School of Medicine
Showing 1-29 of 29 Results
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Teddy J. Akiki, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Akiki's research focuses on advancing precision psychiatry through computational neuroscience approaches. His work centers on developing transformer-based foundation models for functional neuroimaging that can predict treatment responses and symptom trajectories in psychiatric disorders. Using multimodal connectomics (combining structural, functional, and diffusion MRI), he maps neural circuits underlying stress-related conditions, with particular emphasis on identifying dysconnectivity patterns in PTSD and depression. Dr. Akiki develops novel analytical methods for neuroimaging data, including network-restricted metrics and community detection frameworks optimized for functional time series. His translational work includes neuroimaging-augmented clinical trials of novel therapeutics for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders, with the goal of implementing data-driven, personalized interventions based on individual neurobiological profiles.
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Helen M. Blau
Donald E. and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor, Director, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology and Professor, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsProf. Helen Blau's research area is regenerative medicine with a focus on stem cells. Her research on nuclear reprogramming and demonstrating the plasticity of cell fate using cell fusion is well known and her laboratory has also pioneered the design of biomaterials to mimic the in vivo microenvironment and direct stem cell fate. Current findings are leading to more efficient iPS generation, cell based therapies by dedifferentiation a la newts, and discovery of novel molecules and therapies.
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Weidong Cai
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
BioMy research program investigates the neurobiological basis of cognitive dysfunction across the lifespan, focusing on two critical populations: children with neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., ADHD) and elders with neurodegenerative conditions (e.g., Parkinson’s disease). By employing a highly interdisciplinary approach that integrates cognitive science, advanced functional neuroimaging, and computational modeling, I aim to delineate the neurocognitive processes governing both typical and atypical brain development and aging. The ultimate goal is to advance our understanding of the factors contributing to cognitive deficits and translate these findings into improved diagnostic tools and precision treatment strategies.
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Victor G. Carrión
John A. Turner Endowed Professor for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsExamines the interplay between brain development and stress vulnerability via a multi-method approach that includes psychophysiology, neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology and phenomenology. Treatment development that focuses on individual and community-based interventions for stress related conditions in children and adolescents that experience traumatic stress.
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Luis de Lecea
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical and Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy lab uses molecular, optogenetic, anatomical and behavioral methods to identify and manipulate the neuronal circuits underlying brain arousal, with particular attention to sleep and wakefulness transitions. We are also interested in the changes that occur in neuronal circuits in conditions of hyperarousal such as stress and drug addiction.
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Karl Deisseroth
D. H. Chen Professor, Professor of Bioengineering and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsKarl Deisseroth's laboratory created and developed optogenetics, hydrogel-tissue chemistry (beginning with CLARITY), and a broad range of enabling methods. He also has employed his technologies to discover the neural cell types and connections that cause adaptive and maladaptive behaviors.
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Laramie Duncan
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur work is at the intersection of statistical genetics, psychiatry, and neuroscience. We use massive datasets and primarily computational approaches to identify mechanisms contributing to mental health problems like schizophrenia and depression. The overall goal of the lab is to discover fundamental information about psychiatric disorders, and ultimately to build more effective approaches to classification, prevention, and treatment.
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Lara Foland-Ross
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
BioI am an Academic Research Scientist in Neuroscience and Precision Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. I use a variety of imaging modalities to examine the neural and behavioral mechanisms of mood and cognition. The primary aim of my work is to understand how individual brain patterns can be leveraged in treatment planning for depression. My primary projects include the ACE-D study ("Accelerating Cognition-guided signatures to Enhance translation in Depression") in the Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health and Wellness. I deeply value the process of acting on curiosity, learning from challenges, and applying creative solutions to both highlight and address gaps in our understanding of depression and other mental health conditions.
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Lawrence Fung MD PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories & Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Lawrence Fung is a physician-scientist specializing in autism and neurodiversity. Dr. Fung is an associate professor of Psychiatry at Stanford University. He is the director of the Stanford Neurodiversity Project (SNP), director of the Neurodiversity Clinic, and PI at the Fung Lab. Dr. Fung’s research traverses from multi-modal neuroimaging studies to a new conceptualization of neurodiversity and its application to clinical, educational, and employment settings. His lab has two main arms of research: (1) neurobiology of autism and (2) neurodiversity.
The neurobiology arm of his lab focuses on advancing the understanding of the thalamocortical circuits and their socio-communicative and cognitive functions in people on the spectrum by using novel neuroimaging and bioanalytical technologies. The findings of his neurobiology research efforts were published in top journals in our field, such as Molecular Psychiatry, Translational Psychiatry, and Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Using a community-based participatory research approach, Dr. Fung’s team devises and implements novel interventions to improve the lives of neurodiverse individuals by maximizing their potential and productivity. He has developed and assessed several psychoeducational interventions, including the Developing Inclusive and Vocational Educational Resources for Success and Employment (DIVERSE) curriculum.
Dr. Fung is also the founding director of the SNP, a special initiative of the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford. Since 2017, the SNP has organized various events, including the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit, which brings thousands of people together yearly to share visions, innovations, and inspirations about maximizing the potential of neurodiversity. Each summer, about 100 high-school students join us at the SNP’s Research, Education, and Advocacy Camp for High Schoolers (SNP-REACH), to learn how to develop neurodiversity advocacy projects. Dr. Fung also teaches a neurodiversity design thinking course at Stanford. Clinically, Dr. Fung has applied the SBMN to his clinical work and is teaching a CME course focusing on delivering neurodiversity-affirmative care to neurodivergent patients. -
Andrew D. Huberman
Associate Professor of Neurobiology and, by courtesy, of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAndrew Huberman is a tenured associate professor of neurobiology and of ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he directs the Huberman Lab. After earning his B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and completing M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in neuroscience at UC Berkeley and UC Davis, he conducted post-doctoral work at Stanford.
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Robert Malenka
Nancy Friend Pritzker Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsLong-lasting changes in synaptic strength are important for the modification of neural circuits by experience. A major goal of my laboratory is to elucidate the molecular events that trigger various forms of synaptic plasticity and the modifications in synaptic proteins that are responsible for the changes in synaptic efficacy.
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Vinod Menon
Rachael L. and Walter F. Nichols, MD, Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Education and of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsEXPERIMENTAL, CLINICAL AND THEORETICAL SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE
Cognitive neuroscience; Systems neuroscience; Cognitive development; Psychiatric neuroscience; Functional brain imaging; Dynamical basis of brain function; Nonlinear dynamics of neural systems. -
Philippe Mourrain
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
BioExpertise: Neurobiology, Sleep sciences, Molecular Genetics, Developmental Biology, Gene Silencing/Epigenetics
Methodology: Synapse Imaging (Two photon microscopy, Array Tomography), Calcium Imaging (Light Sheet Microscopy/SPIM, Light Field Microscopy), Optogenetics, CLARITY, Tol2 transgenesis, TALENs, CRISPR/Cas9, Video tracking and behavior computation. -
Karen J. Parker, PhD
Truong-Tan Broadcom Endowed Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Comparative Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe Parker Lab conducts research on the biology of social functioning in monkeys, typically developing humans, and patients with social difficulties.
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Kilian M. Pohl, PhD
Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Labs and Incubator) and, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering
On Leave from 06/01/2026 To 08/31/2026Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe foundation of the laboratory is computational science aimed at identifying biomedical phenotypes improving the mechanistic understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. The biomedical phenotypes are discovered by unbiased, machine learning-based searches across biological, neuroimaging, and neuropsychological data. This data-driven discovery currently supports the adolescent brain research of the NIH-funded National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA). The laboratory also investigates brain patterns specific to alcohol use disorder, depression, and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) across the adult age range, and have advanced the understanding of a variety of brain diseases including schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, glioma, and aging.
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Sean Quirin
Assistant Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical & Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
BioDr. Quirin's laboratory develops minimally invasive methods to explore the causal role individual neurons play in the emergence of behavior. To this end, the lab's strength is the development of techniques which manipulate light to both detect and restoratively modulate brain activity down to the single-neuron scale. His lab continues to innovate with new tools which map these functional relationships onto the molecular and anatomical architecture of the brain. Utilizing these techniques, the lab aims to characterize how ensembles of neurons coordinate to encode and communicate information throughout the brain for sensing and behavior.
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Nirao Shah
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator), of Neurobiology and, by courtesy, of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study how our brains generate social interactions that differ between the sexes. Such gender differences in behavior are regulated by sex hormones, experience, and social cues. Accordingly, we are characterizing how these internal and external factors control gene expression and neuronal physiology in the two sexes to generate behavior. We are also interested in understanding how such sex differences in the healthy brain translate to sex differences in many neuro-psychiatric illnesses.
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David Spiegel
Jack, Lulu and Sam Willson Professor of Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Spiegel's research program involves mind/body interactions, including cancer progression, the response to traumatic stress, and the effect of hypnosis on the perception of pain and anxiety.
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Edith Vioni Sullivan
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsApplication of neuroimaging modalities and component process analysis of cognitive, sensory, and motor functions to identify brain structural and functional mechanisms disrupted in diseases affecting the brain: alcohol use disorder, HIV infection, dementia, and normal aging from adolescence to senescence.
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Alexander Eckehart Urban
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator) and of Genetics
On Partial Leave from 06/01/2026 To 09/21/2026Current Research and Scholarly InterestsComplex behavioral and neuropsychiatric phenotypes often have a strong genetic component. This genetic component is often extremely complex and difficult to dissect. The current revolution in genome technology means that we can avail ourselves to tools that make it possible for the first time to begin understanding the complex genetic and epigenetic interactions at the basis of the human mind.
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Gordon Wang
Clinical Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
BioGordon Wang received his Bachelors of Arts and Science from the University of California, Davis in 2000 majoring in Comparative literature and Genetics. He received his PhD under Dr. Mu-ming Poo at the University of California, Berkeley in 2005 studying the role of ion channels in mediating neuronal growthcone guidance decisions. As a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Dr. Stephen Smith at Stanford University, Gordon developed a computational architecture for the detailed study of molecular diversity in synapses and using this system, he studied the diverse role of synaptic diversity in neurodevelopmental diseases, such as fragile x syndrome. In a co-postdoc in Dr. Philippe Mourrain's lab, he studied the dynamic plasticity of synapses in sleep and circadian cycles in larval zebrafish using multi-photon microscopy. The Wang lab focuses on developing imaging tools to deeply analyze proteins, mRNA and lipids at the synapses, and understand how synaptic heterogeneity affect the function of neural circuits throughout development and aging and in diseases such as autism and fragile x syndrome.
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Leanne Williams
Vincent V.C. Woo Professor and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories and Clinical Translational Neurosciences Incubator)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsA revolution is under way in psychiatry. We can now understand mental illness as an expression of underlying brain circuit disruptions, shaped by experience and genetics. Our lab is defining precision brain circuit biotypes for depression, anxiety and related disorders. We integrate large amounts of brain imaging, behavioral and clinical data and computational approaches. Biotypes are used in personalized intervention studies with selective drugs, neuromodulation and exploratory therapeutics.
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Britt Wray
Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
BioDr. Wray is the Director of CIRCLE at Stanford Psychiatry, a research and action initiative focused on Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership and Emotional wellbeing in the Stanford School of Medicine. Her research focuses on the mental health impacts of climate change on young people ('emerging adults') and frontline community members, community-minded psychosocial support interventions, and public engagement for improved mental and planetary health. Wray focuses on co-designing and evaluating evidence-based climate distress (climate anxiety/eco-anxiety) interventions with impacted communities and international networks of Integrated Youth Services using a health equity lens, and brings expertise in conceptual models of climate distress, different measurement modalities for climate impact exposures on mental health, community-engaged research, and co-design methods. Previously, Wray was a Human and Planetary Health Postdoctoral Fellow at the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. She is the author of two books; her latest Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Anxiety, is an impassioned generational perspective on how to stay sane amid climate disruption and was a finalist for the 2022 Governor General’s Award. She is the recipient of the 2025 American Climate Leadership Awards (Runner Up), 2023 Canadian Eco-Hero Award and top award winner of the National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, given by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Her first book is Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics and Risks of De-Extinction (Greystone Books 2017) and was named a "best book of the year" by The New Yorker. Dr Wray holds a PhD in Science Communication from the University of Copenhagen. She has hosted and produced several science radio programs, podcasts and television programs for international broadcasters including the BBC and CBC, and she has spoken at TED and the World Economic Forum. She is the Founder of Unthinkable (unthinkable.substack.com), a newsletter about building courage and taking meaningful action on the far side of climate grief.
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Natalie M. Zahr
Assistant Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Major Laboratories)
BioNatalie M. Zahr received a graduate education in the basic sciences including the study of neuro- pharmacology, physiology, and anatomy. After completing her graduate training in electrophysiology, she began a postdoctoral fellowship as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scientist. Her work focuses on translational approaches using in vivo MR imaging and spectroscopy in studies of human with Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) and in rodent models of alcohol exposure with the goal of identifying mechanisms of alcohol effects on the brain. Her human studies include participants with HIV, those co-morbid for HIV and AUD and recently, aging individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Her position allows her to explore emerging MR technologies and apply them to test relevant hypotheses. Before joining Stanford, she taught at several local institutions including UC Berkeley extension and Santa Clara University where she enjoyed sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for learning with students.
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Xue Zhang
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
BioDr. Xue Zhang is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. She received her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Tsinghua University in 2019 and completed research training in neuroimaging and computational methods at Stanford.
Dr. Zhang’s research focuses on how individual differences in brain circuits contribute to psychiatric symptoms and treatment response. Working at the intersection of neuroimaging, computational neuroscience, and precision psychiatry, she uses functional MRI and data-driven approaches to study brain mechanisms underlying depression, PTSD, and related conditions.
A major focus of her work is understanding how rapid-acting therapeutics, including ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin, acutely and durably modulate brain activity and connectivity. Her long-term goal is to develop personalized neuroimaging markers that can help match patients to the treatments most likely to benefit them.
