School of Medicine


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  • Soichi Wakatsuki

    Soichi Wakatsuki

    Professor of Photon Science and of Structural Biology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsUbiquitin signaling: structure, function, and therapeutics
    Ubiquitin is a small protein modifier that is ubiquitously produced in the cells and takes part in the regulation of a wide range of cellular activities such as gene transcription and protein turnover. The key to the diversity of the ubiquitin roles in cells is that it is capable of interacting with other cellular proteins either as a single molecule or as different types of chains. Ubiquitin chains are produced through polymerization of ubiquitin molecules via any of their seven internal lysine residues or the N-terminal methionine residue. Covalent interaction of ubiquitin with other proteins is known as ubiquitination which is carried out through an enzymatic cascade composed of the ubiquitin-activating (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating (E2), and ubiquitin ligase (E3) enzymes. The ubiquitin signals are decoded by the ubiquitin-binding domains (UBDs). These domains often specifically recognize and non-covalently bind to the different ubiquitin species, resulting in distinct signaling outcomes.
    We apply a combination of the structural (including protein crystallography, small angle x-ray scattering, cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) etc.), biocomputational and biochemical techniques to study the ubiquitylation and deubiquitination processes, and recognition of the ubiquitin chains by the proteins harboring ubiquitin-binding domains. Current research interests including SARS-COV2 proteases and their interactions with polyubiquitin chains and ubiquitin pathways in host cell responses, with an ultimate goal of providing strategies for effective therapeutics with reduced levels of side effects.

    Protein self-assembly processes and applications.
    The Surface layers (S-layers) are crystalline protein coats surrounding microbial cells. S-layer proteins (SLPs) regulate their extracellular, self-assembly by crystallizing when exposed to an environmental trigger. We have demonstrated that the Caulobacter crescentus SLP readily crystallizes into sheets both in vivo and in vitro via a calcium-triggered multistep assembly pathway. Observing crystallization using a time course of Cryo-EM imaging has revealed a crystalline intermediate wherein N-terminal nucleation domains exhibit motional dynamics with respect to rigid lattice-forming crystallization domains. Rate enhancement of protein crystallization by a discrete nucleation domain may enable engineering of kinetically controllable self-assembling 2D macromolecular nanomaterials. In particular, this is inspiring designing robust novel platform for nano-scale protein scaffolds for structure-based drug design and nano-bioreactor design for the carbon-cycling enzyme pathway enzymes. Current research focuses on development of nano-scaffolds for high throughput in vitro assays and structure determination of small and flexible proteins and their interaction partners using Cryo-EM, and applying them to cancer and anti-viral therapeutics.

    Multiscale imaging and technology developments.
    Multimodal, multiscale imaging modalities will be developed and integrated to understand how molecular level events of key enzymes and protein network are connected to cellular and multi-cellular functions through intra-cellular organization and interactions of the key machineries in the cell. Larger scale organization of these proteins will be studied by solution X-ray scattering and Cryo-EM. Their spatio-temporal arrangements in the cell organelles, membranes, and cytosol will be further studied by X-ray fluorescence imaging and correlated with cryoEM and super-resolution optical microscopy. We apply these multiscale integrative imaging approaches to biomedical, and environmental and bioenergy research questions with Stanford, DOE national labs, and other domestic and international collaborators.

  • Rebecca D. Walker

    Rebecca D. Walker

    Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsInterests include international development in emergency care, healthcare disparities, wilderness medicine, human rights, administration

  • Dennis Wall

    Dennis Wall

    Professor of Pediatrics (Clinical Informatics), of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsSystems biology for design of clinical solutions that detect and treat disease

  • Brian A. Wandell

    Brian A. Wandell

    Isaac and Madeline Stein Family Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering, of Ophthalmology and at the Graduate School of Education

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsModels and measures of the human visual system. The brain pathways essential for reading development. Diffusion tensor imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging and computational modeling of visual perception and brain processes. Image systems simulations of optics and sensors and image processing. Data and computation management for reproducible research.

  • Bing Wang

    Bing Wang

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Stem Cell Transplantation

    BioMy academic training and research experience have equipped me with multidisciplinary skills and knowledge of molecular biology and immunology.

    I led two projects when I was an undergraduate, in which I got primary academic learning. My team member and I investigated the bacteria content in drinking water from two types of machines that are commonly used in colleges under the guidance of our experimental microbiology teacher Zhihong Zhong. Secondly, we produced a hybridoma cell line secreting monoclonal antibody against the core antigen of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) to develop an ELISA kit for the detection of HCV under the guidance of Dr. Rushi Liu and Minjing Liao.

    Thereafter, as a Ph. D. candidate at Xiaoming Feng’s lab, my research primarily focused on understanding the biology of regulatory T cells (Treg) and CD11c+ myeloid cells using cutting-edge single-cell sequencing and conditional knockout mice under healthy and disease conditions. We first revealed the heterogeneity and bifurcated differentiation pathway of human Tregs from normal donors and transplanted patients at the single-cell transcriptome level. A subsequent first and corresponding author publication identified a key innate responsive protein in CD11c+ alveolar macrophages, NRP2, that protects mice from lung injury via promoting the phagocytosis of neutrophils. I also participated in two projects regarding the role of a serine/threonine kinase, LKB1, in mice CD11c+ dendritic cells from lymphoid tissues and adipose tissue with diet-induced obesity. These academic experiences guided me into a strong passion and independent capacities for biomedical studies.

    For my postdoctoral training, I will focus on developing Treg therapies and genetic stem cell therapy to cure patients with IPEX syndrome (a severe autoimmune disease) at preclinical and clinical stages, and other immune disorders. My sponsor Dr. Rosa Bacchetta is a well-known leader in treating IPEX patients and developing Treg therapies. My co-mentor Dr. Maria Grazia Roncarolo is a well-recognized pediatric immunologist and also one of the pioneers in the stem cell and gene therapy field, who discovered the type 1 regulatory T cells or Tr1 cells and translate the scientific discoveries into novel Treg therapies. Both of them have an excellent record of training postdoctoral fellows. The proposed projects will provide me with great opportunities in cutting-edge technology and translational research and outline a set of career development including grant writing, public presentation, and lab management, which will enhance my ability to become an independent investigator and help me to reach my goal of developing efficient and safe Treg therapies for a wide range of immune disorders and associated human diseases.

  • C. Jason Wang, MD, PhD

    C. Jason Wang, MD, PhD

    LCY: Tan Lan Lee Professor and Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics) and of Health Policy

    BioDr. Wang is the Director of Center for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention. Prior to coming to Stanford in 2011, he was a faculty member at Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health. His other professional experiences include working as a management consultant with McKinsey and Company and serving as the project manager for Taiwan's National Health Insurance Reform Task-force. His current interests include: 1) COVID-19 related policies; 2) developing tools for assessing and improving the value of healthcare; 3) facilitating the use of mobile technology in improving quality of care; 4) supporting competency-based medical education curriculum, and 5) engaging in healthcare delivery and payment reforms.

  • Jinglong Wang

    Jinglong Wang

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Radiation Biology

    BioDr. Wang was trained at the Jacques Monod Institute and École Normale Supérieure in Paris, France under the mentorship of Dr. Terence Strick. and obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Paris in 2019. He dissected the molecular machinery of human and bacterial NHEJ, and interrogated the mechanism of SpCas9 tolerance to non-specific substrate using single-molecule nanomanipulation tools.
    Jinglong’s research in the Frock Lab focuses on DSB-related chromosome topological changes and genomic interactions.

  • Kevin Wang, MD, PhD

    Kevin Wang, MD, PhD

    Member, Bio-X

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Wang lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying fundamental mechanisms controlling gene expression in mammalian cells, and how epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, and RNA influence chromatin dynamics to affect gene regulation.

  • Marie Wang

    Marie Wang

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsEvaluation and management of the febrile young infant and infections in hospitalized children; promotion of appropriate antibiotic use.

  • Nancy Ewen Wang

    Nancy Ewen Wang

    Professor of Emergency Medicine (Pediatrics), Emerita

    Current Research and Scholarly Interests- Disparities in Emergency Medical Services for children.
    - Efficacy of novel interventions for pediatric access to care.
    - Teaching and supporting community-initiated interventions and programs internationally.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Shan X. Wang

    Shan X. Wang

    Leland T. Edwards Professor in the School of Engineering and Professor of Electrical Engineering and, by courtesy, of Radiology (Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsShan Wang was named the Leland T. Edwards Professor in the School of Engineering in 2018. He directs the Center for Magnetic Nanotechnology and is a leading expert in biosensors, information storage and spintronics. His research and inventions span across a variety of areas including magnetic biochips, in vitro diagnostics, cancer biomarkers, magnetic nanoparticles, magnetic sensors, magnetoresistive random access memory, and magnetic integrated inductors.

  • Sui Wang, PhD

    Sui Wang, PhD

    Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur research focuses on unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying retinal development and diseases. We employ genetic and genomic tools to explore how various retinal cell types, including neurons, glia, and the vasculature, respond to developmental cues and disease insults at the epigenomic and transcriptional levels. In addition, we investigate their interactions and collective contributions to maintain retinal integrity.

    1. Investigating retinal development:
    We utilize genetic tools and methods such as in vivo plasmid electroporation and CRISPR to dissect the roles of cis-regulatory elements and transcription factors in controlling retinal development.

    2. Understanding diabetes-induced cell-type-specific responses in the retina:
    Diabetes triggers a range of multicellular responses in the retina, such as vascular lesions, glial dysfunction, and neurodegeneration, all of which contribute to retinopathy. We delve into the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying these diabetes-induced cell-type-specific responses and the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.

    3. Developing molecular tools for labeling and manipulation of specific cell types in vivo:
    Cis-regulatory elements, particularly enhancers, play pivotal roles in directing tissue- and cell-type-specific expression. Our interest lies in identifying enhancers that can drive cell type-specific expression in the retina and brain. We incorporate these enhancers into plasmid or AAV-based delivery systems, enabling precise labeling and manipulation of specific cell types in vivo.

  • 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

  • Wenjun Wang

    Wenjun Wang

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Stem Cell Transplantation

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy postdoctoral research focuses on investigating novel therapy for childhood leukemias.

  • Xinnan Wang

    Xinnan Wang

    Associate Professor of Neurosurgery

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMechanisms underlying mitochondrial dynamics and function, and their implications in neurological disorders.

  • Victoria Ward

    Victoria Ward

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsGlobal child health, digital health, preterm birth, human trafficking

  • Katja Gabriele Weinacht, MD, PhD

    Katja Gabriele Weinacht, MD, PhD

    Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
    DiGeorge Syndrome
    Genetic Immune Diseases
    Immune Dysregulation

  • Alexis Thomas Weiner

    Alexis Thomas Weiner

    Postdoctoral Scholar, Pathology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway polarizes animal cells along an axis parallel to the tissue plane, and in so doing generates long-range organization that can span entire tissues. Although its core proteins and much about their interactions are known, how PCP signaling occurs at a mechanistic level remains fundamentally mysterious. In my current project I will employ novel genetic methods to dissect the logic underlying how cellular asymmetry arises at a molecular level.

  • Dana Weintraub

    Dana Weintraub

    Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - General Pediatrics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch interests include: 1) Childhood obesity, community-based interventions to increase physical activity 2) Impact of medical-legal collaboration on child and family health.

  • Irving Weissman

    Irving Weissman

    Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Professor of Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research, Professor of Pathology, and of Developmental Biology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsStem cell and cancer stem cell biology; development of T and B lymphocytes; cell-surface receptors for oncornaviruses in leukemia. Hematopoietic stem cells; Lymphocyte homing, lymphoma invasiveness and metastasis; order of events from hematopoietic stem cells [HSC] to AML leukemia stem cells and blood diseases, and parallels in other tissues; discovery of tumor and pathogenic cell 'don't eat me' and 'eat me' signals, and translation into therapeutics.

  • Marius Wernig

    Marius Wernig

    Professor of Pathology and, by courtesy, of Chemical and Systems Biology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsEpigenetic Reprogramming, Direct conversion of fibroblasts into neurons, Pluripotent Stem Cells, Neural Differentiation: implications in development and regenerative medicine

  • Matthew Wheeler

    Matthew Wheeler

    Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsTranslational research in rare and undiagnosed diseases. Basic and clinical research in cardiomyopathy genetics, mechanisms, screening, and treatment. Investigating novel agents for treatment of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and new mechanisms in heart failure. Cardiovascular screening and genetics in competitive athletes, disease gene discovery in cardiomyopathy and rare disease. Informatics approaches to rare disease and multiomics. Molecular transducers of physical activity bioinformatics.

  • Nolan Williams

    Nolan Williams

    Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories & Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator) and, by courtesy, of Radiology (Neuroimaging and Neurointervention)

    BioDr. Williams is an Associate Professor within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Director of the Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab. Dr. Williams has a broad background in clinical neuroscience and is triple board-certified in general neurology, general psychiatry, as well as behavioral neurology & neuropsychiatry. In addition, he has specific training and clinical expertise in the development of brain stimulation methodologies. Themes of his work include (a) examining the use of spaced learning theory in the application of neurostimulation techniques, (b) development and mechanistic understanding of rapid-acting antidepressants, and (c) identifying objective biomarkers that predict neuromodulation responses in treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric conditions. Dr. Williams' work has resulted in an FDA clearance for the world's first non-invasive, rapid-acting neuromodulation approach for treatment-resistant depression. He has published papers in high-impact peer-reviewed journals including Brain, American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Results from his studies have gained widespread attention in journals such as Science and New England Journal of Medicine Journal Watch as well as in the popular press and have been featured in various news sources including Time, Smithsonian, and Newsweek. Dr. Williams received two NARSAD Young Investigator Awards in 2016 and 2018 along with the 2019 Gerald L. Klerman Award. Dr. Williams received the National Institute of Mental Health Biobehavioral Research Award for Innovative New Scientists in 2020.

  • Darrell Wilson

    Darrell Wilson

    Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology) at the Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hospital, Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests cover a number of areas in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. I am PI of the Stanford Center for the NIH-funded Type-1 Diabetes TrialNet group. TrialNet conducts clinical trials directed at preventing or delaying the onset of Type 1 diabetes. I am an investigator in DirecNet, another NIH-funded study group, which is devoted to evaluating glucose sensors and the role of technology on the management of diabetes.

  • Helen Wilson

    Helen Wilson

    Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

    BioDr. Wilson is a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise on the effects of trauma across the lifespan. She provides clinical services for children, adolescents, adults, and families affected by trauma and other forms of anxiety and stress. Dr. Wilson also leads an active research program focused on relationships between childhood trauma and health risk behavior in adolescence and adulthood. She is the Principal Investigator of GIRLTALK: We Talk, a longitudinal study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) that examines links from childhood violence exposure to dating violence and sexual risk in young women from low-income communities in Chicago. Dr. Wilson has authored or co-authored thirty journal articles and book chapters related to these topics, and she regularly presents her work at local and national conferences. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

  • Jeffrey J. Wine

    Jeffrey J. Wine

    Benjamin Scott Crocker Professor of Human Biology, Emeritus

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe goal is to understand how a defective ion channel leads to the human genetic disease cystic fibrosis. Studies of ion channels and ion transport involved in gland fluid transport. Methods include SSCP mutation detection and DNA sequencing, protein analysis, patch-clamp recording, ion-selective microelectrodes, electrophysiological analyses of transmembrane ion flows, isotopic metho

  • Virginia D. Winn, MD, PhD

    Virginia D. Winn, MD, PhD

    Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Winn Laboratory seeks to understand the unique biological mechanisms of human placentation. While the placenta itself is one of the key characteristics for defining mammals, the human placenta is different from most available animal models: it is one of the most invasive placentas, and results in the formation of an organ comprised of cells from both the fetus and the mother. In addition to this fascinating chimerism, fetal cells are deeply involved in the remodeling of the maternal vasculature in order to redirect large volumes of maternal blood to the placenta to support the developing fetus. As such, the investigation of this human organ covers a large array of biological processes, and deals not only with understanding its endocrine function, but the physiologic process of immune tolerance, vascular remodeling, and cellular invasion.

  • Terry Winograd

    Terry Winograd

    Professor of Computer Science, Emeritus

    BioProfessor Winograd's focus is on human-computer interaction design and the design of technologies for development. He directs the teaching programs and HCI research in the Stanford Human-Computer Interaction Group, which recently celebrated it's 20th anniversary. He is also a founding faculty member of the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford (the "d.school") and on the faculty of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL)

    Winograd was a founding member and past president of Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility. He is on a number of journal editorial boards, including Human Computer Interaction, ACM Transactions on Computer Human Interaction, and Informatica. He has advised a number of companies started by his students, including Google. In 2011 he received the ACM SIGCHI Lifetime Research Award.

  • Paul H. Wise, MD, MPH

    Paul H. Wise, MD, MPH

    Richard E. Behrman, MD, Professor of Child Health and Society, Professor of Health Policy and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies
    On Leave from 02/01/2024 To 12/20/2024

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHe is a health policy and outcomes researcher whose work has focused on children's health; health-outcomes disparities by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status; the interaction of genetics and the environment as these factors influence child and maternal health; and the impact of medical technology on disparities in health outcomes.

  • John Witte

    John Witte

    Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Genetics

    BioDr. Witte joined the Stanford community in July 2021. In addition to serving as Vice Chair and professor in the Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, and as a professor of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Genetics, he will also serve as a member of the Stanford Cancer Institute.

    Dr. Witte is an internationally recognized expert in genetic epidemiology. His scholarly contributions include deciphering the genetic and environmental basis of prostate cancer and developing widely used methods for the genetic epidemiologic study of disease. His prostate cancer work has used comprehensive genome-wide studies of germline genetics, transcriptomics, and somatic genomics to successfully detect novel variants underlying the risk and aggressiveness of this common disease. A key aspect of this work has been distinguishing genetic factors that may drive increased prostate cancer risk and mortality among African American men. Providing an avenue to determine which men are more likely to be diagnosed with clinically relevant prostate cancer and require additional screening or specific treatment can help reduce disparities in disease prevalence and outcomes across populations. Dr. Witte has also developed novel hierarchical and polygenic risk score modeling for undertaking genetic epidemiology studies. These advances significantly improve our ability to detect disease-causing genes and to translate genetic epidemiologic findings into medical practice.

    Dr. Witte has received the Leadership Award from the International Genetic Epidemiology Society (highest award), and the Stephen B. Hulley Award for Excellence in Teaching. His extensive teaching portfolio includes a series of courses in genetic and molecular epidemiology. He has mentored over 50 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, serves on the executive committees of multiple graduate programs, and has directed a National Institutes of Health funded post-doctoral training program in genetic epidemiology for over 20 years. Recently appointed to the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Counselors, Dr. Witte has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Health.

  • Wing Hung Wong

    Wing Hung Wong

    Stephen R. Pierce Family Goldman Sachs Professor of Science and Human Health and Professor of Biomedical Data Science

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCurrent interest centers on the application of statistics to biology and medicine. We are particularly interested in questions concerning gene regulation, genome interpretation and their applications to precision medicine.

  • Jennifer Woo, MD

    Jennifer Woo, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Cardiovascular Medicine
    Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Cardiology

    BioDr. Woo is a board-certified, fellowship-trained cardiologist with the Adult Congenital Heart Program at Stanford Health Care. She is also a clinical assistant professor in the Divisions of Cardiovascular Medicine and Pediatric Cardiology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

    She diagnoses and treats a range of cardiovascular diseases, with a focus on adult congenital heart disease. Dr. Woo has Level III training with the National Board of Echocardiography, a certification that recognizes her experience in complex cardiac imaging. She also has specialized expertise in cardiac MRI. Each of her patients receives a personalized, comprehensive care plan delivered with compassion.

    Dr. Woo is heavily involved in adult congenital heart disease research. She has a particular interest in imaging and heart failure in adults with congenital heart disease. She has received grant funding for her work, including from the Adult Congenital Heart Association. The National Institutes of Health awarded granted her the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award.

    She has published research in several peer-reviewed journals, such as the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Pediatric Cardiology. Dr. Woo has presented her findings at regional and national meetings, including the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Bay Area Conference and the International Symposium on Adult Congenital Heart Disease.

    Dr. Woo is a member of the Adult Congenital Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and American Society of Echocardiography.

  • John Fraser Wright

    John Fraser Wright

    Professor (Research) of Pediatrics (Stem Cell Transplantation)
    On Partial Leave from 01/01/2024 To 04/30/2024

    BioJ Fraser Wright, PhD
    Dr. Wright received his PhD in 1989 from the University of Toronto (Biochemistry) for studies
    characterizing the interaction of complement with IgM, and completed post-doctoral studies at INSERM
    / CENG Grenoble, France in molecular immunology focused on antigen processing and presentation. He
    was awarded a CRCS/ MRC Scholarship, gaining faculty appointment at the University of Toronto. In
    1996 he joined industry as a Scientist at Pasteur Sanofi, contributing there to the development of
    vaccines and cancer immunotherapies, and subsequently as Director of Development and Clinical
    Manufacturing at Avigen, a gene therapy company that pioneered AAV-based investigational gene
    therapies for hemophilia and Parkinson’s disease. In 2004 he returned to academia, establishing and
    directing the Clinical Vector Facility at the Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics at Children’s
    Hospital of Philadelphia, and gaining faculty appointment at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman
    School of Medicine as professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. Dr. Wright has contributed to
    several clinical development programs in gene therapy, including for Luxturna and Kymriah, the first
    gene therapies for a genetic (RPE65 deficiency) and non-genetic (CAR-T immunotherapy) disease,
    respectively, approved in the United States, and for the first gene therapy clinical trial that delivered an
    AAV-vectorized monoclonal antibody to human subjects for HIV passive immunity. He is a Co-founder of
    Spark Therapeutics, serving there and subsequently at Axovant as Chief Technology Officer. In 2019 Dr.
    Wright joined Stanford University as Professor of Pediatrics at The Center for Definitive and Curative
    Medicine (CDCM). His research program aims to address key immunological barriers to gene therapy
    through innovative approaches to viral vector design and generation, and to develop vectorized
    antibodies for serious human diseases.

  • Albert Y. Wu, MD, PhD, FACS

    Albert Y. Wu, MD, PhD, FACS

    Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy translational research focuses on using autologous stem cells to recreate a patient’s ocular tissues for potential transplantation. We are generating tissue from induced pluripotent stem cells to treat limbal stem cell deficiency in patients who are bilaterally blind. By applying my background in molecular and cellular biology, stem cell biology, oculoplastic surgery, I hope to make regenerative medicine a reality for those suffering from orbital and ocular disease.

  • Hsi-Yang Wu

    Hsi-Yang Wu

    Member, Bio-X

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am interested in how the brain matures to control the bladder and external sphincter to achieve urinary continence. Using functional MRI of the brain, we are investigating if certain patterns of activity will predict which children will respond to therapy for incontinence.

  • Joseph  C. Wu, MD, PhD

    Joseph C. Wu, MD, PhD

    Director, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Simon H. Stertzer, MD, Professor and Professor of Radiology

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDrug discovery, drug screening, and disease modeling using iPSC.

  • Joy Wu

    Joy Wu

    Associate Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy laboratory focuses on the pathways that regulate the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into the osteoblast and adipocyte lineages. We are also studying the role of osteoblasts in the hematopoietic and cancer niches in the bone marrow microenvironment.

  • Sean M. Wu

    Sean M. Wu

    Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine) and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy lab seeks to identify mechanisms regulating cardiac lineage commitment during embryonic development and the biology of cardiac progenitor cells in development and disease. We believe that by understanding the transcriptional and epigenetic basis of cardiomyocyte growth and differentiation, we can identify the most effective ways to repair diseased adult hearts. We employ mouse and human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells as well as rodents as our in vivo models for investigation.

  • Courtney Wusthoff, MD

    Courtney Wusthoff, MD

    Professor of Neurology (Pediatric Neurology) and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics (Neonatology)

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy projects focus on clinical research in newborns with, or at risk, for brain injury. I use EEG in at-risk neonates to better understand the underlying pathophysiology of risk factors that may lead to worse outcomes. I am particularly interested in neonatal seizures and how they may exacerbate perinatal brain injury with a goal to identify treatments that might protect the vulnerable brain. I am also interested in EEG in other pediatric populations, as well as medical ethics and global health.

  • Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD

    Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD

    D. H. Chen Professor II

    Current Research and Scholarly InterestsUse of genetic and molecular tools to dissect immune and inflammatory pathways in Alzheimer's and neurodegeneration.