School of Medicine


Showing 1-20 of 125 Results

  • Raya Saab

    Raya Saab

    Lindhard Family Professor of Pediatric Cancer Biology

    BioOur laboratory focuses on investigating molecular mechanisms of oncogene-induced tumorigenesis and tumor suppressor pathways, and oncogenic signaling in the pediatric solid tumor rhabdomyosarcoma. Our earlier work identified the tumor suppressors p53 and p18Ink4c as inhibitors of Cyclin D1-driven tumorigenesis in a pineoblastoma model, through senescence induction, and highlighted distinct roles for the the RB and p53 pathways in induction and maintenance of oncogene-induced senescence. We also identified CDK2 as a potential target for inducing senescence in premalignant lesions to inhibit tumor progression.
    Our current focus is on studying oncogenic signaling and tumor suppression in the childhood tumor rhabdomyosarcoma, to identify key mediators of invasion and metastasis, which is the most common cause of treatment failure clinically. We use preclinical in vitro and in vivo models, including murine and human cell lines, and mouse models of disease.
    We have recently uncovered a paracrine role for rhabdomyosarcoma-secreted exosomes in impacting biology of stromal cells. Rhabdomyosarcoma-derived exosomes carry specific miRNA cargo that imparts an invasive and migratory phenotype on normal recipient fibroblasts, and proteomic analysis revealed specific and unique pathways relevant to the two different molecular rhabdomyosarcoma subtypes that are driven by distinct oncogenic pathways. We identified that the driver oncogene in fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma, PAX3-FOXO1, modulates exosome cargo to promote invasion, migration, and angiogenic properties, and identified specific microRNA and protein cargo acting as effectors of PAX3-FOXO1 exosome-mediated signaling, including modulation of oxidative stress response and cell survival signaling.
    Our ongoing work is focused on interrogating specific paracrine signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms of metastatic disease progression in rhabdomyosarcoma, for potential therapeutic targeting.

  • Debra Safer

    Debra Safer

    Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology-Adult)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPrimary research interests include the nature and treatment of eating disorders
    (particularly bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder), the development and treatment of obesity, and the development and treatment of problematic eating patterns in patients following bariatric surgery.

  • Julien Sage

    Julien Sage

    Elaine and John Chambers Professor of Pediatric Cancer and Professor of Genetics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe investigate the mechanisms by which normal cells become tumor cells, and we combine genetics, genomics, and proteomics approaches to investigate the differences between the proliferative response in response to injury and the hyperproliferative phenotype of cancer cells and to identify novel therapeutic targets in cancer cells.

  • Manish Saggar

    Manish Saggar

    Associate Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Interdisciplinary Brain Science Research)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe are a computational neuropsychiatry lab dedicated to developing computational methods to better understand brain’s overall dynamical organization in healthy and patient populations. We employ algorithms from a wide range of fields, including Applied Mathematics, Econometrics, Machine Learning, Biophysics, and Network Science.

  • Kathleen M. Sakamoto

    Kathleen M. Sakamoto

    Shelagh Galligan Professor in the School of Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on the molecular pathways that regulate normal and aberrant blood cell development, including acute leukemia and bone marrow failure syndromes. We are also studying novel drugs for treatment of cancer.

  • Lee M. Sanders, MD, MPH

    Lee M. Sanders, MD, MPH

    Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics), of Health Policy and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI conduct interdisciplinary research to understand literacy as potentially modifiable lens for addressing maternal and child health disparities from birth through early adulthood. Applying mixed methods approaches (health-services, epidemiology, ethnography), I have been principal investigator on extramurally-funded research projects (NIH, PCORI, FDA) that aim to examine "natural experiments" in policy and/or to design, implement and test novel system-level interventions.

  • Meera N. Sankar

    Meera N. Sankar

    Clinical Professor, Pediatrics - Neonatal and Developmental Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPDA in preterm
    Transcutaneous bilirubin use in the NICU
    Digital health tools

  • Kavita Sarin, MD, PhD

    Kavita Sarin, MD, PhD

    Professor of Dermatology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research encompasses two main areas: 1) Using next-generation RNA, whole genome, and exome sequencing, we are investigating the genetic alterations involved in skin cancer progression, response to therapy, and other clinical outcomes and 2) We are developing and implementing genome-wide genetic risk prediction assessments for skin cancer into clinical use and studying the impact of this information on patient care.

  • Peter Sarnow

    Peter Sarnow

    Burt and Marion Avery Professor of Immunology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory studies virus-host interactions with an emphasis microRNA-mediated gene regulation and on translational control. The mechanism by which a liver-specific microRNA regulates hepatitis C virus genome replication is under intense scrutiny. In addition, the mechanism of internal ribosome entry in certain cellular and viral mRNAs and its biological role in growth and development is being investigated.

  • Clea Sarnquist, DrPH, MPH

    Clea Sarnquist, DrPH, MPH

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases
    Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), Epidemiology and Population Health

    BioDr. Sarnquist focuses on applied teaching and research on the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions to decrease gender-based violence and prevent HIV infection, especially among adolescents and children. She is particularly interested in rights-based approaches that tackle the complex interplay of factors that lead to poor health for many children and families. All of her work is applied, with direct links health practice and policy, and usually performed in conjunction with non-governmental organization and government partners. She works both globally and in the U.S., with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. She is also a medical educator, directing the scholarly concentrations program of the pediatric residency at Stanford, and co-directing the global health concentration for residents

  • Ansuman Satpathy

    Ansuman Satpathy

    Associate Professor of Pathology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur lab works at the interface of immunology, cancer biology, and genomics to study cellular and molecular mechanisms of the immune response to cancer. In particular, we are leveraging high-throughput genomic technologies to understand the dynamics of the tumor-specific T cell response to cancer antigens and immunotherapies (checkpoint blockade, CAR-T cells, and others). We are also interested in understanding the impact of immuno-editing on the heterogeneity and clonal evolution of cancer.

  • Andrew Saunders

    Andrew Saunders

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics

    BioDr. Saunders (he/him) is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, and the medical director of the Pediatric Hospitalist Program at SHC Tri-Valley. His academic interests include diversity, equity, and inclusion in medicine; LGBTQIA+ health; ethics in technology; global health; medical education; public health; and physician wellness.

  • Nazish Sayed MD, PhD

    Nazish Sayed MD, PhD

    Assistant Professor (Research) of Surgery (Vascular Surgery)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Sayed Laboratory is focused on the development of novel technologies that drive innovation in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug testing in vascular biology. The lab conducts translational research in vascular biology and aims to understand the role of the vasculature in the development of cardiac diseases, including those due to inherited genetic variants or environmental insults such as type 2 diabetes or hypertension. The lab employs the human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology to generate patient-specific vascular cells (endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells) as an alternative to animal models providing a human tissue surrogate for research that is scalable and sustainable. By employing this unique platform, the lab also investigates the role of chemotherapeutic agents (anti-cancer drugs) on the vasculature. Dr. Sayed’s lab has also established an endothelial regeneration program, where they leverage the innate immune system to regenerate endothelial cells from human fibroblasts.

    Work from the lab has led to seminal discoveries in the areas of 1) Nitric oxide (NO) biology, (2) vascular biology, (3) stem cell biology, (4) cardiovascular disease modeling (5) cardio-oncology.

  • Lidia Schapira

    Lidia Schapira

    Professor of Medicine (Oncology)

    BioDr. Schapira is a medical oncologist with clinical expertise in the treatment of breast cancer. As the inaugural Director of Stanford's Cancer Survivorship Program, she has developed a thriving research and clinical program focused on optimizing health outcomes for people living with and beyond cancer. Dr. Schapira is interested in training future generations of physician-scientists as well as the broader community of practicing physicians through the design of innovative educational programs. Dr. Schapira's advocacy for people with cancer led to her appointment as Editor-in-Chief of the American Society of Clinical Oncology's website for the public,Cancer.Net, a position she held from 2015 until-2021. She served on the Board of Directors of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society and as Chair of the Psychosocial Interest Group of the Multinational Society for Supportive Care in Cancer. Dr. Schapira is particularily committed to reducing inequities in cancer outcomes and improve access to cancer care and cancer clinical trials. Dr. Schapira has published numerous manuscripts, lectures both nationally and internationally on issues of cancer survivorship and served as Associate Editor of the narrative section, Art of Oncology, for the Journal of Clinical Oncology from 2013 until 2023.