School of Medicine


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  • Heather Wakelee

    Heather Wakelee

    Winston Chen and Phyllis Huang Professor

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Wakelee's research is focused on clinical trials and translational efforts in patients with lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies such as thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Other interests include translation projects in thoracic malignancies and collaborations with population scientists regarding lung cancer questions.

  • Paul  J. Wang, MD

    Paul J. Wang, MD

    John R. and Ai Giak L. Singleton Director, Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine) and, by courtesy, of Bioengineering

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Wang's research centers on the development of innovative approaches to the treatment of arrhythmias, including more effective catheter ablation techniques, more reliable implantable devices, and less invasive treatments. Dr. Wang's clinical research interests include atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, syncope, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Dr. Wang is committed to addressing disparities in care and is actively involved in increasing diversity in clinical trials.

  • Taia T. Wang, MD, PhD, MSCI

    Taia T. Wang, MD, PhD, MSCI

    Assistant Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsLaboratory of Mechanisms in Human Immunity and Disease Pathogenesis

    Antibodies are a critical component of host defense. While the importance of humoral immunity has been recognized for decades, substantial gaps in knowledge remain around how antibodies function, and how their function is regulated, in vivo. Our laboratory performs studies designed to fill in these gaps, with the goal of enabling new vaccine and therapeutic strategies to prevent human disease. My interest in this area culminated from training in medicine, RNA virus biology (PhD), and molecular antibody biology (postdoctoral training). The intersection of these topics, viral immunity and disease pathogenesis, is the focus of our work. The essential question driving our research is why a small subset of people develop severe or fatal disease during viral infection while most infections result in a subclinical or mild outcome, even in at-risk populations. Our hypothesis is that the antibody signaling pathways that are engaged during viral infection through Fc gamma receptors (FcγRs) are a key driver of these distinct outcomes. We are focused on several major unknowns to address this hypothesis: How are antibody effector functions regulated in vivo and does this change in disease? How do distinct signaling pathways engaged by IgG immune complex-FcγR interactions impact host cell genetic regulation and the ultimate inflammatory/immune response? What are the tissue-specific functions that antibodies engage? How does the heterogeneity in post-translational modifications (PTMs) of human antibodies contribute to heterogeneity in viral immunity?



    Current clinical studies:
    Recruiting:

    An Open Label Study of IgG Fc Glycan Composition in Human Immunity
    Principal Investigator: Taia T. Wang, MD, PhD
    ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
    NCT01967238

  • Samantha Wang

    Samantha Wang

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine

    BioSamantha Wang earned her Bachelors degree in Molecular & Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by MD and Masters in Health Science degrees from Yale University School of Medicine. After completing her internal medicine residency at Stanford, Dr. Wang served as Chief Resident for the Internal Medicine Residency and subsequently joined the Division of Hospital Medicine, where she now contributes her expertise in the care of acutely ill adult patients.

    Outside her clinical work, Dr. Wang is deeply committed to medical education, health equity, and patient-centered communication. She has been recognized for her exceptional teaching with the David A. Rytand Teaching Award, and subsequently completed a Rathmann Family Foundation Fellowship in Medical Education in Patient-Centered Care. With leadership roles in both undergraduate and graduate medical education programs, Dr. Wang is actively engaged and committed in shaping the future of health care professionals.

    Dr. Wang is deeply passionate about health equity and has spoken nationally on the topic of racial justice in clinical decision-making. She has received institutional and national funding to develop and study health equity curricula across the continuum of medical education, and is the course director for the "5-Minute Moment for Racial Justice", which advocates for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in medical decision making. As a member of the Stanford 25 Bedside Medicine and Presence Groups, she strives to create a more equitable and inclusive learning environment. In her research endeavors, Samantha employs a comprehensive approach, utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies, alongside participatory qualitative approaches with community partners. Her focus is on understanding how to effectively teach health equity in the clinical learning environment.

    Her quality improvement work is centered on improving communication skills around serious illness diagnoses, and she has trained students, residents, and other faculty members in these skills. Dr. Wang believes that the best doctors combine intellectual acumen with the ability to connect with patients on a personal level, bringing thoughtfulness, kindness, and authenticity to the bedside. In her care of complex patients with serious diagnoses, she consistently advocates for incorporating loved ones' and the patient's values into the care plan, ensuring a holistic and patient-centered approach.

  • Katherine T. Ward, MD

    Katherine T. Ward, MD

    Clinical Professor, Medicine - Primary Care and Population Health

    BioDr. Ward is a board-certified, fellowship-trained geriatrician with Stanford Senior Care in Palo Alto, California. She is also board certified in hospice and palliative medicine and internal medicine. Dr. Ward is a clinical professor of medicine and clinical chief of the Geriatrics Section in the Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford University School of Medicine.

    She specializes in many facets of care for older adults, including internal medicine, dementia care, and palliative care. Dr. Ward uses her extensive experience to teach and implement best practices in nursing home care, geriatric assessment, and care transitions for older adults.

    Dr. Ward’s research interests include early detection of dementia in vulnerable populations, dementia care support programs, and geriatric assessment in diverse populations.

    She has published her research in peer-reviewed journals including The American Journal of Geriatric Pharmacotherapy; The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging; and the Journal of Palliative Medicine. She has served as an ad hoc reviewer for several journals, including Geriatrics. She has also presented posters at annual meetings of the American Geriatrics Society and the Society of General Internal Medicine.

    Dr. Ward is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Geriatrics Society.