the dissertation grant from Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology (SMEP). Her current research focus are modern statistical methods and deep learning techniques for mining (multivariate) intensive longitudinal data especially psychological/behavioral measures collected by mobile/wearable devices. Besides research, she loves playing the piano and is good at Jazz improvisation and she can speak fluent Cantonese.

  • Quan Maq Ma

    Quan Maq Ma

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Genetics

    BioQuan (Maq) Ma is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Genetics at the Stanford School of Medicine. His research focuses on developing high-throughput sequencing technologies to study RNA modifications and identify substrates of RNA-binding proteins using biochemical and chemical biology approaches. Maq is also interested in the role of RNA editing in inflammatory chronic diseases.

  • Sasidhar Madugula

    Sasidhar Madugula

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurosurgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on high-precision neural interfaces and the development of next-generation brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for sensory and motor restoration. I am particularly interested in the biophysics of electrical stimulation, systems neuroscience, and the decoding of neural activity for high-fidelity communication and control. My work spans both fundamental and translational neuroscience.

  • Rim Malek

    Rim Malek

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy work is focused on the development of small molecules radiotracers for cancer imaging, and small molecules and peptides theranostics for cancer detection, targeted radionuclide therapy, and monitoring of tumor response to therapy.

  • Lise Mangiante

    Lise Mangiante

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Stanford Cancer Institute

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focused on understanding the evolution and ecology of cancer, and determinants of disease progression through analysis and modeling of high-dimensional, clinically annotated datasets.

  • Vivek Maradia

    Vivek Maradia

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Radiation Therapy

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI research ultra-high dose rate delivery using proton, x-ray, and electron beams for FLASH preclinical studies, aiming to understand efficacy and safety mechanisms. My work aims to transform cancer therapy and enhance patient outcomes. Leveraging insights from PSI's PROScan facility, I design a compact cyclotron-based proton therapy infrastructure for various radiation therapy setups.

  • Riccardo Marrocchio

    Riccardo Marrocchio

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

    BioRiccardo Marrocchio received his BSc in Physics from the Sapienza University of Rome and his MSc in Physics from the University of Rome Tor Vergata. During his master, he had the opportunity to study and develop analytical and computational techniques to build mathematical models of complex biological systems, in particular of neuronal networks and the hearing system. He then joined the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research as a Ph.D. researcher at the University of Southampton. During his Ph.D., he worked on the development of a model of active cochlear micromechanics. After his PhD he continued at the University of Southampton joining the DigiTwin project as a Research Fellow, to work on the generalization of the biological feedback system of the cochlea to the design of control systems. To pursue his interests in hearing research, he joined Dr. Ó Maoiléidigh Lab, where he is working on stochastic fluctuations in hair bundles.

  • Brittany Elizabeth Matheson, PhD

    Brittany Elizabeth Matheson, PhD

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioBrittany Matheson, PhD, is a clinical assistant professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Eating Disorders Clinic. She completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University, doctorate from the Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego, and APA clinical internship at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford (LPCH)/Children’s Health Council. Dr. Matheson is a certified family-based treatment (FBT) therapist and consultant. She is also the director of the Stanford Eating Disorder Research Program Data Coordination Center and collaborates with colleagues on NIH-funded randomized clinical trials. Dr. Matheson's research interests include examining the psychosocial, neurocognitive, and familial factors related to disordered eating and excess weight gain in youth. She is interested in the development and implementation of evidence-based treatments for youth with disordered eating as well as better understanding factors that influence pediatric bariatric surgery outcomes. Dr. Matheson has specialized research and clinical expertise in the interplay among obesity, disordered eating, and autism spectrum disorder and is the director of psychological services for the LPCH adolescent metabolic and bariatric surgery program. She conducts comprehensive evaluations and provides evidence-based treatments for individuals across the age-spectrum with eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, and other specified feeding and eating disorders. Her recent research focuses on reducing access to care barriers by digitizing evidence-based treatments and utilizing technology to enhance treatment outcomes.

  • Mrudang Mathur

    Mrudang Mathur

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Thoracic Surgery

    BioMrudang Mathur is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery working with Dr. William Hiesinger. He received his B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Delhi Technological University before completing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin under the supervision of Dr. Manuel K. Rausch. His research interests include cardiovascular biomechanics, computational science, image processing, and scientific visualization.

  • Chris Mathy

    Chris Mathy

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Genetics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsML for protein / cell engineering; synthetic mitochondrial genomes.

  • Alejandro Matia

    Alejandro Matia

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Molecular and Cellular Physiology

    BioAlejandro Matía is a CZ Biohub Collaborative Postdoctoral Fellow, working jointly with the Huttenhain lab at Stanford and the Arias group at the CZ Biohub San Francisco. The main focus of his research is to use systems approaches to uncover new insights into viral infections, such as identifying host factors in relevant study models. Alejandro obtained his PhD research at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), employing multi-omic technologies such as CRISPR genetic screens and single cell transcriptomics in Poxvirus infections. His interest in Bioinformatics led to the creation of MaGplotR, a tool designed for the analysis of multiple genetic screens. Alejandro also has experience in long-read sequencing, and he has sequenced different viral genomes such as Vaccinia virus, Monkeypox virus, West Nile virus and others.

  • Devin Malloy McCauley

    Devin Malloy McCauley

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Adolescent Medicine

    BioDevin McCauley earned his PhD in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University in 2021, where his research applied intensive longitudinal methods and time-varying effect modeling to investigate family, school, and peer influences on adolescent mental health and well-being. A second focus of his research applies a developmental framework in study of adolescent e-cigarette use. He is particularly interested in identifying sociodemographic (e.g., race/ethnicity, sexual identity) disparities in risk factors for e-cigarette use. His long-term goal is to inform, develop, and evaluate family and school-based prevention programs which support healthy adolescent development and address health disparities related to e-cigarette use.

  • Thulaj Dattatraya Meharwade

    Thulaj Dattatraya Meharwade

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Cardiovascular Institute

    BioDr. Thulaj Meharwade is a postdoctoral fellow at the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute with research interests in Inflammaging, disease modeling, cellular heterogeneity and drug discovery. Dr. Meharwade received his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Montreal, after conducting thesis work on signalling and transcriptional mechanisms regulating cell fate heterogeneity and totipotent stem cells.

  • Esmeralda Melgoza

    Esmeralda Melgoza

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Emergency Medicine

    BioEsmeralda Melgoza, PhD, MPH, CHES is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stanford University's School of Medicine. Her research examines health inequities in the U.S. healthcare system, with a focus on emergency medical services provided in the prehospital setting and the emergency department. She centers her research on the experiences of underserved populations, including Latine/Hispanics, older adults, and people with limited English proficiency. She is trained in both quantitative and qualitative methods. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including Medical Care, Health Affairs Scholar, Prehospital Emergency Care, SSM-Qualitative Research in Health, and Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, among others. She is a current recipient of a grant from the CARESTAR Foundation.

    Dr. Melgoza received her PhD in Community Health Sciences from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and a minor in Gerontology from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Her dissertation research was funded by an R36 grant from the National Institute on Aging. Dr. Melgoza is a former Senior Research Analyst at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute and an alumna of the Yale Ciencia Academy at Yale University. She is bilingual in English and Spanish. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, mentoring, and hiking.

  • Hector Mendez

    Hector Mendez

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Cardiovascular Medicine

    BioDr. Hector Rodrigo Mendez is a Medical Geneticist from Argentina. Rodrigo completed a residency program in Medical Genetics at Centro Nacional de Genetica Medica – ANLIS (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and a Master’s program in Medical Molecular Biology at Buenos Aires University.

    Rodrigo continued his scientific career at a German Genomic Start-up, working as a human geneticist and providing his experience in rare disorders, genomic data (WGS/WES/gene panels) analysis, variant interpretation, and its integration with a deep focus on genotype-phenotype correlation.

    Rodrigo’s areas of expertise are rare disorders, NGS technology, Whole Genome Sequencing analysis, and ACMG interpretation guidelines, and his research aims are:

    - Collection and analysis of clinical data through deep-learning phenotyping approaches.
    - Multi-omic data integration to elucidate complex and rare genetic disorders.
    - Drive progress in curing rare genetic diseases, particularly among critically sick infants.

    At Stanford University, under the supervision of Dr. Matthew Wheeler, he is conducting his postdoctoral research studies to achieve his scientific goals.

  • Yan Mia Min

    Yan Mia Min

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Cardiothoracic Surgery

    BioYan Mia Min is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Epidemiology and Population Health and a Stanford Data Science Scholar. Her background is in medicine and health economics. She completed her residency in general surgery. She just completed her Master's in Statistics in the summer of 2022.

    Yan has worked as a health policy analyst in the health finance cluster at the World Health Organization in Geneva. She also took a leadership role in establishing the WELL Living Laboratory Cohort at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.

    Yan’s current research is focused on rigorous causal inference theories and modeling in large-scale observational settings, with particular applications in cardiothoracic surgeries, where randomization is often unavailable. Her training in epidemiology makes her share a strong sense of integrity in research conduct. Along with her teammates, Yan is writing an e-book, Open, Rigorous and Reproducible Science: A Practitioner’s Manual, to address the following three phases of scientific research: design, analysis, and publication.

  • Pardis Miri

    Pardis Miri

    Basic Life Research Scientist, Genetics

    BioPardis Miri, PhD, is a Research Scientist and former Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University, where she develops technology aimed at improving mental well-being. She holds a PhD in Computer Science and has extensive training in affective science under Professor James J. Gross. Pardis leads a multidisciplinary team (http://wehab.stanford.edu
    ) conducting clinical and real-world studies to assess how wearable technologies can reduce stress and enhance glymphatic flow in early-stage Alzheimer’s patients.

    During her postdoctoral work, Pardis served as the principal investigator of FAR, a multi-disciplinary project to design, build, and evaluate an end-to-end wearable system for children with emotion dysregulation, including those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. FAR aims to support more adaptive emotion-regulation strategies through a combination of systems design and behavioral research.

    Pardis is advised by Professors Michael Snyder, Keith Marzullo, and James J. Gross, and collaborates with Professor Antonio Hardan of the Stanford School of Medicine on research involving children with autism spectrum disorder.

  • Vaishali Mittal

    Vaishali Mittal

    Member, Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)

    BioVaishali Mittal, MD is a Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow in the Department of Dermatology at Stanford University under the guidance of Dr. Jean Y. Tang.

    Her current research is focused on epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a group of rare diseases that cause the skin and mucous membranes to blister easily. She is involved in conducting long-term clinical trials examining the application of an autologous, gene-corrected keratinocyte sheet for the treatment of recessive dystrophic EB (RDEB). In addition, she is currently leading several research projects, including investigation of genotype-phenotype associations in multiple subtypes of EB, creation of an online platform for EB patients/families and investigators to collaborate together on research, and development of an online genetic registry for EB patients using a novel, home-based genetic testing kit.

    Vaishali received her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed her internship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Brockton Hospital.

  • Masashi Miyauchi

    Masashi Miyauchi

    Basic Life Research Scientist, Medicine - Med/Hematology

    BioMasashi Miyauchi, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist specializing in hematology, oncology, immunology, and stem cell biology, with over a decade of experience in clinical hematology and oncology. Dr. Miyauchi's academic career commenced at Kyoto University, where he obtained his MD in Medicine. He furthered his expertise with a PhD in Internal Medicine from The University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Medicine. Following his comprehensive clinical training and professional appointments at The University of Tokyo Hospital, Dr. Miyauchi embarked on a postdoctoral journey at Stanford University in the Nakauchi lab, starting in July 2019.
    Dr. Miyauchi's clinical training is extensive, including a Senior Residency in Internal Medicine and a Clinical Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at The University of Tokyo Hospital. This period was complemented by his participation in a Cancer Professional Training Plan. After completing his clinical fellowship, Dr. Miyauchi has served in various pivotal roles at The University of Tokyo Hospital and The University of Tokyo. His positions as a clinically-focused Project Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor in the Department of Hematology and Oncology have enabled him to contribute significantly to pioneering research and education for the next wave of medical professionals.
    In his PhD research, Dr. Miyauchi specialized in the disease modeling of cancers and cancer stem cells, employing cancer patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). His work with iPSCs notably includes scalable ex vivo manufacturing of human neutrophils. In his postdoctoral research under the guidance of Dr. Hiromitsu Nakauchi in Genetics at Stanford, Dr. Miyauchi has been concentrating on developing a stable hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) expansion system in both mouse and human models. His research is focused on exploring the potential applications of this expansion system, underlining his commitment to advancing the fields of stem cell biology, regenerative medicine and oncology.

  • Islam Mohamed Nour Hassan Mohamed

    Islam Mohamed Nour Hassan Mohamed

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Pediatric Surgery

    BioDr. Islam Nour is a molecular virologist with over fifteen years of research experience spanning viral genomics, reverse genetics, and structural–functional analysis of pathogenic RNA viruses. As a previous postdoctoral fellow in Molecular Virology at USDA-ARS, he designed and deployed reverse-genetics systems for IBDV and avian reovirus, integrated Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing with comparative genomics, and coupled these approaches to IHC/IF-based pathogenesis models. His earlier work on rotavirus and SARS-CoV spike evolution, protein modelling, and molecular viral surveillance further strengthened his ability to connect viral sequence variation to phenotypic outcomes and tissue injury. He is particularly motivated to bring this mechanistic and translational expertise to multidisciplinary clinical teams in pediatric liver disease and transplantation in division of pediatric surgery in Stanford Medicine, contributing rigorous viral pathogenesis, vector design, and protein expression skills to clinically relevant models and biomarker discovery.

  • Ashu Mohammad

    Ashu Mohammad

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Urology

    BioRecieved his PhD in molecular biology from Shoolini University, India. He is trying to understand the implications of oxidative stress and circadian rhythms in IC/BPS and Nocturia repectively.

  • Shadi Momtahen

    Shadi Momtahen

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine

    BioShadi Momtahen holds a BSc and MSc in Computer Science and Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Mechatronic Systems Engineering from Simon Fraser University, where she collaborated with the BC Cancer Agency on deep learning applications for cancer detection and treatment. She previously served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia, working with the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD) to develop machine learning models for biosensor-based health monitoring.

    Currently, Shadi is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Aghaeepour Lab at Stanford Medicine. Her research focuses on applying deep learning to large-scale medical datasets—including wearable vital signs—to identify clinically relevant patterns and enable predictive, personalized healthcare.

  • Samuel Montalvo

    Samuel Montalvo

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Cardiovascular Medicine

    BioAs a clinical exercise physiologist and sport biomechanist, I am dedicated to advancing human exercise and sports performance. I hold certifications as a Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) and as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction (CSCS, *D) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). In 2022, I was honored with the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship and a T32 Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Research Training in Myocardial Biology (TIMBS) at Stanford University.

    My research focuses on understanding the mechanical, molecular, and physiological mechanisms that underpin human performance. I am also committed to developing innovative and practical training methods to enhance exercise and sports performance. Currently, I am a member of the Stanford Bioinformatics Core, contributing to the NIH-funded Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) project. In this capacity, I analyze extensive clinical and exercise datasets, as well as multi-omic, multi-tissue, multi-exercise modality, and multi-species data, to uncover new insights into the biological mechanisms of physical activity and its impact on human health and performance.

    In addition to my primary research focus, I collaborate with several teams at Stanford on projects involving Sports and Electrocardiography, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing, Exercise and Neuromuscular Disease, and the Stanford Baseball Team.

    Beyond research, I am deeply committed to teaching and mentoring. As a first-generation college graduate and a Mexican-American with Indigenous heritage, I bring a unique perspective to my work, which informs my dedication to creating supportive and inclusive spaces for underrepresented groups in science and education. I serve as a Post-Doc Mentoring Coach in collaboration with the Stanford Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, where I facilitate bi-weekly workshops on mentoring for postdocs. I am also part of the Stanford PRISM program, which promotes opportunities for postdoctoral scholars. Furthermore, I mentor prospective and current medical students through the MAVERICs program (Metascience Analyses and Explorations of Reproducibility in Cardiovascular Science) as part of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, supporting their growth in cardiovascular research.

    These experiences reflect my dedication to fostering an inclusive and supportive academic environment. My long-term goal is to become a professor, combining my passion for research, education, and mentoring the next generation of scientists to advance the fields of exercise physiology, multi-omics, and sports science.

  • Elena Monti

    Elena Monti

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Microbiology and Immunology

    BioMy research during my PhD focused on the human neuromuscular system adaptations in response to overloading (training), unloading, aging and disease (specifically, cancer cachexia).
    To date, during my postdoc, I am working on the effects of the enzyme 15-PGDH on the neuromuscular system health/connection in young and aged animals.

  • Sakib Mostafa

    Sakib Mostafa

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Radiation Physics

    BioI am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Stanford University with a background in computational genomics and deep learning. My research focuses on developing AI-powered tools for genomic analysis, with a particular interest in cancer classification, pangenomes, and genotype imputation. Previously, I worked as a Research Officer at the National Research Council of Canada, contributing to large-scale sequencing projects and machine learning interfaces for biologists. I am passionate about bridging domain biology with cutting-edge computational methods to solve complex biological questions and drive innovation in precision agriculture and healthcare.

  • Eric Mou, MD

    Eric Mou, MD

    Postdoctoral Medical Fellow, Oncology

    BioI was born in Oregon and raised in Iowa, where I cultivated my initial interest in science and medicine. I completed my undergraduate degree and medical school at the University of Iowa before heading to Stanford University for my internal medicine residency and oncology fellowship training. I chose this field to try my best in assisting patients during times of great need, and working to understand what is of greatest importance to them as they navigate their unique journey of cancer care. My clinical focus is in the care of patients with lymphoma and other hematologic cancers. My scholarly interests include better understanding the efficacy cancer therapeutics, improving patients' experience as the proceed through treatment, and promoting strength in medical education.

  • Solene Moulin

    Solene Moulin

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Pathology

    BioI am a very curious person who likes to understand how things work and I love to contribute to new discoveries that will help to cope with tomorrow’s challenges. After my studies at the Ecole Normale Supérieure Ulm, I got specialized in plant science. I am interested in this research field because plants are critical for environment as well as for food and bio-energy production. In 2016, I joined CEA Cadarache for my PhD which led me to participate in a research program on hydrocarbon synthesis in algae. I really liked this project which was focusing on both reaching a bio-based production of hydrocarbons for fuel production and deciphering of the hydrocarbon synthesis pathway in algae. I have been leading research to assess the occurrence of this pathway in the different types of eukaryotic algae, its evolutionary history and its relevance for algal physiology. I am now going to study another evolutionary history that has led to a symbiosis between a diatom and a N-fixing cyanobacteria, the latest being on its way to become an organelle. Understanding the physiological relationship between the diatom and the cyanobacteria will help understanding nitrogen cycle and could lead to major innovations in farming.

  • Salvinaz Islam Moutusy

    Salvinaz Islam Moutusy

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Immunology and Rheumatology

    BioI am a medical scientist with expertise in basic biomedical research focusing on Microbiology and Immunology. After getting medical license from Bangladesh, I received MD in Medical Microbiology from BSMMU, Bangladesh and MS in Environmental Health Science from the University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Japan.

  • Lucas Murray

    Lucas Murray

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Biochemistry

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI use single-molecule tools and approaches to study the assembly and function of molecular machines. I currently am working to understand the interplay between genome structure and kinetochore assembly and function in vertebrates.

  • Adel Mutahar

    Adel Mutahar

    Postdoctoral Scholar, General and Vascular Surgery

    BioDr. Adel Z. I. Mutahar is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University, working under the mentorship of Dr. Frederick M. Dirbas. His research focuses on translational breast cancer biology and emerging radiotherapy technologies, with an emphasis on tumor–microenvironment interactions, immuno-oncology, and preclinical therapeutic development. His academic journey spans three countries—beginning in Yemen, advancing through India, and now progressing at Stanford—reflecting his commitment to impactful cancer research and global scientific advancement.
    Dr. Mutahar began his career in Yemen, earning his Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences before joining Abs Community College as a faculty member. From 2007–2013, he held several academic leadership roles, including Academic Director, Head of Evaluation, and Assistant Dean of Students, where he modernized curriculum, expanded hands-on diagnostic training, and strengthened laboratory education infrastructure in resource-limited settings. His work contributed to building a more skilled medical diagnostics workforce and improving pathways for laboratory science education.
    Awarded a prestigious national merit scholarship, Dr. Mutahar continued his graduate and doctoral training in India, completing his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biotechnology with a focus on triple-negative breast cancer. During his doctoral work, he developed 3D tumor spheroid models and combinatorial therapeutic strategies, demonstrating synergy between anti-angiogenic agents and chemotherapy in TNBC. He further advanced this research by creating an orthotopic murine model to investigate metastatic progression and demonstrated that knockdown of the MTA1 gene in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) significantly suppressed TNBC invasion, angiogenesis, and metastatic spread, introducing a promising stromal-targeted therapeutic concept for aggressive breast cancer. This work earned recognition through travel grants, conference presentations, and a Best Poster Award. His scientific adaptability was further demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he uncovered a novel interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD and VEGF signaling.
    At Stanford, his work emphases on FLASH radiotherapy, an ultrahigh-dose-rate modality with the potential to widen the therapeutic window by minimizing normal-tissue toxicity while maintaining tumor control. Working within Dr. Dirbas’s translational breast oncology program, Dr. Mutahar employs patient-derived xenografts, orthotopic murine models, spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, and immune profiling to dissect the biological mechanisms governing treatment response. His research integrates multi-omics analysis to map early and late radiotherapy injury pathways—including senescence, apoptosis and fibrosis. His goal is to develop mechanism-driven radio-immunotherapy strategies and durable FLASH-RT combination regimens that can be translated into clinical trials for breast cancer, improving therapeutic durability, minimizing toxicity, and ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.
    Dr. Mutahar’s long-term vision is to establish an independent laboratory at the intersection of radiobiology, immuno-oncology, and translational therapeutics. Guided by Dr. Dirbas’s mentorship and shaped by multidisciplinary experience across three continents, he aims to develop biologically informed treatment strategies that eradicate tumors while preserving normal tissue and immune integrity—ultimately improving quality of life and survival for women with aggressive breast cancers.

  • Varsha Mysore Athreya

    Varsha Mysore Athreya

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery

    BioVarsha began her academic journey with a BS in Speech and Hearing from the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) in Mysuru, India. She earned her Master’s degree in Audiology in 2018, with a thesis focused on temporal processing and speech perception in noisy environments. She completed her doctoral degree in May 2024, working with Dr. Bharadwaj on age-related effects on temporal processing and speech perception, and with Dr. Heinz on the effects of peripheral hearing damage on cortical auditory responses. Currently, she is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University with Dr. Matthew Fitzgerald, where she is developing pipelines for handling large clinical datasets and applying machine learning to enhance clinical diagnosis and management.