School of Medicine
Showing 201-277 of 277 Results
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Sarada Sakamuri, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryBioDr. Sarada Sakamuri specializes in neuromuscular medicine. Her interests are peripheral nerve injury, neuromuscular ultrasound, EMG/NCS, and neurogenetic disorders. Her other passion is graduate medical education.
She graduated from Rutgers University with Phi Beta Kappa distinction and a degree in psychology. She attended Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, NJ, where she led multiple community service and medical education activities and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha and Gold Humanism Honor Societies. She moved to the Bay Area to pursue neurology residency at Stanford, where she later served as chief resident. She then completed two years of fellowship in EMG/Clinical Neurophysiology and Neuromuscular Medicine and research training at Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Research Center.
Dr. Sakamuri's passion is neuromuscular medicine, with a focus on peripheral nerve traumas and disorders. She is Co-Director of the Center for Peripheral Nerve Surgery along with neurosurgeon Dr. Thomas J. Wilson. She performs advanced evaluations of peripheral nerve conditions by integrating nerve and muscle ultrasound and neurophysiologic testing (EMG/NCS) at the bedside. She has advanced training in nerve and muscle ultrasound, and sits on the Neuromuscular Ultrasound Committee of the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM).
She is board-certified in Neurology and in Neuromuscular disorders by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). She is certified in EMG/NCS by the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM), and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Neuromuscular Ultrasound.
Dr. Sakamuri's other passion is graduate medical education. She is the Program Director of the Stanford Neuromuscular Medicine Fellowship and Associate Director of the Clinical Neurophysiology/EMG Fellowship, with a total of five ACGME-accredited positions filled by extremely bright and talented fellows. She supervises a weekly neurology resident continuity clinic and enjoys teaching medical students and neurology and physiatry residents and fellows. She been awarded the Lysia S. Forno Award for outstanding contributions to resident teaching. -
Jacinda Sampson
Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Jacinda Sampson received her MD and a PhD in biochemistry from University of Alabama at Birmingham, and completed her neurology residency and neurogenetics fellowship at the University of Utah. She served at Columbia University Medical Center prior to joining Stanford University Medical Center in 2015. Her areas of interest include myotonic dystrophies, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and neurogenetic disorders such as neurofibromatosis, hereditary spastic paraparesis, spinocerebellar ataxia, among others. She is interested in clinical trials for treatment of neurogenetic disorders, and in the clinical application of next-generation genomic sequencing to genetic testing.
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Niyatee Samudra, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Samudra is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. She specializes in the care of patients with memory disorders and epilepsy. She has completed fellowship training in behavioral neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, as well as in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Samudra is board-certified in neurology and in epilepsy.
Her research interests include clinical trials in memory disorders and epilepsy; early neurophysiological markers of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders; neuropsychiatric symptoms in neurodegenerative disorders; and the cognitive and neuropsychiatric consequences of epilepsy. She is interested in improving neurologic care for underserved populations.
Dr. Samudra has published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease; Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports; Journal of the Neurological Sciences; Seizure; and Epilepsy and Behavior, among others. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology. -
Calvin Santiago, MD, FRCPC, MSc (he/him)
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Santiago is a board-certified neurologist with Stanford Health Care. He is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Division of Comprehensive Neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Santiago diagnoses and treats a wide range of neurological conditions, including headache, epilepsy, memory disorders, movement disorders, and neuropathy. He has a special focus on improving access to neurological care, including reducing patient wait times and directing patients to the most appropriate care provider by streamlining physician referrals. He also provides LGBTQ+ care.
His research interests include executive functioning and processing speed in older adults with coronary artery disease and using CT angiography in patients with acute ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack. He has also researched speech-language changes in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Santiago has published in multiple peer-reviewed journals, including Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, Alzheimer’s & Dementia, and Cureus: Journal of Medical Science. He has presented to his peers at national and regional meetings, including the Society of Biological Psychiatry Annual Meeting, History of Medicine Days at the University of Calgary, and the Advanced Learning in Palliative Medicine Conference at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Santiago is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, Canadian Neurological Sciences Foundation, and Ontario Medical Association. -
Neil Schwartz, MD, PhD
Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryCurrent Research and Scholarly InterestsMy clinical interests involve inpatient and outpatient care of patients with neurovascular diseases, mostly ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. I have a particular interest in cervical artery dissection, non-atherosclerotic vasculopathies, and stroke in the young.
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Sharon Sha, MD, MS
Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Sha is a Clinical Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University where she serves as Chief for the Memory Disorders Division and the Stanford Memory Disorders Center, Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research, Director of the Huntington’s Disease Center of Excellence and Ataxia Clinic, Co-Director of the Lewy Body Disease Association Research Center of Excellence, Clinical Core Co-Leader of the Stanford Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Director of the Behavioral Neurology Fellowship. Her clinical time is devoted to caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders and her research is devoted to finding treatments for these cognitive disorders. She also served on the California Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force Chaired by Maria Shriver in 2020. She has been featured in international media and documentaries such as the BBC "How to Stay Young" and the Docuseries "Limitless with Chris Hemsworth".
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Xiwei She
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurology and Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Xiwei She is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Neurology. He received his B.S. degree in Computer Science from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2013, and his M.S. degree in Biomedical Engineering from Zhejiang University in 2016. Worked as a research assistant at the USC Neural Modeling and Interface Laboratory, he received his Ph.D. degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Southern California in 2022. After graduation, he joined Stanford University as a postdoctoral scholar at the Pediatric Neurostimulation Laboratory (Baumer Lab) and Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute.
His research interests are largely directed toward identifying the causal relationship of neurons/brain regions and understanding how information is encoded in neural signals by employing machine learning models. Specifically, his postdoc research focuses on applying machine learning modeling techniques on EEG and TMS-EEG data to better understand the impact of interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs) on brain activity in children with childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (CECTS). -
Irina Skylar-Scott
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Skylar-Scott is a board-certified, fellowship-trained cognitive and behavioral neurologist and clinical assistant professor at Stanford University. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology as well as the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry.
Her clinical interests include the treatment of cognitive and behavioral impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, posterior cortical atrophy, primary progressive aphasia, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, primary age-related tauopathy, and limbic-predominant age-associated TDP-43 encephalopathy, among other disorders of cognition and behavior.
Her research interests include clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease and how social and intellectual engagement can affect cognition. She has also investigated impaired consciousness in epilepsy and biomarkers for assessing Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Skylar-Scott was a fellow in the Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (CART) in the Department of Neurology at Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital. She also completed her undergraduate degree at MIT, her MD at Yale, and her residency at Harvard.
Dr. Skylar-Scott’s work has appeared in Neurology, Alzheimer's Research and Therapy, Pediatric Neurology, the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Muscle & Nerve, and Epilepsia. She also has also been invited to write book chapters on Alzheimer’s disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus, Parkinson’s disease dementia and Lewy body dementia, and the cognitive and psychiatric consequences of neuroimmunological disorders published by Elsevier and McGraw-Hill.
Presentations by Dr. Skylar-Scott have focused on prevention of cognitive decline in at-risk elderly people, cognitive and neuropsychiatric manifestations of Parkinson’s disease, human prion diseases, and other topics. She has presented at meetings held by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the American Neurological Association (ANA), and the American Academy of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM).
For her research and scholarship, Dr. Skylar-Scott has earned honors from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). She was honored to receive the Golseth Young Investigator Award from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine. In addition, she won the Action Duchenne International Conference First Prize Poster for her research in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Dr. Skylar-Scott is a member of the American Neurological Association and American Academy of Neurology. Every year, she walks to raise money for Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. -
Yuen So, MD, PhD
Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences (Adult Neurology), Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch in the diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment of peripheral neuropathy, myasthenia gravis, motor neuron diseases including ALS and SMA, nerve injuries and muscle diseases. Application of clinical neurophysiological methods to neurological diagnosis. Development of evidence-based medicine pertaining to the practice of neurology.
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Kristen K. Steenerson, MD
Clinical Associate Professor, Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery)
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological SciencesBioKristen K. Steenerson, MD is a board-certified neurologist with fellowship training in vestibular neurology. She graduated cum laude from Claremont McKenna College, received her MD from the University of Utah, completed neurology residency at Mayo Clinic Arizona, and fellowship at Barrow Neurological Insitute. She directs the Vestibular Balance Disorders Program of the Stanford Balance Center. She has joint appointments in the departments of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery and Neurology & Neurological Sciences at Stanford. Her clinical interests include vestibular migraine, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Ménière's disease, and international neurology.
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Minhui Su
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurology and Neurological Sciences
BioMinhui Su, PhD is a postdoctoral fellow at the Neurology Department. She is investigating neuronal activity-regulated glioma growth, specifically how membrane depolarization regulates glioma growth in the tumor microenvironment.
She obtained her PhD in Molecular Biology, with a focus on neuroimmunology, at the International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) at Georg August University Göttingen, Germany. Her PhD research discovered that inflammation is an essential early step of myelin regeneration, and uncovered the roles of microglia (the resident immune cells of the central nervous system) in myelin damage response.
She enjoys science, art and hiking in her free time. -
Lia Talozzi
Instructor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Talozzi aims to contribute to the definition of quantitative biomarkers for neurological pathologies. She has a physics background, and a master's in applied physics. She graduated with honors from Bologna University, where she pursued her Ph.D. in Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences. During her doctoral studies, she worked primarily with magnetic resonance imaging, majoring in tractography methods, for which she was awarded a scholarship at the Neuroanatomy and Tractography Laboratory, King's College London. Subsequently, she exploited dimensionality reduction techniques for associating white matter damage with clinical symptoms within the Bordeaux University Disconnectome ERC grant. Currently, she expanded her research horizons to genetic investigations by joining the Greicius Lab. She aims to develop novel strategies for modeling risk scores for Alzheimer's pathology using long read sequencing methodologies.
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Chris Tarver, MD, FAAPMR
Clinical Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Clinical Assistant Professor (By courtesy), Neurosurgery
Clinical Assistant Professor (By courtesy), Neurology & Neurological SciencesBioDr. Tarver is board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Brain Injury Medicine, with an emphasis on stroke rehabilitation. He is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and a clinical assistant professor (by courtesy) in the Department of Neurosurgery and the Department of Neurology & Neurological Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Tarver completed a PM&R residency at Loma Linda University Health. Prior to that, he received his Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and Doctor of Medicine degrees from Texas A&M University.
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Ryan Taylor, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Taylor is a fellowship-trained neurologist and assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Memory Disorders Division. He provides patient care at the Stanford Center for Memory Disorders.
His areas of expertise include diagnosing and treating illnesses that impair thinking, memory, behavior, and speech. Dr. Taylor’s clinical focus includes Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body disease, frontotemporal dementia, primary progressive aphasia, posterior cortical atrophy, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, autoimmune encephalitis and other rapidly progressive dementias. He works with patients and families to provide diagnostic clarity and individualized treatment plans.
Dr. Taylor’s academic and research interests combine clinical and scientific understandings of dementia with a philosophical inquiry into the structure of conscious experience. His original clinical research includes diverse topics, such as advances in diagnosing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and the clinical characterization of adult-onset hereditary dementias. Dr. Taylor has published work instrumental in identifying the potential role of fentanyl in a syndrome of sudden onset amnesia that emerged during the opioid crisis.
He has presented research at the American Academy of Neurology and published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences and Methods in Molecular Biology. He has also published a chapter on the diagnosis and treatment of frontotemporal dementia and was a reviewer for Neurocase.
Dr. Taylor is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada. He has taught residents and medical students clinical skills, neuroanatomy, neuro-imaging, and other subjects. He also has delivered Grand Rounds presentations on dementia, epilepsy, and pediatric neurology. -
Kate Therkelsen, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Therkelsen is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neuro-oncologist with the Stanford Medicine Cancer Center and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences.
She diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions including primary brain tumors and cancers of the central nervous system, metastatic disease to the brain and spinal cord, and neurologic complications of cancer. She prepares a personalized, comprehensive care plan for each patient she serves.
Dr. Therkelsen’s research interests include clinical trials of new therapeutics, as well as ways to reduce toxicities that some patients may experience when receiving cancer treatment. Her fellowship research projects included a study of survival and long-term function among patients treated for primary central nervous system lymphoma. She also received a pre-doctoral National Institutes of Health Intramural Research Training Award for her work with the Framingham Heart Study.
She has published in Current Treatment Options in Oncology and other peer-reviewed journals. She has presented to her peers at international, national, and regional meetings, including the annual meetings of the Society of Neuro-Oncology and of the American Academy of Neurology.
Dr. Therkelsen is a member of the Society of Neuro-Oncology and the American Academy of Neurology. -
Reena Thomas, MD PhD
Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryCurrent Research and Scholarly Interests-Neuro Oncology Immunotherapy
-Medical Education -
Zachary David Threlkeld
Clinical Associate Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryBioDr. Threlkeld cares for critically ill patients with acute neurologic illness, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and epilepsy. He completed his residency training in neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and joined the Stanford Neurocritical Care program after completing fellowship training in neurocritical care at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He has a particular clinical and research interest in traumatic brain injury. His research uses advanced imaging modalities like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to better understand disorders of consciousness.
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Hulya Torun
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurology and Neurological Sciences
BioHulya Torun is a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford Neurology and Neurological Sciences, continuing her specialization in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering. Her focus involves brain aging & neurodegeneration and Raman spectroscopy-based diagnostic technologies for the precise detection of brain tumors. Hulya is dedicated to making significant contributions to medicine through translational research. She has published in esteemed journals, including 'Advanced Devices & Instrumentation' and 'Small.' Notably, she has been selected as Stanford Representative for a Pediatric Brain Tumor Fellowship Application, a finalist for the Stanford Biodesign MEDTech Spectrum Grant, and the recipient of the OPTICA Zuegel Scholarship, ISEV 2024 International Researcher Award, 1st place in KUIMPACT 2023 Patent Competition, SNO 2023 International Scholar Award, 3rd place in KUIMPACT 2021 Patent Competition, and SPIE Student Travel Grant, underscoring her commitment to impactful research.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Hulya actively engages in mentorship programs, notably serving as a mentor in the Stanford Canary CREST Program, supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where she guides undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, she holds the esteemed position of President of Stanford Optical Society after her former position as the Co-Chair of the Stanford University Photonics Retreat (SUPR 2024), showcasing her leadership capabilities within the academic community. Her multidimensional engagement, strong research acumen, and dedication to advancing healthcare technology underscore her potential as a future leader in the realm of neuroengineering. Outside of her research endeavors, Hulya is an avid participant in professional extracurricular activities such as dancing and volleyball, reflecting her well-rounded approach to personal and professional development. -
Alexandra Nicole Trelle
Instructor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioI completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, and my PhD at the University of Cambridge. My work explores the neural mechanisms supporting episodic memory, and how these are affected by aging and Alzheimer's disease. I am currently leading the Stanford Aging and Memory Study, a large-scale longitudinal project examining individual differences in episodic memory in older adults. My research combines structural and functional MRI, PET imaging, and analysis of molecular and genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.
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Kelly Vanden
Research Assistant, Neurology
Current Role at StanfordAs a Laboratory Research Technician in Dr. Marion Buckwalter's Laboratory, Kelly conducts research that explores inflammatory responses after brain injury affect neurological recovery. Kelly works directly with Dr. Elizabeth Mayne in her exploration of long term adolescent recovery after stroke.
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Gil Vantomme
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurology and Neurological Sciences
BioI am a postdoctoral fellow interested in studying synaptic physiology and dysfunctions. My researcher focuses on thalamocortical circuits involving cortical structures relevant for cognition and executive function. Taking advantage of mouse models of autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy, I aim to uncover defects in synaptic function that underlie these disorders.
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Chitra Venkatasubramanian, MBBS, MD, MSc, FNCS
Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryCurrent Research and Scholarly InterestsI am interested in the study of the radiological characteristics and temporal profile of edema/ tissue injury in the perihematomal area around spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. I am also interested in developing protocols for emergent reversal of anticoagulation in a life-threatening hemorrhage situation.
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Nirali Vora
Clinical Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Nirali Vora is a Clinical Professor of Neurology and Neurological sciences at Stanford University. She is board certified in Adult Neurology and Vascular Neurology after completing her residency and advanced fellowship training at Stanford. She provides comprehensive care for all stroke patients, as well as hospitalized adults with acute or undiagnosed neurological conditions. She specializes in treating vascular disorders including TIA, vasculitis, dissection, venous thrombosis, and undetermined or “cryptogenic” causes of stroke.
Dr. Vora directs the Stanford Global Health Neurology program, through which she collaborated to start the first stroke unit in Zimbabwe and gained experience in HIV neurology and other neuro-infectious diseases. Additional research interests include stroke prevention, TIA triage, eliminating disparities in health care, and neurology education. She is also the Director of the Stanford Adult Neurology Residency Program. -
Jessica Falco-Walter
Clinical Associate Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioJessica Falco-Walter, MD is board certified in Neurology as well as in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology and practices as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology & Neurological Sciences at Stanford University. Dr. Walter received her BA in Cognitive Science with distinction from Yale University. She received her MD and completed her internship at Georgetown University School of Medicine and then completed her neurology residency at the Mount Sinai Medical Center of the Icahn School of Medicine. She then went on to pursue fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy at Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago, IL. She is board certified by the ABPN in Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology, and Epilepsy. She was one of the first ABPN Epilepsy fellows in the country. Her clinical focus is diagnosis and treatment of seizure disorders and epilepsy, with commitment to treating complex patients and improving quality of life as well as seizure control.
She has a particular interest in dietary treatments for epilepsy and has created a clinic to better manage ketogenic diet treatments for adults with epilepsy. She has published research on ketogenic dietary treatments and continues to work on research related to Vitamin D and epilepsy. While she has particular interest in dietary treatments in epilepsy she is well versed in all currently available medications and surgical treatments for epilepsy and works with patients to treat epilepsy medically, surgically, and wholistically. She is involved in research on new treatments for epilepsy as well.
Dr. Falco-Walter is the Students Interested in Neurology (SIGN) faculty lead for the Department of Neurology and really enjoys working with undergraduates and medical students at the beginning of their careers. She is the course instructor for the Introduction to Neurology Seminar that runs in the fall for medical students that introduces students to all the subspecialty areas within Neurology. -
Jack Tzu-Chieh Wang, MD, PhD
Instructor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur primary research focus is understanding the molecular mechanisms of axonal degeneration and subsequent failure of axonal regeneration in the CNS. We have identified critical cellular pathways mediating axonal degeneration following acute neurological injuries including ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury. Modulating these pathways presents a novel therapeutic strategy to protect vulnerable nerve fibers and enhance functional recovery in a multitude of acute CNS injuries and diseases.
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Kevin Wilkins
Science Engineering Assoc 2, Neurology
Current Role at StanfordScience and Engineering Associate
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Joseph Winer
Instructor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioJoe Winer completed his PhD in Psychology at UC Berkeley working with Matthew Walker and William Jagust. During his PhD, Joe used overnight EEG and PET imaging to investigate connections between sleep disruption and Alzheimer's disease in the context of healthy aging. At Stanford, Joe's research combines wearable devices, neuroimaging, and other biomarkers to explore how tracking sleep and other factors in everyday life can provide information about brain health and cognitive trajectories in aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Gregory Jamison Wong
Affiliate, Department Funds
Fellow in NeurologyBioNeurology resident with interest in vascular and interventional neurology.
Undergraduate: University of California, Los Angeles (2014)
Medical School: Washington University School of Medicine (2020)
Internship: Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University Medical Center (2021) -
Kyan Younes, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Younes is a fellowship-trained, board-certified neurologist and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
His areas of expertise include the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, primary progressive aphasia, Lewy body dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus and cognitive and behavioral impairments. For each patient, Dr. Younes develops a personalized plan of care. A plan may include his close collaboration with experts from psychiatry, nursing, pharmacy, genetic counseling, and other specialties. His goal is to ensure that each patient receives care that is both comprehensive and compassionate.
To help lead advances and innovations in his field, Dr. Younes conducts extensive research. He is studying the clinical, neuropsychological, socioemotional, genetic, and pathological features when a patient experiences degeneration of the right anterior temporal lobe area of the brain. This disorder can affect a person’s ability to process emotions and person-specific knowledge.
He also is researching how multimodal brain imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) combined with machine learning can help improve the detection of neurodegenerative diseases. In other research, he has participated in clinical trials of new drug therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Younes has presented research findings at meetings of the American Neurological Association, American Academy of Neurology, and American Psychiatric Association. Topics have included predictors of cognitive performance in dementia.
He has co-authored research articles published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, Journal of Neuroimaging, and elsewhere. Subjects of these articles have included guidelines for diagnosing the effects of right anterior temporal lobe degeneration on behavior, treatment for symptoms of encephalitis, and the impact of mild traumatic brain injury on healthy older adults.
Dr. Younes has written chapters on frontotemporal dementia for Psychiatric Clinics as well as the epilepsy, coma, acute ischemic stroke, meningitis and encephalitis chapters for the textbook The Little Black Book of Neurology.
He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, Alzheimer’s Association, and International Society for Frontotemporal Dementias. -
Christina Young
Instructor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Christina Young obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology as well as her MS in Statistics at Northwestern University. She completed her predoctoral internship at the University of Illinois Chicago where she specialized in neuropsychology. She continued her neuropsychology training as well as her research during her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.
Dr. Young's research focuses on identifying real-world declines in cognition that track with the pathological changes in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. Her work incorporates novel measures of cognition as well as neuroimaging to improve the detection and monitoring of early cognitive decline in the context of AD and related dementias. She has been awarded grant funding through a K99/R00 from the NIH and an Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship to Promote Diversity (AARF-D) from the Alzheimer's Association. -
Maya Yutsis
Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated), Neurology
Staff, NeurologyBioMaya Yutsis, Ph.D., ABPP-CN is a Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated) in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She is a neuropsychologist at the Stanford Alzheimer's Disease and Research Center (ADRC), Stanford Concussion and Sports Medicine Clinic, and Neuropsychology Service. She received her doctorate in clinical psychology at the Palo AltoUniversity in 2009, completed an APA approved clinical internship in neuropsychology at the Minneapolis VA Medical center and a two-year post doctoral fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN in 2011. She received her board certification in Clinical Neuropsychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology. Prior to coming to Stanford, she worked as a lead neuropsychologist at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program and Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) Telehealth Neuropsychology clinic and served as a director/preceptor of an APA-approved post-doctoral fellowship Neuropsychology Emphasis Area training program. She is currently a Newsletter Editor of the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology, APA Division 40. Her research interests focus on computerized assessment and interventions for persons with acquired brain injury, sport-related concussion, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
PUBLICATIONS (Selected from 15)
Yam, A, Rickards, T, Pawlowski, C, Yutsis, M. (in Press). Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Approach for Functional Neurological Symptom (Conversion) Disorder: A Case Study. Rehabilitation Psychology
Duchnick, J, Ropacki, S.A., Yutsis, M.V., Petska, K., & Pawlowski, C.A., (2015). Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Programs: Comprehensive, holistic rehabilitation for community integration after brain injury. Psychological Services, 5.
Yochim, B, Beaudreau, S, Fairchild, JK, Yutsis, M, Raymond, N, Friedman, L, Yesavage, J. (2015). A Verbal Naming Test for use with older adults: Development and initial validation. Journal of International Neuropsychological Society, 21, 239-248.
Bergquist, T, Yutsis, M, Sullan, M. (2014). Satisfaction with cognitive rehabilitation delivered via the Internet in persons with acquired brain injury. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 6(2), 39-50.
Giese-Davis, J., Tamagawa, R., Yutsis, M., Twirbutt, S., Piemme, K., Neri, E., Taylor, C. B., Spiegel, D. (2012) Which symptoms matter? Self-report and observer discrepancies in repressors and high-anxious women with metastatic breast cancer. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, Published online October 20, 2012.
Yutsis, M., Bergquist, T., Micklewright, J. Smigielski, J., Brown, A. (2012) Pre-treatment compensation use is a better correlate of activity limitations than cognitive impairment in persons with acquired brain injury. Brain Injury, 26(11),1297-1306.
Bergquist, T., Micklewright, J., Yutsis, M., Smigielski, J., Gehl, C., Brown, A. (2012) Achievement of client-centered goals by persons with acquired brain injury in comprehensive day treatment is associated with greater vocational and residential independence at discharge and 1 year follow-up. Brain Injury,26(11), 1307-1314
Forducey, PG, Glueckauf, RL, Bergquist, R, Maheu, MM, Yutsis, M (2012). Telehealth for persons with severe functional disabilities and their caregivers: Facilitating self-care management in a home setting. Psychological Services, 9(2), 144-162. -
Marwa Zafarullah
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurology and Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Marwa Zafarullah is a dedicated neuroscientist with extensive interdisciplinary experience spanning over 8 years in clinical and pre-clinical research. She holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Genetics and Genomics (IGG) from the University of California Davis, focusing on neuroscience, human genetics, and functional genomics. Before joining Stanford, Dr. Zafarullah harnessed the power of molecular biology with advanced technologies to delve into biomarkers related to the prediction, development, progression, and severity of Fragile X Syndrome and associated disorders.
Dr. Zafarullah's career journey reflects her commitment to advancing scientific knowledge, improving patient care, and positively impacting society through her research and contributions. She thrives in multi-disciplinary teams, aiming to enhance the quality of life for all individuals affected by various neurological conditions. Beyond her professional endeavors, she enjoys communicating complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences. Her continuous pursuit of excellence and her drive to bridge clinical practice and scientific innovation make her a true trailblazer in the field. -
Hengameh Zahed, MD, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Zahed is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurologist with the Stanford Medicine Movement Disorders Center. She is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences.
She diagnoses and treats a wide range of movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and ataxia. She creates a personalized treatment plan for each of her patients using a variety of treatment options, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological options, deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment for Parkinson's disease and tremors, and botulinum toxin injections for movement disorders and spasticity.
Prior to joining Stanford University, Dr. Zahed completed a neurology residency and fellowship in movement disorders at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she also earned her MD and PhD in biomedical sciences. Dr. Zahed’s research interests include understanding the genetic and electrophysiological underpinnings of movement disorders and investigating applications of wearable technologies to monitor symptoms and improve the quality of life in patients with movement disorders. She also participates in clinical trials of new therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders.
Dr. Zahed has published in Movement Disorders, Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine, The Journal of Clinical Investigation, American Journal of Human Genetics, Cell, and other peer-reviewed journals. She has presented to her peers at international, national, and regional meetings. These meetings have included the International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders, the Hereditary Disease Foundation Symposium, the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, and the Society for Neuroscience.
Dr. Zahed is a member of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society. -
Fanglin Zhang, MD., PhD.
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Zhang is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurologist. She serves as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Zhang diligently excels in diagnosing and treating complex neurological conditions. Her clinical interests span a broad spectrum, with a current emphasis on intractable epilepsy and urgent stroke care. With each patient, Dr. Zhang forms a strong alliance focused on overcoming neurological disease and improving quality of life. She practices a patient-centered and evidence-based medicine.
As a clinician educator, she finds joy in educating both patients and trainees. She also enjoys conducting cutting-edge clinical research. Her work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, such as Neurological Sciences, Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, Neuroimage, Glia, Immunology, the Journal of Psychiatric Practice, Journal of Neuroimmunology, etc. Her current research interest includes clinical trials and a large cohort study of the impact of seizures on stroke outcomes.
Among her many honors, Dr. Zhang has won a grant award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Dr. Zhang shows a great enthusiasm in public welfare. She has earned recognition for volunteering her time and expertise at family health centers, hospitals, and schools. -
Niushen Zhang
Clinical Associate Professor, Neurology & Neurological Sciences
BioDr. Niushen Zhang is a board-certified neurologist and Chief of the Headache and Facial Pain Division in the Department of Neurology. She has a special interest in developing personalized treatment plans for headache patients which incorporate the use of complementary and integrative medicine. She is the Chair of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Special Interest Section of the American Headache Society (AHS). Her research interests include the connection between the gut microbiome and migraine and the impact of diet and nutrition on migraine. In addition, she participates in clinical trials of new headache treatments for migraine and cluster headache. Dr. Zhang is also actively involved in medical education. She is the Director of the Headache Fellowship Program at Stanford. She serves as the Co-Chair of the Headache Fellowship Directors Committee for the American Headache Society (AHS). She is also a curriculum developer for AHS's REACH Program. She spearheaded the design and creation of the AHS National Headache Fellowship Opportunities website which serves as a central resource for all headache fellowship applicants and promotes the AAN's unified fellowship application timeline.
Dr. Zhang graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. She earned an MD from the New York University School of Medicine. She completed neurology residency and fellowship in headache and facial pain at Stanford University.
