School of Medicine
Showing 251-300 of 1,062 Results
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John Eaton
Charles Lee Powell Foundation Professor in the School of Engineering, Emeritus
BioEaton uses experiments and computational simulations to study the flow and heat transfer in complex turbulent flows, especially those relevant to turbomachinery, particle-laden flows, and separated flows, and to develop new techniques for precise control of gas and surface temperature during manufacturing processes.
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Noelle Hanako Ebel
Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Gastroenterology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsCurrent projects include:
-indications for combined heart-liver transplantation
-mitigating perioperative bleeding during cardiac surgery in children with Alagille syndrome
-congenital heart disease and liver transplantation
-subspecialty advocacy -
Elizabeth Egan
Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMalaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitos that is a leading cause of childhood mortality globally. Public health efforts to control malaria have historically been hampered by the rapid development of drug resistance. The goal of our research is to understand the molecular determinants of critical host-pathogen interactions in malaria, with a focus on the erythrocyte host cell. Our long-term goal is to develop novel approaches to prevent or treat malaria and improve child health.
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Shirit Einav
Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and of Microbiology and Immunology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur basic research program focuses on understanding the roles of virus-host interactions in viral infection and disease pathogenesis via molecular and systems virology single cell approaches. This program is combined with translational efforts to apply this knowledge for the development of broad-spectrum host-centered antiviral approaches to combat emerging viral infections, including dengue, coronaviruses, encephalitic alphaviruses, and Ebola, and means to predict progression to severe disease.
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Yasser El-Sayed, Professor
Charles B. and Ann L. Johnson Professor in the School of Medicine and Professor, by courtesy, of Pediatrics (Neonatology) and of Surgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHigh Risk Obstetrics: preterm labor, preeclampsia, medical and surgical complications of pregnancy, prenatal diagnosis and therapy
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Cameron Ellis
Assistant Professor of Psychology
BioDr. Cameron Ellis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology. He leads the Scaffolding of Cognition Team, which focuses on the question: What is it like to be an infant? His team uses methods from neuroscience and cognitive science to assess the basic building blocks of the developing mind and answer this question. They are particularly interested in questions about how infants perceive, attend, learn, and remember. One prominent approach they use is fMRI with awake behaving infants. This provides unprecedented ways to access the cognitive mechanisms underlying the infant mind.
Dr. Ellis received his Ph.D. from Yale University in 2021. Before that, he received a Masters from Princeton University (2017) and a Bachelor of Science from Auckland University, New Zealand (2013). He was awarded the FLUX Dissertation Prize (2021) and the James Grossman Dissertation Prize (2021), as well as the William Kessen Teaching Award (2019). -
Edgar Engleman
Professor of Pathology and of Medicine (Immunology and Rheumatology)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDendritic cells, macrophages, NK cells and T cells; functional proteins and genes; immunotherapeutic approaches to cancer, autoimmune disease, neurodegenerative disease and metabolic disease.
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Jesse Engreitz
Assistant Professor of Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsRegulatory elements in the human genome harbor thousands of genetic risk variants for common diseases and could reveal targets for therapeutics — if only we could map the complex regulatory wiring that connects 2 million regulatory elements with 21,000 genes in thousands of cell types in the human body.
We combine experimental and computational genomics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics to assemble regulatory maps of the human genome and uncover biological mechanisms of disease. -
Daniel Bruce Ennis
Professor of Radiology (Veterans Affairs)
BioDaniel Ennis {he/him} is a Professor in the Department of Radiology. As an MRI scientist for nearly twenty years, he has worked to develop advanced translational cardiovascular MRI methods for quantitatively assessing structure, function, flow, and remodeling in both adult and pediatric populations. He began his research career as a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University during which time he formed an active collaboration with investigators in the Laboratory of Cardiac Energetics at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH/NHLBI). Thereafter, he joined the Departments of Radiological Sciences and Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford University as a postdoc and began to establish an independent research program with an NIH K99/R00 award focused on “Myocardial Structure, Function, and Remodeling in Mitral Regurgitation.” For ten years he led a group of clinicians and scientists at UCLA working to develop and evaluate advanced cardiovascular MRI exams as PI of several NIH funded studies. In 2018 he returned to the Department of Radiology at Stanford University as faculty in the Radiological Sciences Lab to bolster programs in cardiovascular MRI. He is also the Director of Radiology Research for the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Health Care System where he oversees a growing radiology research program.
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Gregory Enns
Professor of Pediatrics (Genetics)
Current Research and Scholarly Interestsmitochondrial genomics, lysosomal disorders, tandem-mass spectrometry newborn screening, and inborn errors of metabolism presentations and natural history
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Mo Esfahanian, MD, D. ABA, FAAP
Clinical Assistant Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy current interests include the suprazygomatic maxillary nerve block and its role in enhanced recovery after cleft palate surgery and the development of a high-fidelity ultrasound phantom model to teach this regional anesthesia technique. I am also investigating the role of erector spinae plane blockade in the post-operative recovery of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients undergoing posterior spinal fusion.
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Neir Eshel, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories & Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
BioDr. Eshel (he/him/his) is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine.
His clinical focus is the full-spectrum mental health care of sexual and gender minorities, with particular interest in depression, anxiety, and the complex effects of trauma in this population. He works in collaboration with other primary care and mental health providers at the Stanford LGBTQ+ program.
His research interests (www.staarlab.com) include the use of optogenetic, electrophysiological, neuroimaging, and behavioral approaches to probe the neural circuits of reward processing, decision making, and social behavior. He has won multi-year grants from the National Institutes of Health, Burroughs-Wellcome Fund, Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, and Simons Foundation to further his research.
Dr. Eshel has published articles on dopamine and motivation, the neuroscience of irritability, LGBTQ health, reward and punishment processing in depression, behavioral predictors of substance use among adolescents, and the mechanism of transcranial magnetic stimulation. His work has appeared in Nature, Science, Neuron, Nature Neuroscience, Annual Review of Neuroscience, JAMA, JAMA Psychiatry, Neuropsychopharmacology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Journal of Neuroscience. He is a co-inventor on a patent pending for a new class of drugs for addiction, and also the author of the book Learning: The Science Inside, a publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
He has delivered presentations on the neural circuits of motivated behavior, anger expression in patients with PTSD, how dopamine facilitates learning, and LGBTQ-related topics at departmental seminars in London, Zurich, and Tel Aviv, and at the meetings of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Society of Biological Psychiatry, and Association of American Medical Colleges, among others. He is also an associate editor of the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health, and an ad-hoc reviewer for numerous publications including Nature, Science, JAMA Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, and Current Biology.
Dr. Eshel has won honors for his scholarship and advocacy, including the Marshall Scholarship, the Outstanding Resident Award from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Science and SciLifeLab Grand Prize for Young Scientists, the Freedman Award (honorable mention) from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, the Polymath Award from Stanford's psychiatry department, and the National LGBT Health Achievement Award.
He is a member of the American Psychiatric Association, American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Society of Biological Psychiatry, Association of Gay & Lesbian Psychiatrists, Society for Neuroscience, and other professional associations. He is also an advocate for LGBTQ rights, recently serving as the chair of Stanford's LGBTQ+ Benefits Advocacy Committee.
Prior to Stanford, Dr. Eshel trained and conducted research at the National Institutes of Health, Princeton University, the World Health Organization, University College London, and Harvard University. -
Carlos O. Esquivel, M.D., Ph.D.,FACS
Arnold and Barbara Silverman Professor in Pediatric Transplantation and Professor of Surgery (Abdominal Transplantation) and of Pediatrics (Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition)
Current Research and Scholarly Interests1) Induction of immunotolerance
2) Rejection of liver and intestinal transplantation.
3) Clinical outcomes of children with unresectable liver tumors. -
Ryann Fame
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsEarly neural progenitors respond to extrinsic cues that maintain and support their potency. These stem/ progenitor cells are in direct contact with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which acts as part of their niche. Our research program encompasses the early neural stem cell niche, neural tube closure, CSF, metabolism, and cortical neuronal development. We are dedicated to broad collaboration focused on translating an understanding of neurodevelopment and CSF biology into regenerative strategies.
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Mohsen Fathzadeh
Genomic Scientist, Epidemiology and Population Health
BioMohsen Fathzadeh, a seasoned Medical Geneticist, has dedicated over 20 years to genomic science. His academic journey began at Yale University, where he completed his Ph.D. thesis under Prof. Arya Mani, focusing on a genetic form of familial Metabolic Syndrome. From 2015 to 2021, he served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University, specializing in Cardiovascular Medicine, Psychiatry, and Public Health Sciences. During this tenure, he conducted comprehensive functional genomic analyses under the mentorship of esteemed professors.
Mohsen's collaborative efforts with Merck & Co., Inc. led to the identification of a gene regulator associated with body fat distribution. His research scope also includes the characterization of genes linked to insulin resistance and obesity. Recently, he explored the (epi)genetic link between newborn body fat distribution and high maternal gestational glucose levels, focusing on mother-child cohorts from diverse and underserved communities.
His primary goal is to utilize his findings to enhance our understanding of the genes and evolutionary pathways influencing healthspan and age-related diseases, thereby improving patient lives.
After completing his postdoctoral research in 2021, Mohsen spent two years in the biotech industry, specializing in genetic testing and variant assessment. He is currently affiliated with Stanford's Population Health Center, studying epigenetic disease mechanisms in mother-child cohorts.
Outside his professional life, Mohsen leads an active lifestyle and enjoys learning about diverse cultures. -
Carl Feinstein
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University Medical Center, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAutism and Asperger's Disorder.
Genetically-based neurodevelopmental disorder, including Velocardiofacial Syndrome, Smith-Magenis Syndrome, Williams Syndrome, and Fragile X Syndrome.
Intellectual Disability (mental retardation) and psychiatric disorders.
Developmental Language Disorder and Learning Disabilities.
Sensory impairment in children, including visual and hearing impairment.
Psychiatric aspects of medical illness and disability in children. -
Jeffrey A. Feinstein, MD, MPH
Dunlevie Family Professor of Pulmonary Vascular Disease and Professor, by courtesy, of Bioengineering
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch interests include (1) computer simulation and modeling of cardiovascular physiology with specific attention paid to congenital heart disease and its treatment, (2) the evaluation and treatment of pulmonary hypertension/pulmonary vascular diseases, and (3) development and testing of medical devices/therapies for the treatment of congenital heart disease and pulmonary vascular diseases.
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Heidi M. Feldman
Ballinger-Swindells Endowed Professor of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
On Partial Leave from 05/01/2024 To 06/30/2024Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy current research program focuses on infants born preterm, before 32 weeks gestation from two language environments: English and Spanish. The study considers how neurobiological factors, specifically properties of the white matter circuits in the brain, interact with social, psychological, and economic factors to predict language processing efficiency at 18 months of age.
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Dean W. Felsher
Professor of Medicine (Oncology) and of Pathology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy laboratory studies the molecular basis of cancer with a focus on understanding when cancer can be reversed through targeted oncogene inactivation.
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Stephen Felt, DVM, MPH
Professor of Comparative Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHis research interests include infectious diseases, particularly zoonoses, and exploring techniques which promote the health and welfare of laboratory animals.
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Scott Fendorf
Terry Huffington Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Integrative Initiatives, Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and Professor of Photon Science
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsSoil and environmental biogeochemistry
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Anne Fernald
Josephine Knotts Knowles Professor of Human Biology, Emerita
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWorking with English- and Spanish-learning children from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, our research examines the importance of early language experience in supporting language development. We are deeply involved in community-based research in San Jose, designing an innovative parent-engagement program for low-resource Latino families with young children. We are also conducting field studies of beliefs about child development and caregiver-child interaction in rural villages in Senegal. A central goal of this translational research is to help parents understand their vital role in facilitating children’s language and cognitive growth.
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Dorien Feyaerts
Postdoctoral Scholar, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsBiomedical scientist and immunologist with a strong background in fetal-maternal immunology that aims to conduct impactful translational research in women’s health to improve the health of mothers and their children.
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Andrew Fire
George D. Smith Professor of Molecular and Genetic Medicine and Professor of Pathology and of Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study natural cellular mechanisms for adapting to genetic change. These include systems activated during normal development and those for detecting and responding to foreign or unwanted genetic activity. Underlying these studies are questions of how a cells can distinguish information as "self" versus "nonself" or "wanted" versus "unwanted".
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Michael Fischbach
Liu (Liao) Family Professor
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe microbiome carries out extraordinary feats of biology: it produces hundreds of molecules, many of which impact host physiology; modulates immune function potently and specifically; self-organizes biogeographically; and exhibits profound stability in the face of perturbations. Our lab studies the mechanisms of microbiome-host interactions. Our approach is based on two technologies we recently developed: a complex (119-member) defined gut community that serves as an analytically manageable but biologically relevant system for experimentation, and new genetic systems for common species from the microbiome. Using these systems, we investigate mechanisms at the community level and the strain level.
1) Community-level mechanisms. A typical gut microbiome consists of 200-250 bacterial species that span >6 orders of magnitude in relative abundance. As a system, these bacteria carry out extraordinary feats of metabolite consumption and production, elicit a variety of specific immune cell populations, self-organize geographically and metabolically, and exhibit profound resilience against a wide range of perturbations. Yet remarkably little is known about how the community functions as a system. We are exploring this by asking two broad questions: How do groups of organisms work together to influence immune function? What are the mechanisms that govern metabolism and ecology at the 100+ strain scale? Our goal is to learn rules that will enable us to design communities that solve specific therapeutic problems.
2) Strain-level mechanisms. Even though gut and skin colonists live in communities, individual strains can have an extraordinary impact on host biology. We focus on two broad (and partially overlapping) categories:
Immune modulation: Can we redirect colonist-specific T cells against an antigen of interest by expressing it on the surface of a bacterium? How do skin colonists induce high levels of Staphylococcus-specific antibodies in mice and humans?
Abundant microbiome-derived molecules: By constructing single-strain/single-gene knockouts in a complex defined community, we will ask: What are the effects of bacterially produced molecules on host metabolism and immunology? Can the molecular output of low-abundance organisms impact host physiology?
3) Cell and gene therapy. We have begun two new efforts in mammalian cell and gene therapies. First, we are developing methods that enable cell-type specific delivery of genome editing payloads in vivo. We are especially interested in delivery vehicles that are customizable and easy to manufacture. Second, we have begun a comprehensive genome mining effort with an emphasis on understudied or entirely novel enzyme systems with utility in mammalian genome editing. -
Adina S. Fischer, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology)
On Leave from 10/10/2022 To 10/09/2024BioDr. Fischer’s research focuses on characterizing risk and resilience factors in depression. She has been awarded an NIH Career Development Award (K23) and Klingenstein Foundation Fellowship in Adolescent Depression to build her program of clinical and translational research at Stanford. Dr. Fischer's program of clinical care focused on the delivery and teaching of evidence-based clinical interventions that enhance resilience, with a focus on addressing the unique stressors encountered in academia and academic medicine that may contribute to risk and resilience in mood and anxiety disorders.
Dr. Fischer’s translational program of research focuses on:
(1) Improving our understanding of protective biomarkers of resilience to depression
(2) Characterizing the effects of cannabis on neurobiological function and depressive symptoms
(3) Developing neurobiologically-guided interventions for depressive disorders, particularly those that co-occur with cannabis and other substance use
Dr. Fischer earned her BSc at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, where she conducted research in the Early Childhood Cognition Laboratory. She then completed the MD/PhD Program at Dartmouth, where she obtained her PhD in in Neuroscience. Dr. Fischer’s doctoral research focused on characterizing the acute effects of cannabis in patients with schizophrenia and co-occurring cannabis use disorder. She then completed the Stanford Psychiatry Residency Training Program as a member of the Research Track, and an NIH funded T-32 postdoctoral research fellowship within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. -
Paul Graham Fisher, MD
Beirne Family Professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, Professor of Pediatrics and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery and of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical neuro-oncology: My research explores the epidemiology, natural history, and disease patterns of brain tumors and other cancers in childhood, as well as prospective clinical trials for treating these neoplasms. Research interests also include neurologic effects of cancer and its therapies.
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Robert Fisher, MD, PhD
The Maslah Saul, MD, Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Fisher is interested in clincal, laboratory and translational aspects of epilepsy research. Prior work has included: electrical deep brain stimulation for epilepsy, studied in laboratory models and clinical trials; drug delivery to a seizure focus; mechanisms of absence epilepsy studied with in vitro slices of brain thalamus; hyperthermic seizures; diagnosis and treatment of non-epileptic seizures, the post-ictal state; driving and epilepsy; new antiepileptic drugs; surgery for epilepsy.
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Matthew Fitzgerald, PhD
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research encompasses several translational projects. One focus is to modify the routine audiologic test battery such that it places equal weight on hearing acuity and hearing function. This work includes measures of speech in noise, or electrophysiologic responses such as the FFR. I also explore tools to better assess and maximize performance in users of hearing aids and cochlear implants. Finally, I am also investigating the benefits of telemedicine, and new treatments for tinnitus.
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Pamela Flood
Adjunct Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
BioDr. Flood is a Professor at Stanford University who is fellowship trained in Pain Medicine and Obstetric Anesthesiology. She specializes in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain and multiple aspects of women's health including the prevention of chronic pain after childbirth. Research interests include the role of multimodal treatment in chronic pain conditions and prevention of persistent opioid use. Her research has spanned from detailed pharmacodynamic analysis, clinical trials to population health.
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Eric Foote
Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics - Neonatal and Developmental Medicine
BioEric Foote is a pediatric hospitalist with experience conducting clinical and public health research around the world. His research focuses on identifying and intervening on health disparities in low income countries and in low resource settings. Currently, he is developing and evaluating a community health worker-led household phototherapy intervention to extend access to neonatal jaundice care for newborns in rural Bangladesh. He is also working to improve SARS-CoV-2 testing and genomic surveillance across California and worldwide.
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Jenna Forsyth
Academic Program Professional, Medicine - Med/Infectious Diseases
BioJenna is a research scientist with the School of Medicine and affiliated with the King Center for Global Development, the Woods Institute for the Environment and the Doerr School of Sustainability. She completed her PhD with the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources and obtained her Master's in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Washington. Her research brings together principles of environmental science, epidemiology, and behavior change. She develops and evaluates interventions to minimize exposures to contaminants and disease vectors in low-income countries. Her most recent research has focused on lead exposure in South Asia.
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Michael Frank
Benjamin Scott Crocker Professor of Human Biology and Professor, by courtesy, of Linguistics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsHow do we learn to communicate using language? I study children's language learning and how it interacts with their developing understanding of the social world. I use behavioral experiments, computational tools, and novel measurement methods like large-scale web-based studies, eye-tracking, and head-mounted cameras.
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Jennifer Frankovich
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics - Rheumatology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy primary interest and role at Stanford is to evaluate and treat children with both systemic and organ specific autoimmune disease. In October of 2012, we started a multidisciplinary clinic dedicated to treating patients with PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndromes). I am currently the clinical and research director for the PANS program.
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Hunter Fraser
Professor of Biology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study the evolution of complex traits by developing new experimental and computational methods.
Our work brings together quantitative genetics, genomics, epigenetics, and evolutionary biology to achieve a deeper understanding of how genetic variation shapes the phenotypic diversity of life. Our main focus is on the evolution of gene expression, which is the primary fuel for natural selection. Our long-term goal is to be able to introduce complex traits into new species via genome editing. -
Michael Fredericson, MD
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of overuse sports injuries in athletes and lifestyle medicine practices for improved health and longevity.
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Richard Frock
Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology (Radiation and Cancer Biology)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe are a functional genomics laboratory interested in elucidating mechanisms of DNA repair pathway choice and genome instability. We employ a powerful discovery platform, High-Throughput Genome-wide Translocation Sequencing (HTGTS), which maps DNA junctions at single nucleotide resolution. Our expertise overlaps many different fields including: genome editing, ionizing radiation and cancer therapeutics, V(D)J and IgH class switch recombination, and meiosis.
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Adam Frymoyer
Clinical Professor, Pediatrics - Neonatal and Developmental Medicine
Clinical Associate Professor, PediatricsCurrent Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests focus on understanding the clinical pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of medicines used in complex pediatric populations. This includes identifying sources of variation in drug response through the application of population PK-PD modeling and simulation approaches. The goal is to ultimately apply this quantitative understanding to guide therapeutic decision-making in infants and children.
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Janene Fuerch
Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Neonatal and Developmental Medicine
BioJanene H. Fuerch, MD is a Clinical Associate Professor of Neonatology at Stanford University Medical Center, as well as an innovator, educator, researcher and physician entrepreneur. She has an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from Brown University and a medical degree from the Jacobs School of Medicine at SUNY Buffalo. At Stanford University she completed a pediatrics residency, neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship and the Byers Center for Biodesign Innovation Fellowship.
She is also Assistant Director of the Biodesign Innovation Fellowship Program at Stanford University, and Co-Director of Impact1 where she mentors and advises new entrepreneurs through all aspects of medical device development, from identifying clinical needs to commercialization. Her specific areas of investigational interest include the development and commercialization process of neonatal, pediatric and maternal health medical devices as well as the utilization of a simulated environment to develop and test medical devices. She is a national leader in neonatal resuscitation, ECMO, device development and has been an AHRQ and FDA funded investigator. But her work extends outside of the academic realm to industry having co-founded EMME (acquired by Simple Health 2022) an award-winning reproductive health company, medical director for Novonate (acquired by Laborie 2023) a neonatal umbilical catheter securement company and notable consultant for Vitara (EXTEND - artificial environment to decrease complications of prematurity), and Avanos™. Janene is passionate about improving the health of children and newborns through medical device innovation and research. -
Gerald Fuller
Fletcher Jones Professor in the School of Engineering
BioThe processing of complex liquids (polymers, suspensions, emulsions, biological fluids) alters their microstructure through orientation and deformation of their constitutive elements. In the case of polymeric liquids, it is of interest to obtain in situ measurements of segmental orientation and optical methods have proven to be an excellent means of acquiring this information. Research in our laboratory has resulted in a number of techniques in optical rheometry such as high-speed polarimetry (birefringence and dichroism) and various microscopy methods (fluorescence, phase contrast, and atomic force microscopy).
The microstructure of polymeric and other complex materials also cause them to have interesting physical properties and respond to different flow conditions in unusual manners. In our laboratory, we are equipped with instruments that are able to characterize these materials such as shear rheometer, capillary break up extensional rheometer, and 2D extensional rheometer. Then, the response of these materials to different flow conditions can be visualized and analyzed in detail using high speed imaging devices at up to 2,000 frames per second.
There are numerous processes encountered in nature and industry where the deformation of fluid-fluid interfaces is of central importance. Examples from nature include deformation of the red blood cell in small capillaries, cell division and structure and composition of the tear film. Industrial applications include the processing of emulsions and foams, and the atomization of droplets in ink-jet printing. In our laboratory, fundamental research is in progress to understand the orientation and deformation of monolayers at the molecular level. These experiments employ state of the art optical methods such as polarization modulated dichroism, fluorescence microscopy, and Brewster angle microscopy to obtain in situ measurements of polymer films and small molecule amphiphile monolayers subject to flow. Langmuir troughs are used as the experimental platform so that the thermodynamic state of the monolayers can be systematically controlled. For the first time, well characterized, homogeneous surface flows have been developed, and real time measurements of molecular and microdomain orientation have been obtained. These microstructural experiments are complemented by measurements of the macroscopic, mechanical properties of the films.
