School of Medicine
Showing 1-10 of 36 Results
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Sophia Adelson
Rsch Data Analyst 2, Pediatrics - Genetics
BioSophia Adelson is a Research Genetic Counselor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics at Stanford University. Her work focuses on advancing reproductive genetics and improving maternal and childhood health outcomes through clinical research and thoughtful implementation of genomic technologies. Sophia’s interest in reproductive health began during her undergraduate studies at Wellesley College, a historically women’s college that shaped her strong commitment to maternal health and reproductive justice. This foundation continues to guide her work, which centers on advancing equitable, evidence-based care for pregnant individuals, newborns, and children.
At Stanford, Sophia works closely with Dr. Christina Tise on several research initiatives at the intersection of reproductive and pediatric genetics. She contributes to the BabySeq Project, a study using genome sequencing to identify actionable genetic risks in newborns, where she coordinates IRB submissions, pediatrician engagement, family recruitment and consent, and the return of results. Sophia also plays an active role in the TRIOS Study, which investigates the genetic causes of recurrent pregnancy loss. Her work explores participants’ experiences receiving genomic results and aims to improve counseling practices and outcomes for families navigating reproductive challenges. In addition, Sophia contributes to the GREGoR Consortium (Genomics Research to Elucidate the Genetics of Rare diseases), supporting efforts to identify novel disease genes and improve diagnostic yield for individuals with rare, undiagnosed conditions.
Sophia’s research and clinical interests include reproductive and prenatal genetics, rare disease genomics, bioethics, and equitable implementation of genomic medicine. She is passionate about proactive healthcare and advocating for effective health risk communication within families, with the goal of improving understanding, decision-making, and health outcomes across diverse populations.
Research interests: reproductive genetics, prenatal genetics, recurrent pregnancy loss, newborn genomic screening, rare disease genomics, bioethics, proactive healthcare, family health communication, equitable implementation of genomics -
Pasqualina Colella
Senior Research Scientist, Pediatrics - Genetics
BioDr. Pasqualina Colella is a scientist with expertise in gene and cell therapy for inherited diseases. She is currently a Senior Research Scientist at Stanford University, where she leads translational research on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), microglia replacement, myeloid cell recruitment to the central nervous system, and genome editing. Her goal is to improve treatment outcomes for neurodegenerative lysosomal storage diseases.
Dr. Colella earned her PhD at TIGEM (Italy), where she developed gene therapies for inherited retinal disorders, including dual AAV approaches for large gene delivery targeting Usher syndrome type 1B and Stargardt disease. During her postdoctoral studies at Genethon (France), she advanced AAV-based gene therapy for Pompe disease, improving efficacy through transgene and promoter engineering. Her work has contributed to several ongoing clinical trials, including those for USH1B and Pompe disease.
Her research has led to more than 30 peer-reviewed publications (16 as first author, 7 as co-corresponding) and 6 patents. She has received awards including the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, the Innovative Research Grant from the National MPS Society, and Stanford School of Medicine Shoshana Levy Award to Support Women in Science (Career Development Award). She was also a finalist for the ERC Starting Grant in 2019.
