School of Medicine
Showing 201-298 of 298 Results
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Kathleen Poston, MD, MS
Edward F. and Irene Thiele Pimley Professor of Neurology and the Neurological Sciences and Professor, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research addresses one of the most devastating and poorly treated symptoms that can develop in people with Parkinson's disease - Dementia. We use biological markers, multi-modal neuroimaging and genetics to understand the different underlying causes of dementia and to understand why dementia develops more quickly in some patients, but not others.
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Benjamin Pulli, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Radiology
Clinical Assistant Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryBioDr. Pulli is a dual fellowship trained diagnostic and interventional neuroradiologist with a focus on vascular disorders of the brain, head, neck, and spine. He is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology Division.
Having grown up in Austria, Dr. Pulli moved to the US after completing medical school in Innsbruck, Austria. He completed post-doctoral research training in stroke imaging in the Division of Neuroradiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, as well as in experimental molecular imaging techniques of neuroinflammatory disorders at the Center for Systems Biology of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
He completed residency training in Radiology and fellowship training in Diagnostic Neuroradiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He then completed a second fellowship in interventional neuroradiology/neurointerventional surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine.
After having graduated from fellowship, Dr. Pulli then spent more than a year practicing Interventional Neuroradiology at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Los Angeles. He employs state-of-the-art minimally invasive endovascular and percutaneous surgical techniques to treat patients with brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulas, carotid artery stenosis, acute stroke, chronic subdural hematoma, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, vascular tumors, and chronic back pain.
His research focuses on advanced imaging techniques for acute ischemic stroke and other neurovascular diseases. He has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and received scientific grants from institutions such as the Radiological Society of North America and the Ernst Schering Foundation. In addition, he has made invited presentations to his peers at meetings of organizations such as the American Society of Neuroradiology, Radiological Society of North American, European Congress of Radiology, and Western Neuroradiological Society.
He is a member of the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery. -
Xiang Qian
Stanford Medicine Endowed Director
Clinical Professor, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryCurrent Research and Scholarly InterestsClinical Interests
-Pain Medicine:
Facial pain
Migraine and headache
Trigeminal Neuralgia and Glossopharyngeal neuralgia
Cancer Pain
Spine Disease
Neuropathic pain
Interventional Surgery
CT guided Procedure
Opioid Management
-Facial Nerve neuralgia and neuropathy
Hemifacial Spasm
CT guided awake RFA of facial nerve
Research Interests:
-Medical device development
-AI based headache diagnosis and management
-CT guided intervention
-Intra-nasal endoscopy guided procedure
-Optogenetics
-Mechanisms of neuropathic pain
-Ion channel and diseases
-Neurotoxicity of anesthetics -
Ashwin Ramayya, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
BioDr. Ramayya is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery. He specializes in the treatment of patients with chronic pain, movement disorders, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury. His research program will focus on understanding brain mechanisms underlying pain experience and how to alleviate pain using brain stimulation.
Dr. Ramayya specializes in neuromodulation, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), spinal cord stimulation, MRI-guided laser therapy, and focused ultrasound. Dr. Ramayya obtained his MD and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed his neurosurgery residency and a fellowship in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery.
His research efforts have identified neural substrates underlying learning, memory, and decision-making using computational behavioral modeling, neurophysiology, and neuroimaging.
Dr. Ramayya has published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Neuroscience, NeuroImage, and Cerebral Cortex. He has also presented his work at national and international meetings, including those for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Pan Philadelphia Neurosurgery Conference. -
John Ratliff, MD, FACS
Professor of Neurosurgery and, by courtesy, of Orthopaedic Surgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests focus upon preventing complications in spine surgery, assessing patient outcomes after spine surgery procedures, and developing population-based metrics for assessing surgical outcomes.
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Lawrence Recht, MD
Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences (Adult Neurology) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory focuses on two interrelated projects: (1) assessment of glioma development within the framework of the multistage model of carcinogenesis through utilization of the rodent model of ENU neurocarcinogenesis; and (2) assessment of stem cell specification and pluripotency using an embryonic stem cell model system in which neural differentiation is induced.
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Nidhi Rohatgi, MD MS
Clinical Professor, Medicine
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), Neurosurgery
Clinical Professor (By courtesy), Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain MedicineBioNidhi Rohatgi, MD, MS, SFHM, is a Clinical Professor of Medicine and (by courtesy) Neurosurgery, Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, at Stanford University School of Medicine in Palo Alto, California. She served as the Chief of Surgical Co-management for Neurosurgery, ENT, and Orthopedic Surgery at Stanford. Dr. Rohatgi is also an Affiliate Faculty in the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Medical Imaging and the Center for Digital Health at Stanford University. She served as the Co-Director of Clinical Research and is passionate about finding innovative, value-based, and sustainable solutions in healthcare.
Dr. Rohatgi has authored several peer-reviewed articles in high impact journals (such as NEJM, Lancet, JAMA, Nature, Annals of Surgery), led workshops and webinars, written book chapters in Perioperative Medicine, and is on the planning committee for National Society of Hospital Medicine’s learning portal on Perioperative and Consultative Medicine. She advises colleagues from across the world on surgical co-management model of care to improve the medical outcomes of surgical patients. She serves as the Chair for Society of Hospital Medicine's Global Technical Advisory Committee on co-management with surgical and other medical subspecialties. Dr. Rohatgi serves as the Editor-in-Chief for JMIR Perioperative Medicine journal. She has also published on use of LLMs for clinical text summarization and the promises and limitations of AI in Hospital Medicine.
Dr. Rohatgi has been an invited speaker at regional, national, and international meetings. She has served on National Society of Hospital Medicine’s Research Committee, Hospital Quality and Patient Safety Committee, Perioperative Medicine Executive Council, Practice Management Committee, and Leadership committee for Hospital Medicine National Writing Challenge. She has served as a principal and co-investigator for several NIH and industry sponsored clinical trials, recognized as nation's Top Hospitalist by the American College of Physicians, and is the recipient of numerous local, national, and international awards for clinical care, quality improvement, teaching, and research. Dr. Rohatgi is a strong advocate for patient experience and serves as the Medical Director for Clinical Advice Services at Stanford. -
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. -
Cynthia Harryman Samos
CIRM CLIN2 Project Manager, Neurosurgery
Current Role at StanfordProject Manager and Writer/Editor for the Department of Neurosurgery
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Robert Sapolsky
John A. and Cynthia Fry Gunn Professor, Professor of Biology, of Neurology and Neurological Sciences and of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsNeuron death, stress, gene therapy
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Mark J. Schnitzer
Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences and Professor of Biology, of Applied Physics and of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe goal of our research is to advance experimental paradigms for understanding normal cognitive and disease processes at the level of neural circuits, with emphasis on learning and memory processes. To advance these paradigms, we invent optical brain imaging techniques, several of which have been widely adopted. Our neuroscience studies combine these imaging innovations with behavioral, electrophysiological, optogenetic and computational methods, enabling a holistic approach to brain science.
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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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Susan Meyhak Seav
Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine - Endocrinology, Gerontology, & Metabolism
Clinical Assistant Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryBioDr. Seav is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology at Stanford and, by courtesy, the Department of Neurosurgery. She graduated from Harvard University with an honors degree in molecular and cellular biology before completing her medical education and residency at the University of California, San Diego. She then completed her endocrinology fellowship at Stanford University.
She has a special interest in disorders that involve the pituitary and adrenal glands such as Cushing syndrome, acromegaly, hyperaldosteronism, and pheochromocytoma. Dr. Seav is determined to provide her patients with personalized, evidence-based medicine that will allow them to live their best lives. In addition to caring for patients, Dr. Seav is also passionate about medical education and devoted a chief medical residency year teaching medical students, interns, and residents.
In-person and telehealth appointments with Dr. Seav are available at Stanford Endocrinology Clinic at Hoover Pavilion, Pituitary Center at Stanford Neurosciences Health Center, and the Stanford Brain Tumor Center at Stanford Cancer Center. -
Elaheh Shaghaghian, MD
Visiting Instructor, Neurosurgery
BioElaheh Shaghaghian, MD, is a Clinical Research Scholar at Stanford University's Neurosurgery Department, where she investigates the efficacy of CyberKnife Radiosurgery with an interdisciplinary team. Skilled in problem-solving, Elaheh has a fervent passion for learning and applying new medical technologies.
She earned her MD from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, focusing on advancing medical treatments through research. With experience in clinical research, data analysis, and interdisciplinary collaboration, she is dedicated to leveraging technology to enhance healthcare outcomes. -
Mehrdad Shamloo
Professor (Research) of Neurosurgery and, by courtesy, of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe ultimate goal of the Shamloo laboratory is to rapidly advance our understanding of brain function at the molecular, cellular, circuit and behavioral levels, and to elucidate the pathological process underlying malfunction of the nervous system following injury and neurologic disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease, and autism. We have been focusing on the noradrenergic system and approaches leading to restoration of brain adrenergic signaling in these disorders.
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Lawrence Shuer, MD
Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI have clinical research interests in the surgical treatment of epilepsy. I am also interested in new developments in the treatment of craniosynostosis a congenital abnormality of infant's skulls
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Ruwan Silva, MD, MPhil
Clinical Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology
Clinical Assistant Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryBioProfessor Ruwan Amila Silva, MD, MPhil is board certified and fellowship trained vitreoretinal surgeon in the department of ophthalmology at Stanford University Medical Center. He received his BA in Neurobiology from Harvard University graduating Magna cum laude with Highest Honors. He then received his Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) in Neurobiology from Cambridge University in England. Following this, he received his medical degree from Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Silva completed his ophthalmology residency at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, the top rated eye hospital in the country. While there he was awarded the Heed Fellowship, the most prestigious national award for ophthalmology residents in the country. Dr. Silva returned to Stanford University to complete his vitreoretinal surgery fellowship where he was awarded the Ronald G. Michels Foundation Award, the nation’s highest honor for a retina surgery fellow. During his fellowship at Stanford he was also awarded the prestigious Evangelos S. Gragoudas Award by the Macula Society. Following fellowship, Dr. Silva remained at Stanford University's School of Medicine as an Assistant Professor of Vitreoretinal Surgery in the Department of Ophthalmology. Since 2015, he has been named one of “America’s Top Ophthalmologists” by Consumers’ Research Council of America. He was also selected as a "Top Ophthalmologist" by the International Association of Ophthalmologists.
Dr. Silva's clinical practice focuses mainly on macular degeneration and retinal vascular disease (such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions and central serous retinopathy). Surgically, he specializes in diseases of the vitreous and retina: including repair of retinal detachments, surgery for the macula (such as treatment of epiretinal membranes and macular holes) and correction of dislocated intraocular lenses. His research interests mainly involve developing novel therapies for these diseases (http://med.stanford.edu/artificial-retina.html) and have resulted in over 50 combined peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, book chapters and national meeting presentations.
Dr. Silva is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, as well as the American Society of Retina Specialists. He is a Board Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Ophthalmology. -
Gerald Silverberg
Professor of Neurosurgery, Emeritus
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAge-related changes in the blood-brain barrier (BBB)and on CSF dynsmics decrease the clearance of toxic metabolites, such as amyloid beta peptides (A-betas), from the brain. I am studing the effects of aging and hydrocephalus on the BBB receptors that transport A-betas and on the formation and bulk flow of CSF.
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Harminder Singh, MD, MBA
Clinical Professor, Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMinimally Invasive Cranial and Spinal Surgery, Endoscopic Keyhole Surgery
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Stephen Skirboll
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on screening strategies to identify and characterize cancer stem cells (CSCs) in human gliomas. We are pursuing this in several ways: 1) a novel colony-forming antibody live cell array to identify distinct CSC surface phenotypes, 2) RNAi screens to identify kinases critical for CSC tumorigenicity, 3) high throughput small molecule and chemical screens to identify compounds that selectively kill or target CSCs, and 4) identifying CSCs using the tumor specific EGFRvIII
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Ivan Soltesz
James R. Doty Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences
BioIvan Soltesz received his doctorate in Budapest and conducted postdoctoral research at universities at Oxford, London, Stanford and Dallas. He established his laboratory at the University of California, Irvine, in 1995. He became full Professor in 2003, and served as department Chair from 2006 to July 2015. He returned to Stanford in 2015 as the James R. Doty Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. His major research interest is focused on neuronal microcircuits, network oscillations, cannabinoid signaling and the mechanistic bases of circuit dysfunction in epilepsy.
His laboratory employs a combination of closely integrated experimental and theoretical techniques, including closed-loop in vivo optogenetics, paired patch clamp recordings, in vivo electrophysiological recordings from identified interneurons in awake mice, 2-photon imaging, machine learning-aided 3D video analysis of behavior, video-EEG recordings, behavioral approaches, and large-scale computational modeling methods using supercomputers. He is the author of a book on GABAergic microcircuits (Diversity in the Neuronal Machine, Oxford University Press), and editor of a book on Computational Neuroscience in Epilepsy (Academic Press/Elsevier). He co-founded the first Gordon Research Conference on the Mechanisms of neuronal synchronization and epilepsy, and taught for five years in the Ion Channels Course at Cold Springs Harbor. He has over 30 years of research experience, with over 20 years as a faculty involved in the training of graduate students (total of 16, 6 of them MD/PhDs) and postdoctoral fellows (20), many of whom received fellowship awards, K99 grants, joined prestigious residency programs and became independent faculty. -
Scott G. Soltys, MD
Professor of Radiation Oncology (Radiation Therapy) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy clinical and research interests focus on the development of new radiation techniques involving stereotactic radiosurgery and radiotherapy for the treatment of malignant and benign tumors of the brain and spine, as well as functional disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia.
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Konstantina M. Stankovic, MD, PhD, FACS
Bertarelli Foundation Professor and Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur investigative efforts are organized along 3 research thrusts:
1. Vestibular schwannoma: uncovering mechanisms of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and identifying better therapies;
2. High-resolution imaging of the inner ear;
3. Novel sensing of and therapies for SNHL.
Considering the complex and multifaceted nature of these challenges, our approach entails tailored solutions that integrate techniques from molecular biology, systems neuroscience, biotechnology, and otologic surgery. -
Gary K. Steinberg, MD, PhD
Bernard and Ronni Lacroute-William Randolph Hearst Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences and Professor, by courtesy, of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur laboratory investigates the pathophysiology and treatment of cerebral ischemia, and methods to restore neurologic function after stroke. Treatment strategies include brain hypothermia, stem cell transplantation and optogenetic stimulation. Our clinical research develops innovative surgical, endovascular and radiosurgical approaches for treating difficult intracranial aneurysms, complex vascular malformations and occlusive disease, including Moyamoya disease, as well as stem cell transplant.
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Thomas Sudhof
Avram Goldstein Professor in the School of Medicine, Professor of Neurosurgery and, by courtesy, of Neurology and Neurological Sciences and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsInformation transfer at synapses mediates information processing in brain, and is impaired in many brain diseases. Thomas Südhof is interested in how synapses are formed, how presynaptic terminals release neurotransmitters at synapses, and how synapses become dysfunctional in diseases such as autism or Alzheimer's disease. To address these questions, Südhof's laboratory employs approaches ranging from biophysical studies to the electrophysiological and behavioral analyses of mutant mice.
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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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Peter Tass
Professor of Neurosurgery
BioDr. Peter Tass investigates and develops neuromodulation techniques for understanding and treating neurologic conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, dysfunction following stroke and tinnitus. He creates invasive and non-invasive therapeutic procedures by means of comprehensive computational neuroscience studies and advanced data analysis techniques. The computational neuroscience studies guide experiments that use clinical electrophysiology measures, such as high density EEG recordings and MRI imaging, and various outcome measures. He has pioneered a neuromodulation approach based on thorough computational modelling that employs dynamic self-organization, plasticity and other neuromodulation principles to produce sustained effects after stimulation. To investigate stimulation effects and disease-related brain activity, he focuses on the development of stimulation methods that cause a sustained neural desynchronization by an unlearning of abnormal synaptic interactions. He also performs and contributes to pre-clinical and clinical research in related areas.
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Nicholas Telischak, MD, MS
Clinical Associate Professor, Radiology
Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), NeurosurgeryBioA native of the Bay Area, Dr. Nick Telischak is a dual fellowship-trained neurointerventional surgeon and neuroradiologist at Stanford Health Care. With board certifications in radiology and neuroradiology, he serves as a clinical associate professor in the Department of Radiology, and, by courtesy of the Department of Neurosurgery, at Stanford School of Medicine.
Dr. Telischak specializes in diagnosing and treating artery disorders in the brain and spine, including brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), and dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF), and stroke. Dr. Telischak also specializes in venous disorders in the brain including idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). He also has a special interest in pulsatile tinnitus, a whooshing sound in the ears that occurs in rhythm with the heartbeat. Dr. Telischak also treats painful spinal (vertebral) fractures, spinal metastases (tumors resulting from cancer elsewhere in the body), and congenital vascular malformations (blood vessel abnormalities that are present at birth). He treats these conditions using minimally invasive, image-guided procedures and state-of-the-art technology.
Prior to joining Stanford Health Care, Dr. Telischak helped develop the Stroke Program at California Pacific Medical Center and Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, giving him a broad perspective on medical care systems within the Bay Area.
Dr. Telischak’s research focuses on:
• Identifying biomarkers to diagnose large vessel occlusion stroke (stroke in one of the large arteries in the brain)
• Noninvasive MRI techniques for diagnosing idiopathic intracranial hypertension (high pressure within the skull)
He is also the principal investigator for a study examining the efficacy of vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty for the treatment of painful vertebral compression fractures.
In addition, Dr. Telischak holds a master’s degree in bioengineering. He has worked with several companies pioneering new devices to treat brain aneurysms, vascular malformations, and strokes caused by blood clots, as well as new treatments for venous disorders in the brain caused by idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
Dr. Telischak has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles and has been invited to present locally, nationally, and internationally at meetings for the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery, American Society of Neuroradiology, and Jornada de Stroke in Asuncion, Paraguay, where he has served as visiting faculty. -
Suzanne Tharin
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe long-term goal of my research is the repair of damaged corticospinal circuitry. Therapeutic regeneration strategies will be informed by an understanding both of corticospinal motor neuron (CSMN) development and of events occurring in CSMN in the setting of spinal cord injury. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of “suites” of genes. The work in my lab seeks to identify microRNA controls over CSMN development and over the CSMN response to spinal cord injury.
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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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Tatsuya Uchida
Affiliate, Neurosurgery
Visiting Scholar, NeurosurgeryBioTatsuya Uchida is a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University. He completed 5-year neurosurgery training and obtained the board certification in Japan. He completed his PhD curriculum at the University of Tokyo in March 2023. He is also a board-certified doctor of neuroendovascular therapy and stroke.
His primary research focuses on medical imaging technology, particularly 3D fusion of multiple imaging modalities for surgical simulation and face anonymization technique using head images. He is flexible, focused, reliable and eager to learn, and have a strong passion for Medical 3D image research. -
Maxine Umeh Garcia
Instructor, Neurosurgery
BioMaxine was born and raised in Sacramento, CA and transferred to UC Merced in 2007 after attending a community college for 2 years. She received her B.S. in Developmental Biology with a minor in Psychology in 2010. During the last year of her undergrad, Maxine was invited to do research in the lab of Dr. Michael Cleary, studying nervous system development. Because of this research experience, Maxine decided to stay at UC Merced to pursue her Master’s in Quantitative and Systems Biology, graduating in 2013. Immediately after graduating, she started her Ph.D. at UC Davis, where her research centered on triple negative breast cancer – a type of breast cancer that has a high incidence in Black and African women.
After completing her PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology with an emphasis in Translational Research in 2019, Maxine became a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University in the department of Neurosurgery. Dr. Umeh Garcia’s research focuses on breast cancers that metastasize (or travel) to the brain. Maxine was recently promoted to an instructor position in her department after receiving a major career development award from the National Cancer Institute (K99/R00), which will fund the remainder of her postdoctoral research and provide 3 years of funding for Maxine to establish her own independent research lab. Using her background in bench research, informatics, and translational research, Dr. Umeh Garcia hopes to bring together biologists, data scientists, and clinicians to make important advances in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, as a women and underrepresented minority, Dr. Umeh Garcia is keenly interested in mentoring women and underrepresented students, and in developing novel strategic approaches to increasing diversity in biomedical sciences and academic research. -
Louisa Ustrzynski,DNP, MBA
Affiliate, Neurosurgery
BioLouisa is a Nurse Practitioner who joined the Stanford Neurosurgery team in 2016 with over 9 years of experience in Neurosciences previously as a registered nurse in critical care, intensive care, and stroke care units. She earned her Bachelors degree in Nursing at the University of San Francisco and her Masters Degree in Nursing in San Francisco State University. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and California Association of Nurse Practitioners. She is currently the Lead for the Stanford Acute/Ambulatory Care Conference committee. Her clinical practice includes neurosurgery and radiation oncology to benign and malignant brain and spinal tumors, vascular malformations, and neurogenetic disorders.
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Anand Veeravagu, MD, FAANS, FACS
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and, by courtesy, of Orthopaedic Surgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe focus of my laboratory is to utilize precision medicine techniques to improve the diagnosis and treatment of neurologic conditions. From traumatic brain injury to spinal scoliosis, the ability to capture detailed data regarding clinical symptoms and treatment outcomes has empowered us to do better for patients. Utilize data to do better for patients, that’s what we do.
Stanford Neurosurgical Ai and Machine Learning Lab
http://med.stanford.edu/neurosurgery/research/AILab.html -
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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Hannes Vogel MD
Professor of Pathology and of Pediatrics (Pediatric Genetics) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Neurological Sciences and of Comparative Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interests include nerve and muscle pathology, mitochondrial diseases, pediatric neurooncology, and transgenic mouse pathology.
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Xinnan Wang
Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMechanisms underlying mitochondrial dynamics and function, and their implications in neurological disorders.
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Jenli Dawn Waters, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery
BioDr. Waters is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon with the Neurosurgery Program at Stanford Health Care. She is also a clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Waters specializes in treating a wide range of spinal conditions. These treatments include surgery to relieve numbness or pain related to pressure on the spinal cord and procedures to repair or stabilize the spinal column (spine fusion). Her areas of expertise also include diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury and brain and spinal cancers.
Dr. Waters’ research experience includes helping to develop effective strategies for diagnosing
and treating patients with different neurological cancers, including glioblastomas. As a subspecialty medical expert for spine and neurosurgery, she successfully advocated for insurance coverage of state-of-the-art, minimally invasive approaches to treating epilepsy and brain tumors.
Dr. Waters has published her work in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Neurosurgery and the Journal of Neuro-Oncology. She has also authored and co-authored chapters in numerous books describing neurosurgical techniques and the diagnosis and treatment of various neurological conditions, including brain and spinal cord tumors.
Dr. Waters is a member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. -
Francis Robert Willett
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
BioFrank Willett is a Research Scientist in the Neural Prosthetics Translational Laboratory. His research focuses on brain-computer interfaces and motor neuroscience. More broadly, he is interested in computational approaches to understanding brain function and recordings, including artificial neural network models.
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Thomas J. Wilson
Clinical Professor, Neurosurgery
BioDr. Thomas J. Wilson was born in Omaha, Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska College of Medicine, earning his MD with highest distinction. While a medical student, he was awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Training Fellowship and spent a year in the lab of Dr. Rakesh Singh at the University of Nebraska. He was also elected to the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He completed his residency training in neurological surgery at the University of Michigan and was mentored by Dr. Lynda Yang and Dr. John McGillicuddy in peripheral nerve surgery. Following his residency, he completed a fellowship in peripheral nerve surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, working with Dr. Robert Spinner. He is now Clinical Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Peripheral Nerve Surgery at Stanford University. He also holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, with focused certificates in Clinical Trials and Health Finance and Management. His research interests include peripheral nerve outcomes research, clinical trials advancing options for patients with peripheral nerve pathologies and spinal cord injuries, and translational research focused on improved imaging techniques to assist in diagnosing nerve pain and other peripheral nerve conditions. His clinical practice encompasses the treatment of all peripheral nerve pathologies, including entrapment neuropathies, nerve tumors, nerve injuries (including brachial plexus injuries, upper and lower extremity nerve injuries), and nerve pain. Dr. Wilson enjoys working in multi-disciplinary teams to solve complex problems of the peripheral nervous system. His wife, Dr. Monique Wilson, is a practicing dermatologist in the Bay Area.
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Erin K. Wipff MSN, RN, ANP-BC
Affiliate, Neurosurgery
BioErin Wipff earned her Bachelors of Arts in Biology from University of California, Santa Cruz and Bachelors of Nursing from Johns Hopkins University. She received her Masters of Science in Nursing in Adult Primary Care with a minor in HIV from the University of California, San Francisco. She is board certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and a member of the California Association of Nurse Practitioners and Sigma Theta Tau. Her experience ranges from care of patients in the inpatient and outpatient settings with focuses in research, oncology, endocrinology, and neurosurgery. She currently supports the neurosurgical practice of Dr. Juan Fernandez-Miranda, Surgical Director of the Stanford Brain Tumor, Skull Base, and Pituitary Centers.
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Albert J. Wong, M.D.
Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur goal is to define targets for cancer therapeutics by identifying alterations in signal transduction proteins. We first identified a naturally occurring mutant EGF receptor (EGFRvIII) and then delineated its unique signal transduction pathway. This work led to the identification of Gab1 followed by the discovery that JNK is constitutively active in tumors. We intiated using altered proteins as the target for vaccination, where an EGFRvIII based vaccine appears to be highly effective.
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Caren Yu-Ju Wu
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsBasic, translational, immunological and clinical research
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Lulu Xing
Basic Life Research Scientist, Neurosurgery
Current Role at StanfordResearch Scientist
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Kelly H. Yoo, MD, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar, Neurosurgery
BioDr. Kelly H. Yoo is a postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University, specializing in innovative therapeutic strategies for neurosurgical pathologies. She earned her M.D. and Ph.D. from Heidelberg University School of Medicine, where her doctoral research focused on combining CAR T cell immunotherapy with ibrutinib and a reactive oxygen species accelerator, PipFcB, for hematologic malignancies. Graduating in the top 1% of her class, Dr. Yoo was recruited early for her residency in neurosurgery, where she honed her expertise in the interdisciplinary application of combinatorial treatment strategies.
Building on the knowledge she gained during her doctoral training, she worked to integrate CAR T cell therapy with bevacizumab, temozolomide chemotherapy, and radiation therapy for neurosurgical patients with primary and recurrent glioblastoma. As part of the clinician-scientist track, Dr. Yoo has completed several certifications, including Good Clinical Practice, the Principal Investigators Course, the Clinical Trial Investigators Course, and the Munich Investigators Course. These experiences have equipped her to design translational research that effectively bridges the gap between bench and bedside.
Recognized as a top 0.1% resident by the Baden-Württemberg Medical Association for her exceptional clinical and research performance, Dr. Yoo joined the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University to advance her career through a postdoctoral fellowship. -
Moss Zhao
Instructor, Neurosurgery
BioDr. Moss Zhao is an Instructor at Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University. He develops cutting-edge and clinically viable imaging technologies to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular diseases across the lifespan. His specific areas of expertise include physiological modeling, arterial spin labeling, Bayesian inference, PET/MRI, and artificial intelligence. His scientific contributions could significantly improve the early detection of strokes and dementia as well as enrich the knowledge of brain development in the first two decades of life.
Dr. Zhao received his DPhil at St Cross College of University of Oxford under the supervision of Prof. Michael Chappell. As an alumni mentor, he supports the career development of students of his alma mater. Since 2016, he has presented his work to more than 3000 delegates at international conferences and held leadership positions in professional societies. His research and teaching are supported by the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the European Cooperation in Science and Technology. -
J. Bradley Zuchero
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe are primarily focused on understanding myelinating glia (oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells). How is myelin formed, dynamically remodeled to support learning, and why does regeneration of myelin fail in disease? We are also interested in understanding novel roles of myelin in the nervous system, beyond its textbook role as an electrical insulator. We combine in vivo and primary culture models with the generation of new cell biology tools to answer these questions.
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Corinna Zygourakis, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy goal is to translate research into real-world action and decision-making so that my work can impact patients and the institutions in which they receive care. With a research focus on healthcare cost and quality of care, I approach neurosurgery in a unique way—one that applies business operations, economics, and healthcare delivery principles to our field. I have pursued formal LEAN business training, and believe in the importance of working together with other departments and administrators, as well as physicians and surgeons on the hospital and national level, to effect change. During my residency, I developed and led a multi-departmental prospective study at UCSF called OR SCORE (OR Surgical Cost Reduction Project) that brought together surgeons from the neurosurgery, orthopedics and ENT departments with nurses and administrators. OR SCORE successfully reduced surgical supply costs by nearly one million dollars in its first year by providing >60 surgeons with price transparency scorecards. This work led to a first-author publication in JAMA Surgery, but more importantly, set the foundation for further quality improvement and cost reduction efforts across the UCSF hospital system.
A volunteer neurosurgical mission trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, where limited resources create an OR environment that is strikingly more frugal than the U.S., inspired me to lead another project aimed at quantifying and reducing operating room waste at UCSF. I have also conducted research looking at the safety and outcomes of overlapping surgery, as well as several projects to define the factors underlying variation in cost for neurosurgical care using UCSF’s hospital data and national databases like the National Inpatient Sample, Vizient (formerly known as University Health Consortium), and Medicare.
As a clinical fellow at Johns Hopkins, I continued and expanded these research efforts. I designed and implemented an Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol at the Johns Hopkins Bayview hospital. This protocol standardized care for our spine patients, emphasizing pre-operative rehabilitation, psychiatric and nutritional assessments, and smoking cessation, as well as intra- and post-operative multi-modal pain therapy, early mobilization, and standardized antibiotic and bowel regimens. I also collaborated with engineers in the Johns Hopkins Carnegie Center for Surgical Innovation to develop better algorithms for intra-operative CT imaging, and provided assistance with operations to a basic science study looking at the role of cerebrospinal fluid drainage and duraplasty in a porcine model of spinal cord injury.
At Stanford, I am building a research group focused on: (1) perfecting paradigms for delivery of high-end technology in spinal care, including robotics and navigation, (2) implementing cost and quality strategies in large healthcare systems, and (3) computational analysis of big-data to effect real-time risk stratification and decision making in spine surgery. I'm excited to collaborate with my peers across surgical and medical departments, as well as business and engineering colleagues.
