School of Medicine
Showing 1-100 of 149 Results
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Julia Abitbol
Postdoctoral Scholar, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests are to identify genes that may enhance cochlear regeneration in an effort to treat patients with hearing loss.
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Marta Arenas Jal
Postdoctoral Scholar, Bioengineering
BioMarta holds a PhD in pharmaceutical technology and an Executive MBA. She is passionate about healthcare research and innovation and has several years of experience in leading R&D projects within the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Stanford Biodesign, Marta worked at CIMTI which is an accelerator for health startups that supports innovators to develop and implement solutions that improve healthcare quality and patient outcomes.
Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a strong track record of successfully translating research and innovation into real-world impact. She is a curious, creative, and open-minded person who is always seeking to solve complex problems in order to make a positive impact on patients’ lives. In her current role as Innovation Fellow at Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign, she is part of a team working on developing innovative solutions to address unmet needs in healthcare. -
Mohan Babu Budikote Venkatappa
Postdoctoral Scholar, Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsLongitudinal host-microbial omics profiling and wearables-based monitoring to understand Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), its heterogeneity, and predictors of the diverse symptoms that ASD individuals experience.
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Stephanie Balters
Postdoctoral Scholar, Psychiatry
BioDr. Stephanie Balters is an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is the director of the Empowerment Neuroscience Laboratory and studies how social factors such as interpersonal trauma and cultural biases impact brain function and mental health outcomes. Dr. Balters develops evidence-based interventions to improve well-being, work productivity, and team performance. She is passionate about embracing authenticity, vulnerability, and individual differences, and leveraging adverse experiences towards self-growth and achieving one’s full potential. Dr. Balters holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and has earned a Ph.D. in Engineering Design. Her diverse career journey includes experiences at the Center for Design Research and Computer Science at Stanford University before transitioning to the School of Medicine. Dr. Balters is a Human Factors Specialist at NATO and facilitates Empowerment Workshops at Stanford University.
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Shashank Chetty
Postdoctoral Scholar, Radiology
BioMCHRI Post-doctoral Fellow
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Christina F. Chick
Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and Child Development
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research examines the mechanistic contributions of sleep, cognition and affect to the onset and course of psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. I am particularly interested in adolescence as a period during which changes in circadian rhythm, sleep architecture, and sleep behavior co-occur with neuroendocrine development, psychosocial changes, and the onset of many psychiatric disorders. Given that sleep is a highly treatable target, increasing our understanding of the specific contributions of sleep to psychiatric symptom onset may facilitate the development of targeted interventions to mitigate the course of illness.
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Laetitia Coassolo (Voilquin)
Postdoctoral Scholar, Pathology
BioI received my PharmD from the University of Strasbourg (France) in 2018. I completed my PhD in Oncology and Cell Biology in 2020 in Dr. Catherine Tomasetto's group in IGBMC (France) studying cell metabolism and cell signaling in breast cancer. I am now a postdoctal fellow in Dr. Katrin Svensson lab and I am highly interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms of non-classical hormones in metabolic diseases.
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Maharshi Krishna Deb
Member, Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI aim to gain insights of the molecular underpinnings that are critical for the specification of human germ cells as well as the episode of epigenetic reprogramming that they undergo which is critical for their development and thereby essential for perpetual propagation of human species. Under co-mentorship of Prof. Azim Surani and Dr. Shiv Grewal,I aim to learn these lessons from this immortal lineage of human germline to identify interventions against various pediatric as well as degenerative
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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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Adina S. Fischer, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology)
On Leave from 10/10/2023 To 01/10/2024BioDr. 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. -
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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Connie Fung
Postdoctoral Scholar, Pathology
BioConnie received her B.S. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA, where she conducted research on how the eukaryotic parasite Toxoplasma gondii invades and replicates inside host cells in the lab of Dr. Peter Bradley. Subsequently, she obtained her Ph.D. in Microbiology & Immunology from Stanford University with Dr. Manuel Amieva. Her thesis research involved the use of high-resolution microscopy to study how the bacterium Helicobacter pylori establishes and maintains persistent colonization of the gastric epithelium. Connie joined Dr. Michael Howitt's lab as a postdoctoral research fellow in 2019 and is currently investigating how tuft cells, specialized taste-chemosensory cells, modulate epithelial cell function and mucosal immunity in response to intestinal parasites and commensals.
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Shivani Gaiha
Instructor, Pediatrics - Adolescent Medicine
BioShivani applies both quantitative and qualitative experimental and implementation research to develop and evaluate public health programs, that may ultimately contribute to healthy behaviors among adolescents. Her current research focuses on three key areas:
(1) Assessing youth patterns of use and perceptions about electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes or vapes) and other substances;
(2) Understanding why youth use e-cigarettes - the impact of marketing influences and using e-cigarettes to cope with stress; and
(3) Evaluating school-based educational interventions to reduce e-cigarette use.
In addition to research, Shivani enjoys teaching research methods and mentoring residents, fellows, postdoctoral trainees and students.
Through her Ph.D., Shivani developed and evaluated an arts-based educational program to reduce mental-health-related stigma in India. The program had a large, significant and positive effect on participants - they desired greater social proximity to people living with mental health problems. During this time, she also became interested in the intersection between mental health and substance use, a common theme in her interactions with youth. She also refined her skills in statistical analysis, study design and project management. Her interdisciplinary Ph.D. research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine was supported by the PHFI-UKC Wellcome Trust Capacity Strengthening Award (2014-18). In 2017, she received the LSHTM Public Engagement Small Grant to strengthen school teachers’ understanding of mental health problems, which resulted in a monthly column in a popular educational magazine, reaching approximately 40,000 Indian teachers every month.
Previously, Shivani designed, implemented and evaluated health communication and behavior change initiatives at the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) from 2008-2014. She is especially passionate about designing educational public health programs to break silences around contentious public health issues, using participatory media and entertainment-education. At PHFI, she spearheaded health communication and community engagement programs aimed at changing behavior related to healthy lifestyles, sexual and reproductive health, maternal and neonatal care, menstrual hygiene, avoidable blindness and mental health. In partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and community-based organizations, she led three educational interventions: a community awareness campaign, which improved treatment-seeking behavior for mental disorders in underserved areas; a website targeting young people to improve their lifestyle; and entertainment-education-based participatory action research to improve sexual and reproductive health. -
Elias Roth Gerrick
Postdoctoral Scholar, Pathology
BioEli received his B.S. in Microbiology and Immunology from U.C. Irvine in 2013, where he worked in the lab of Dr. Celia Goulding. He earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2018 in the lab of Dr. Sarah Fortune, where he studied post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Eli joined the Howitt lab at Stanford in the summer of 2018, where he is studying the influence of protozoan members of the microbiome on intestinal immunity.
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Ruth Margaret Gibson
Postdoctoral Scholar, Medicine
BioDr. Ruth M. Gibson is a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Innovation in Global Health, at Stanford University School of Medicine. Her research focuses on geopolitical coercion and global maternal child health. Prior to her return to academia, she spent a decade working in global health in countries such as Madagascar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and Ecuador.
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Jessica Grembi
Postdoctoral Scholar, Infectious Diseases
BioEnvironmental enteric dysfunction (EED) affects 50-90% of children in low-income countries and is likely an important factor in child stunting as it impedes efficient nutrient uptake in the small intestine. EED is suspected to be the result of persistent exposure to enteric pathogens, although it has not been correlated with any specific pathogen. My research explores the interplay of gut microbiota, including enteric pathogens, and the host immune system with a focus on understanding EED so we can rationally design treatments and preventive measures.
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Jen Haensel
Basic Life Res Scientist, Ophthalmology Research/Clinical Trials
BioI am a Research Scientist in the Roberts Vision Development & Oculomotor Lab at Stanford University’s Department of Ophthalmology, working at the intersection of vision science, neuroscience, and experimental psychology. My current research uses eye-tracking, photorefraction, and psychophysics to study oculomotor development and visual function in amblyopia, strabismus, and concussion. I also work on developing methodology to record accommodative measurements and gaze behaviour in dynamic, naturalistic settings.
I completed my PhD in Experimental Psychology at Birkbeck, University of London (UK), where I used advanced eye-tracking techniques to study the influence of postnatal experience on social gaze behaviour. Prior to joining Stanford, I also worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bath (UK), developing empirical human-robot interaction studies to inform the ethical design of humanoid robots. -
Meghan Halley
Sr Research Scholar, School of Medicine - Biomedical Ethics
BioMeghan Halley, PhD, MPH, is a Senior Research Scholar in the Center for Biomedical Ethics (SCBE) at Stanford University. She completed her doctorate in medical anthropology from Case Western Reserve University in 2012, and additional training in health services research at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute from 2012 through 2016. Her current research focuses at the intersection of the ethics and economics of new genomic technologies. Her current projects include examining ethical issues related to sustainability and governance of patient data and relationships when large clinical genomic studies transition to new models of funding; ethnographic work exploring how diverse stakeholders perceive value in the use of genome sequencing for diagnosis of rare diseases; and the development of new measures for assessing patient-centered outcomes in pediatric rare diseases.
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Yusuke Hori, MD
Clinical Instructor, Neurosurgery
BioDr. Hori received his MD from Sapporo Medical University, Japan, and during that time he served as a Medical Student Research Fellow in the Department of Pharmacology. He explored the functional role of the SIRT1 gene, a longevity-associated gene, and its association with various conditions such as muscular dystrophy. He also completed a Visiting Student Research Fellowship at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido and participated in Human Genetics projects focusing on an association between the 27-bp deletion and 538G>A mutation in the ABCC11 Gene.
After graduating from medical school, Dr. Hori completed a neurosurgery residency at National Hospital Organization Okayama Medical Center in Japan. Subsequently, he completed a Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Fellowship and then a Neurosurgical Oncology and Radiosurgery Fellowship at The Cleveland Clinic. He also completed an International Neurosurgery Fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School. In 2022, he moved to Stanford University as a postdoctoral fellow, and under the supervision of Dr. Anca Pasca, he participated in brain organoid research focusing on hypoxic brain injuries.
Since July 2023, Dr. Hori has been working as a Clinical Instructor (Neurosurgical Oncology and Radiosurgery) in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford under the supervision of Dr. Steven D. Chang. His clinical interests include malignant brain and spine tumors in both adult and pediatric patients. His clinical research focuses on the application of minimally invasive treatments such as laser interstitial thermal therapy, focused ultrasound, and radiosurgery to treat various neurosurgical conditions. His current lab research aims to develop an organoid model for radiation-induced brain injuries and a high-throughput screening platform to identify novel therapeutic compounds, for which he received a Clinician Educator Grant from Stanford University Maternal and Child Health Research Institute. Outside of medicine, he enjoys playing music including guitar and drums. -
Noor A. Hussein
Postdoctoral Scholar, Human Gene Therapy
BioIam a pharmacologist scientist. My experience as a researcher has taught me to seek out new perspectives for exploration and discovery. As a dedicated biological and pharmacological researcher with over 7 years of experience with models of diseases such as cancer both in vitro and in vivo. During my masters and Ph.D. studies, I mastered lots of molecular biology techniques, including cell culture, cytotoxicity assays, western blot, quantitative PCR, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry. I utilized my skills to design experiments finding solutions to common problems in the biomedical field, especially cancer experimental and molecular therapeutics.
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Jamie S. Johnston
Research and Evaluation Director, Stanford Center for Health Education, Stanford Center for Health Education
BioJamie Johnston is the Research and Evaluation Director for the Stanford Center for Health Education. Her work focuses on the use of technology to improve educational access and health education in under-resourced areas. Jamie completed a PhD in Economics of Education at the Stanford Graduate School of Education in 2017, where she was an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) doctoral fellow. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Stanford School of Medicine. Additionally, Jamie holds a BS in Social Policy from Northwestern University, an MPP from the University of Chicago, and an MA in Economics from Stanford University.
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Siva Kasinathan
Postdoctoral Medical Fellow, Rheumatology
Fellow in Pediatrics - RheumatologyBioSiva Kasinathan, MD, PhD is a Clinical Fellow in Pediatric Rheumatology at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. His graduate research in the MD-PhD program at the University of Washington included the innovation of genome-scale methods for chromatin profiling and generated new insights in centromere biology and gene regulation. During his clinical training in pediatrics at Stanford, Siva continued develop genomic technologies, this time with a focus on single-molecule sequencing. Siva’s research interests span genetics, epigenomics, and immune dysregulation. His ongoing work with Dr. Ansu Satpathy involves developing and applying sensitive new methods for analyzing immunogenetic variation in lupus. As a physician-scientist, Siva is committed combining clinical medicine and basic and translational research to better understand the molecular mechanisms of autoimmunity and autoinflammation to improve outcomes for patients with rheumatic diseases.
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Manoj Kumar
Postdoctoral Scholar, Radiology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI work on imaging-guided therapy using PET and MR imaging approaches. My academic training and background is in molecular imaging. During my doctoral training, I developed and validated a PET imaging approach for evaluating endocrine therapy responses in advanced breast cancer. My current research focuses on imaging tumor immune markers and responses to cancer immunotherapy. The goal is to develop new imaging toolboxes to monitor and guide treatment. Specifically, I employ antibodies, nanoparticles, and reporter genes for imaging and combinations of therapies to modulate and restore the body's suppressed immune functions against cancer cells. This is being done in collaboration with teams of researchers in early clinical development and teams in clinical practice.
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Linda (Yu-Ling) Lan
Postdoctoral Scholar, Genetics
BioLinda Lan, DVM, PhD is a postdoctoral fellow in the Snyder Lab. Her research focuses on understanding long-term illness post-acute infections by using a combination of different types of data (multi-omics) and wearable technologies. Currently, Linda is working on three projects.
The first project involves studying the shared mechanisms of long COVID, ME/CFS, and PTLDS using smartwatches and micro-sampling. The second project involves examining the role of autoantibodies in long COVID patients and COVID vaccine side effects. The third project involves exploring the changes in the molecular and physiological responses of astronauts during short space flights using multi-omics and wearable devices.
Linda previously conducted her PhD research at the University of Chicago, where she studied memory B cell responses to a chimeric-based universal influenza virus vaccine candidate. In her leisure time, she enjoys running, hiking, and listening to audiobooks. -
Matthew Landry
Member, Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)
BioCurrent research focuses on identifying the optimal diet (or diets) for chronic disease prevention and addressing the challenges of designing, implementing and reporting clinical trials that test dietary patterns. Particularly interested behavioral interventions that promote plant-forward and plant-based diets. Passionate advocator for policies that address nutrition-related health inequalities particularly in low resource settings and/or with communities experiencing health inequalities related to food insecurity and structural disparities.
Assistant Professor of Population Health and Disease Prevention at University of California, Irvine (effective July 1, 2023) -
Jeehee Lee
Postdoctoral Scholar, Orthopedic Surgery
BioDr. Lee is a dedicated researcher in the field of biomedical engineering, driven by a strong desire to help individuals suffering from illnesses. With a particular interest in disease treatment and regeneration, she embarked on her journey in this field. During her doctoral studies, Dr. Lee focused on developing functional biomaterials by leveraging chemical bonding at interfaces. Her expertise in this area led her to successfully create functional medical devices. Currently, as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, Dr. Lee is actively involved in drug screening using a bone-mimicking 3D in vitro cancer model that utilizes biomaterials. Her research is centered around the utilization of biomaterials to develop innovative approaches for tuning the communication between cells and biomaterials. By advancing in the field of biomaterials, Dr. Lee aims to facilitate a better understanding of cell-biomaterial interactions, with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare outcomes. With her passion for cutting-edge research and her commitment to the development of biomaterials, Dr. Lee is dedicated to making significant contributions to the field and shaping the future of healthcare.
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Brittany Elizabeth Matheson, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
BioBrittany Matheson, PhD, is a clinical assistant professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Eating Disorders Clinic. She completed her undergraduate degree at Duke University, doctorate from the Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego, and APA clinical internship at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford/Children’s Health Council. Dr. Matheson's research interests include examining the psychosocial, neurocognitive, and familial factors related to disordered eating and excess weight gain in youth. In particular, Dr. Matheson has research and clinical expertise in the interplay among obesity, disordered eating, and autism spectrum disorder. She is interested in the development and implementation of evidence-based treatments for youth with disordered eating as well as better understanding factors that influence pediatric bariatric surgery outcomes. Her research also focuses on the use of technology to enhance treatment and reduce access to care barriers.
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Vaishali Mittal
Postdoctoral Scholar, Dermatology
BioVaishali Mittal, MD is a Postdoctoral Clinical Fellow in the Department of Dermatology at Stanford University under the guidance of Dr. Jean Y. Tang.
Her current research is focused on epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a group of rare diseases that cause the skin and mucous membranes to blister easily. She is involved in conducting long-term clinical trials examining the application of an autologous, gene-corrected keratinocyte sheet for the treatment of recessive dystrophic EB (RDEB). In addition, she is currently leading several research projects, including investigation of genotype-phenotype associations in multiple subtypes of EB, creation of an online platform for EB patients/families and investigators to collaborate together on research, and development of an online genetic registry for EB patients using a novel, home-based genetic testing kit.
Vaishali received her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed her internship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Brockton Hospital. -
Piru Pathmarajah
Postdoctoral Scholar, Dermatology
BioDr Pirunthan Pathmarajah graduated from University College London Medical School in 2016 and intercalated with a first-class Bachelor of Science in Medical Sciences with Physiology. He successfully completed a clinical elective in Allergy and Immunology at Yale New Haven Hospital, USA. He has continued to specialise in Dermatology, training at Broomfield Hospital and Basildon Hospital in the UK. His key academic interests are in medical dermatology with respect to eczema and psoriasis which he continues to pursue as part of the clinical research team at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology. He is currently undertaking a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Stanford University studying genotype-phenotype associations in Epidermolysis Bullosa and validating a novel scoring instrument with the aim of developing novel therapeutics for patients with this rare complex condition.
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Andrea Pedroza Tobias
Postdoctoral Scholar, General Pediatrics
BioDr. Andrea Pedroza is a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford Impact Labs and the Department of Pediatrics in the Partnerships for Research in Child Health Lab. She earned a Ph.D. in Global Health from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and a Master of Science in Nutrition from the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico (INSP). Her research focuses on generating evidence for interventions and policy recommendations aimed at improving the dietary quality of children to impact their health and development. Currently, she is employing a community-engaged approach to design nutrition interventions and policy recommendations that aim to reduce the consumption of ultra-processed foods among low-income children to narrow the gap in health disparities.
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Martin Pfaller
Instructor, Pediatrics - Cardiology
BioMartin R. Pfaller is an Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics (Cardiology) in the group of Alison L. Marsden. He received his B.Sc., M.Sc., and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich, working with Wolfgang A. Wall. During his Ph.D., he validated an efficient yet physiologically accurate boundary condition to account for the mechanical support of the heart within its surroundings, which has been adopted by various research groups worldwide. He further demonstrated how projection-based model order reduction could speed up model personalization from patient data, such as magnetic resonance imaging or blood pressure measurements. His current work focuses on cardiovascular fluid dynamics. He developed reduced-physics models to make blood flow simulations faster and more reliable. Further, he developed a fluid-solid-growth interaction model in blood vessels. His future research will predict the heart’s long-term function in heart diseases, supported by an NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) and Stanford MCHRI Instructor K Award Support. He will quantify the risk of heart failure after a heart attack with a stability analysis validated with imaging data in swine and humans. This research will improve our understanding of biomechanical mechanisms leading to heart failure and help to identify patients at risk, enable personalized therapies, and facilitate the optimal design of medical devices. As an Assistant Professor, Martin will start his research group at Yale University in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in July 2024.
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Vasiliki Rahimzadeh
Member, Maternal & Child Health Research Institute (MCHRI)
BioVasiliki (Vaso) Rahimzadeh, PhD is an applied bioethics scholar with research interests at the intersection of precision medicine, data governance and public policy.
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Mahalakshmi Ramamurthy
Postdoctoral Scholar, Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics
BioI am a postdoctoral scholar working with Dr. Jason Yeatman. With a background in optometry, vision science, psychophysics and cognitive neuroscience my long-term goal is to study the intersection of basic visual mechanisms and various neurodevelopmental disorders and to extend this understanding in creating effective early screening tools, and in advancing evidence-based therapeutic and remediation programs. Inherent to this interest is the need for developmental data in large and demographically diverse populations. I strongly believe that such inclusive research not only contributes to scientific advancements but can go beyond to bridge health and education disparities. I joined the Brain Development and Education lab at Stanford after taking a medical break. During my break, I had the opportunity to run a vision screening camp for a school for differently abled children. Many children with a learning disability are misunderstood to have a vision problem making optometrist the first people to diagnose the disability but intervention stops at that point. This kindled my curiosity and I soon discovered the lack of converging understanding on the role of visual processing in dyslexia that in turn limits the possibility of evidence-based intervention. I was deeply interested in understanding the role of vision and attention in dyslexia. Over the past three years, I developed visual measures based on the most cited hypothesis in the dyslexia literature. These measures were designed such that they inform us about the hypothesized construct in an ecologically relevant paradigm for reading. I developed a validation scheme where measures are first deployed on the adult population and various behavioral and eye tracking aspects of the measure are characterized. The measures are built on a browser-based platform (using PsychoPy© and jsPsych©) where they are validated against the laboratory-based measurements. All the web-based visual measures have timing parameters optimized to ensure measurement validity. Over the past year, I have focused on optimizing these visual measures to make them adaptive, short, and reliable for kindergarten and first grade children. My goal in the current project is to leverage this battery of visual measures to understand how visual deficits are linked to the development of reading disorders. The web-based assessments are designed to be deployed to a large and diverse population of unprecedented scale.
