Stanford University
Showing 101-200 of 207 Results
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Mary Leonard
Arline and Pete Harman Professor and Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy multidisciplinary research program is focused on (1) the detrimental effects of glucocorticoids, sarcopenia and inflammation on bone development in pediatric diseases, (2) the long-term effects of childhood cancer on bone and muscle quality, (3) the assessment of renal osteodystrophy using novel micro-imaging techniques, (4) the effects of vitamin D deficiency on physical function and cardiovascular disease, and (5) the evaluation of biomechanical interventions as anabolic bone therapies.
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Eleni Linos, MD, MPH, DrPH
Associate Dean for Research, Ben Davenport and Lucy Zhang Professor of Medicine, Professor, of Medicine (Center for Digital Health) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
BioEleni Linos MD, MPH, DrPH, is the Director of the Stanford Center for Digital Health. She is a Professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology at Stanford University. Dr. Linos also serves as an Associate Dean for Research, leading the KL2 Research Training Program.
Dr. Linos' research focuses on the use of technology in health, dermatology, public health, cancer prevention and the care of older adults. She is dually trained in epidemiology and dermatology and is the principal investigator of several NIH funded studies aimed at improving the lives of patients. She received her medical degree from Cambridge and Oxford universities in the UK, received a masters and doctoral degree from the Harvard School of Public Health and completed her residency at Stanford. -
Junjie Lu
Ph.D. Student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, admitted Autumn 2023
BioJunjie Lu holds a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he specialized in Health and Social Behavior. He also earned his MBBS and MS from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He worked as an intern doctor at a university hospital for two years. During this time, he led a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the impact of acupuncture on depressive symptoms, showcasing his interest in innovative healthcare approaches.
Junjie's research focuses on the social determinants of minority health, epidemiological methods, and clinical effectiveness. He is dedicated to understanding the disparities affecting minority populations and is committed to using his skills in epidemiological methods to conduct rigorous research. His clinical background enables him to apply research findings to real-world situations. -
Ying Lu
Professor of Biomedical Data Science and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsBiostatistics, clinical trials, statistical evaluation of medical diagnostic tests, radiology, osteoporosis, meta-analysis, medical decision making
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Stephen Luby
Lucy Becker Professor of Medicine, Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment, Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and Professor, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Luby’s research interests include identifying and interrupting pathways of infectious disease transmission in low income countries.
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Mitchell R. Lunn
Associate Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsLGBTQIA+ health
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David Maahs
Lucile Salter Packard Professor of Pediatrics and Professor, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
BioDr David M. Maahs is the Lucile Salter Packard Professor of Pediatrics, Division Chief of Pediatric Endocrinology, and Associate Chair for Academic Affairs in Pediatrics at Stanford University and the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. He earned his MD followed by Pediatric Residency at the University of New Mexico. After 3 years on New Mexico’s faculty, Dr. Maahs completed a Pediatric Endocrinology fellowship and a concurrent PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Colorado. He remained on Colorado’s faculty for 10 years, advancing to Professor of Pediatrics before moving to Stanford. Prior to his medical career, Dr. Maahs received a BA and MA in English from the University of Kansas and was inspired to pursue a medical career after serving in the Peace Corps with assignments in Tunisia and the Central African Republic.
Dr. Maahs’ leadership experiences include being a past co-Chair (2013-16) for Protocols and Publications with the Type 1 Diabetes Exchange for which he continues as Director of International Collaborations. This complements his role as President-elect for the International Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD, 2021-25) and Editor-in-Chief for the 2018 ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines. He served on the Professional Practice Committee for the American Diabetes Association (ADA, 2016-18), which writes the annual ADA Standards of Care. Previously, he served on the ADA Scientific Sessions committee representing the Council on Youth. He has also served on national committees for the American Heart Association, the Pediatric Endocrine Society, and multiple journal editorial boards and review committees.
His scholarly interest is improving care and preventing complications in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Along with Dr Peter Chase, he is author of the 12th and 13th editions of Understanding Diabetes, or ‘Pink Panther,’ which are the most widely used educational books for children newly diagnosed with T1D, distributed internationally by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF). More specifically, he has conducted epidemiologic studies that help generate hypotheses for clinical studies, including trials to develop artificial pancreas systems to improve glucose control, lower disease burden, prevent the complications of diabetes, and reduce disparities in diabetes care. He is author or co-author of over 350 research publications. His multi-disciplinary research has been funded by the JDRF, the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the Helmsley Charitable Trust, and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Dr Maahs is Associate Director for the recently formed and NIDDK P30 funded Stanford University Diabetes Research Center (https://sdrc.stanford.edu). His collaborations extend to his role as Principal Investigator (PI) or steering committee member for NIH funded multi-center clinical trials including the FLEX, PERL, and ACTION studies as well as multiple Artificial Pancreas clinical trials. Education, mentorship, and training leadership includes being Program Director with Dr. Georgeanna Klingensmith on the Barbara Davis Center T32 and K12 training grants in Pediatric Endocrinology while at the University of Colorado. He is the PI on the Stanford NIH funded K12 "Training Research Leaders in Type 1 Diabetes.' Dr Maahs is also the Associate Chair for Academic Affairs for the Department of Pediatrics.
While in the Peace Corps, David met his wife, Christine Walravens, who is also a Pediatrician at Stanford. They enjoy outdoor activities and traveling with their adult children. -
Yvonne Maldonado
Senior Associate Dean, Faculty Development and Diversity, Taube Professor of Global Health and Infectious Diseases, Professor of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases) and of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research focuses on epidemiologic aspects of viral vaccines and perinatal HIV infection. This includes the molecular epidemiology of factors affecting the immunogenicity of oral polio vaccine (OPV) in developing areas of the world, and now the epidemiology of transmission and circulation of vaccine derived polioviruses in order to assist in global eradication of polio. I also work in development of methods to prevent breastfeeding transmission of HIV in Africa.
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Mario Malički
Social Science Research Scholar, Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Role at StanfordAssociate Director of Stanford Program of Research Rigor and Reproducibility (SPORR)
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Maya Mathur
Assistant Professor (Research) of Pediatrics, of Medicine (Biomedical Informatics) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsSynthesizing evidence across studies while accounting for biases
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Lorene Nelson, PhD
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPrimary research interests:
- genetic, environmental and lifestyle determinants of neurodegenerative disorders
(amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, migraine)
- innovative study design and data ecosystems in clinical and public health
Primary educational interests:
- Training of next generation scientists in advanced data science and analytic methods
in population, social, and behavioral health sciences. -
Mindie H. Nguyen, MD, MAS, AGAF, FAASLD
Professor of Medicine (Gastroenterology and Hepatology) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe conduct clinical trials and epidemiological, translational, and real-world studies of liver cancer, fatty liver (NASH, NAFLD), viral hepatitis B and C, liver cirrhosis, and liver transplant. We focus on risk identification for disease prevention and treatment for improvement of survival. We focus on sex, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. We specialize in clinical trials, large international real-world consortium registry data, and large public/semi-public databases.
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Perry Nielsen Jr
Masters Student in Health Policy, admitted Autumn 2022
Research Asst - Graduate, Graduate School of Business - Operations, Information and TechnologyBioPerry Nielsen Jr is a Master’s Student in Health Policy at Stanford University. Originally from Colorado, Perry got his Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) graduating Cum Laude and as a Truman Finalist. During his time in university, he volunteered in the pediatric immunocompromised unit at Shands Hospital and planned service events with local Gainesville nonprofits like Climb for Cancer and Footprints: Buddy and Support Program. He did quality assurance research in the Congenital Heart Center which led him to win 3rd place for original research at a regional Southeast research conference. He also interned at the Colorado Medical Society, where he helped draft a statewide physician counseling program for clinicians facing distress.
Perry is passionate about common sense healthcare reform and the accessible translation of medical research to clinical practice. In his free time, he enjoys meeting local coffee roasters and exploring the vintage fashion scene. Most of all, he’s excited to wander the west coast of the United States and appreciate all the natural beauty of the Bay Area. -
Juno Obedin-Maliver
Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
BioJuno Obedin-Maliver, MD, MPH, MAS, FACOG (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Juno Obedin-Maliver is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist who provides excellent clinical care and strives to advance scientific knowledge through her research.
She practices full-spectrum gynecology including outpatient, in-patient, operative, and emergency care services. This specifically includes collaborative management of cervical dysplasia and abnormal pap smears, abnormal uterine bleeding, contraception and family planning, pelvic pain, abnormal discharge, sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, and more. She specializes in the gynecological and reproductive health care needs of sexual and gender minority people which include but are not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) people. This interest and experience drives her research interests towards promoting the health and well-being and equity of LGBTQ people.
Dr. Obedin-Maliver, is the Co-Director of The PRIDE Study (pridestudy.org), a multi-site online prospective longitudinal cohort of sexual and gender minority individuals based at Stanford. She also serves on the medical advisory board of the University of California San Francisco Center of Excellence for Transgender Health and is helping to author the next version of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care. Dr. Obedin-Maliver has also been active in health policy including involvement in helping to legally redefine consideration of sexually intimate partner status and to remove the Medicare Non-Coverage Determination ruling on gender -affirming surgeries.
For more information about her research and career please see: pridestudy.org and http://med.stanford.edu/obedin-maliver.html -
Michelle Odden
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMultilevel - from cells to society - epidemiologic study of healthy aging
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Latha Palaniappan, MD, MS
Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Palaniappan has published over 200 peer reviewed manuscripts, abstracts, and book chapters over the last 20 years in the areas of chronic disease prevention and treatment in diverse populations. She has expertise in epidemiological research using big data, use of electronic health records for research, and clinical trials.
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Lesley Park
Sr Res Scientist-Basic Life, Epidemiology and Population Health
BioStanford Advancing Health Equity and Diversity (AHEaD)
ahead.stanford.edu
Founding Co-Director (2020-present)
Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS)
Executive Director (2022-present)
Cancer Core Co-Director (2016-present)
International Workshop on HIV and Hepatitis Observational Databases (IWHOD)
iwhod.org
Chair, Scientific Secretariat (2024-present)
Dr. Lesley Park is a co-founding director of the Stanford AHEaD summer research program for college students from underrepresented and historically excluded groups in the health sciences. She is also the Executive Director of the VACS consortium, an international collaboration of methodologists, clinicians, and trainees who utilize the rich and valuable data from the Veterans Health Administration to do impactful research. VACS has been at the forefront of research to understand aging with HIV to improve patient care, particularly with respect to alcohol and other substance use, physiologic frailty, and polypharmacy. In recent years, the VACS mission has expanded to encompass other foci, including genomic research and most recently COVID-19.
Within the VACS, Dr. Park oversees cancer and COVID-19 outcomes research in persons with HIV/AIDS (PWH). Her research experience has focused on the intersection of cancer and HIV, examining epidemiologic methods for cancer research, cancer incidence trends, and cancer (particularly hepatocellular carcinoma) prevention in PWH. Dr. Park is an experienced epidemiologist, skilled in "big data" observational research, survival analysis, and SAS programming. She teaches courses in computing, data management, and epidemiologic analysis methods. Her prior experience includes research at the Yale School of Medicine and at the Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research (CBAR) at the Harvard School of Public Health.
The International Workshop on HIV and Hepatitis Observational Databases (IWHOD) is an established scientific forum for the appropriate application of real-world data to emerging issues in infectious disease. Dr. Park leads the IWHOD scientific committee of internationally reknowned experts in infectious disease and is responsible for administrative and scientific coordination of IWHOD.
Previously, Dr. Park was one of the leaders of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences (PHS). PHS aims to improve the health of populations by bringing together diverse disciplines and data to understand and address social, environmental, behavioral, and biological factors. She oversaw all of the educational and training initiatives at PHS and was one of the founding directors of the PHS Data Center and PHS Postdoctoral Fellowship program. -
Julie Parsonnet
George DeForest Barnett Professor of Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI am an infectious diseases epidemiologist who has done large field studies in both the US and developing countries. We research the long-term consequences of chronic interactions between the human host and the microbial world. My lab has done fundamental work establishing the role of H. pylori in causing disease and understanding its epidemiology. Currently, our research dissects how and when children first encounter microbes and the long term effects of these exposures on health.
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Anisha I Patel
Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Patel's research interests focus on reducing socioeconomic disparities in chronic diseases, including childhood obesity. Over the past 10 years, Dr. Patel has led numerous studies to encourage healthy beverage intake among children and adolescents. These studies include analyses of large national data sets, conduct of randomized controlled trials in schools, child care, and community settings to examine how interventions to increase children’s intake of water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages impact child health, and the evaluation of policy efforts to improve the healthfulness of beverages offered in schools and community settings.
Dr. Patel has a diverse funding portfolio ranging from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Healthy Eating Research Program, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Patel has presented her research to local, national and international audiences. She has also been recognized for her research with awards from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Public Health. -
Rachel Pham
Educational Program Manager, Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Role at StanfordEducational Programs Manager
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Rita Popat
Clinical Associate Professor, Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy research interest focuses on the epidemiology of Parkinsons disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, specifically evaluating the genetic and environmental contributions to these neurodegenerative disorders. I am also interested in studying the relation of cognition, estradiol exposure (endogenous and exogenous), and genetic factors.
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Ruby E. Reed ("Lillie")
MD Student with Scholarly Concentration in Community Health / Global Health, expected graduation Spring 2024
Masters Student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, admitted Autumn 2021BioRuby E. Reed ("Lillie") (any pronouns) is a medical student and Masters in Epidemiology & Clinical Research student from Greenville, North Carolina. Lillie aims to become a child and adolescent psychiatrist, focusing on trauma and trauma-related disorders. Passionate about psychotherapy, community health work, writing and the humanities, Lillie sees storytelling and empowerment as the threads between her interests. She hopes to build a career that empowers people and communities to own and tell their stories for healing, strength and community good.
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Alexis Reeves
Postdoctoral Scholar, Epidemiology
BioAlexis is a Propel postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health in the School of Medicine with Dr. Michelle Odden’s lab. Her research is broadly focused on the causes and consequences of racial disparities in accelerated aging. She is particularly interested in the interplay of structural and interpersonal racism, and the psychobiological mechanisms in which they produce early health declines in minoritized populations. Her work to date has focused on the health of Black women as they enter into life-stages, such as the midlife menopausal transition, where cardio-metabolic risk is high. Alexis also has a strong interest in causal inference, and applies causal inference theory and methods to these areas of research to mitigate and quantify bias.
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David Rehkopf
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health) and, by courtesy, of Sociology, of Pediatrics and of Health Policy
BioI am a social epidemiologist and serve as an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and in the Department of Medicine in the Division of Primary Care and Population Health. I joined the faculty at Stanford School of Medicine in 2011.
I am Director of the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences. In this position, I am committed to making high-value data resources available to researchers across disciplines in order to better enable them to answer their most pressing clinical and population health questions.
My own research is focused on understanding the health implications of the myriad decisions that are made by corporations and governments every day - decisions that profoundly shape the social and economic worlds in which we live and work. While these changes are often invisible to us on a daily basis, these seemingly minor actions and decisions form structural nudges that can create better or worse health at a population level. My work demonstrates the health implications of corporate and governmental decisions that can give the public and policy makers evidence to support new strategies for promoting health and well-being. In all of his work, I have a focus on the implications of these exposures for health inequalities.
Since often policy and programmatic changes can take decades to influence health, my work also includes more basic research in understanding biological signals that may act as early warning signs of systemic disease, in particular accelerated aging. I examine how social and economic policy changes influence a range of early markers of disease and aging, with a particular recent focus on DNA methylation. I am supported by several grants from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to develop new more sensitive ways to understand the health implications of social and economic policy changes. -
Zachary T Renfro
MD Student with Scholarly Concentration in Clinical Research / Immunology, expected graduation Spring 2026
Masters Student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, admitted Autumn 2023BioZachary studied biology at the University of Arkansas where he researched the impact of temperature on macrophage cytokine production across animal species as well as the neural basis of saccadic mislocalization. After graduation, he worked at the Arkansas Department of Health where he developed and implemented Arkansas' first plan to eliminate tuberculosis. Additionally he researched the contribution of epigenetic regulation on the susceptibility, development, and maintenance of chronic pain at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and participated in the front line response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At Stanford, he is enrolled in the MD and MS in epidemiology and clinical research programs. His current research interests include emerging infectious diseases, immunological response to infection, and the impact of climate change on infectious disease. -
Giorgio Camillo Ricciardiello Mejia
Masters Student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, admitted Autumn 2023
BioAs a proactive and dedicated Biomedical Engineer from Colombia, Giorgio has embarked on a journey that spans continents. Giorgio completed a BSc at the Universita Degli Studi Di Genova and pursued an MSc at Denmark Technical University, enriching Giorgio's global perspective and expertise in the field. Driven by an unyielding curiosity and a profound passion for research, Giorgio is on a mission to offer automated solutions in the healthcare sector.
Currently, Giorgio is pursuing a graduate program in Epidemiology and Clinical Research at Stanford University, while also serving as a research assistant at the Mignot Laboratory. In this capacity, Giorgio actively contributes to groundbreaking projects, actively involved in designing cutting-edge AI and ML models for the Alliance Sleep Questionnaire and PSG data. Giorgio's aim is to transform the way sleep physicians diagnose and treat patients, paving the way for improved healthcare practices.
With a proactive and visionary approach to problem-solving, combined with collaboration with brilliant minds, Giorgio pioneers advancements in healthcare. Giorgio's work strives to leave a lasting impact on patient care, aspiring to a future where technology and medicine unite for the betterment of humanity. -
Thomas Robinson
The Irving Schulman, M.D. Professor of Child Health, Professor of Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsDr. Robinson originated the solution-oriented research paradigm and directs the Stanford Solutions Science Lab. He is known for his pioneering obesity prevention and treatment research, including the concept of stealth interventions. His research applies social cognitive models of behavior change to behavioral, social, environmental and policy interventions for children and families in real world settings, making the results relevant for informing clinical and public health practice and policy.
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Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health
BioDr. Patricia Rodriguez Espinosa, PhD., MPH, is a native of Habana, Cuba, and clinical psychologist by training. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and also serves as the Associate Director of Research for the Office of Community Engagement at Stanford Medicine. The ultimate goal of her research is to decrease health inequities among racial/ethnic minority populations, particularly Latinxs and immigrant communities, through transdisciplinary and community-engaged scholarship. Her research aims to understand factors that create and maintain health inequities (e.g., racial residential segregation) and use these insights to develop novel multi-level interventions and health promotion programs to address the inequity gap and that include multi-sectoral collaborations. Dr. Rodriguez Espinosa's research has also centered around developing the science of Community-Based Participatory Research, citizen science, and other participatory research approaches.
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Lisa Goldman Rosas
Assistant Professor (Research) of Epidemiology and Population Health and of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health)
BioLisa Goldman Rosas, PhD MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and the Department of Medicine, Division of Primary Care and Population Health at Stanford School of Medicine. An epidemiologist by training, Dr. Goldman Rosas’ research focuses on addressing disparities in chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, and cancer among racial/ethnic minority families. This research features rigorous quantitative and qualitative methodologies, participatory qualitative approaches, and shared leadership with patient and community partners. She is passionate about integrating patients, caregivers, community organizations, and other key stakeholders in the research process in order to affect the greatest improvements in health and well-being. As a reflection of this passion, Dr. Goldman Rosas serves as the Faculty Director for the School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement, Co-Director of Community-Engaged Research for the Office of Cancer Health Equity, and Director of the Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core for the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. In these roles, she supports other faculty and patient and community partners to develop sustainable and meaningful partnerships to support transformative research. In addition to research, she teaches at the undergraduate and graduate levels and has a special focus on increasing diversity in biomedical research.
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Kristin Sainani (n e Cobb)
Professor (Teaching) of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsScience writing, science communication, biostatistics. Research areas: osteoporosis, stress fractures, sports injuries, female athlete triad.
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Lee M. Sanders, MD, MPH
Professor of Pediatrics (General Pediatrics), of Health Policy and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI conduct interdisciplinary research to understand literacy as potentially modifiable lens for addressing maternal and child health disparities from birth through early adulthood. Applying mixed methods approaches (health-services, epidemiology, ethnography), I have been principal investigator on extramurally-funded research projects (NIH, PCORI, FDA) that aim to examine "natural experiments" in policy and/or to design, implement and test novel system-level interventions.
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Clea Sarnquist, DrPH, MPH
Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics - Infectious Diseases
Clinical Associate Professor (By courtesy), Epidemiology and Population HealthBioDr. Sarnquist focuses on applied teaching and research on the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions to decrease gender-based violence and prevent HIV infection, especially among adolescents and children. She is particularly interested in rights-based approaches that tackle the complex interplay of factors that lead to poor health for many children and families. All of her work is applied, with direct links health practice and policy, and usually performed in conjunction with non-governmental organization and government partners. She works both globally and in the U.S., with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa. She is also a medical educator, directing the scholarly concentrations program of the pediatric residency at Stanford, and co-directing the global health concentration for residents
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Benjamin Seiler
Postdoctoral Scholar, Epidemiology
BioBen Seiler is a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of Epidemiology and Population Health at the Stanford School of Medicine, with Mike Baiocchi. He specializes in developing and deploying interpretable statistical learning methods. As part of the Stanford Human Trafficking Data Lab (HTDL), Ben currently works on quantitative approaches to issues of labor trafficking and child labor in Brazil in partnership with their Federal Labor Prosecution Office. As part of the Stanford Regulation, Evaluation, and Governance Lab (RegLab), Ben currently works in partnership with the US Internal Revenue Service to study the use of AI to modernize the system for tax collection. He holds a PhD in Statistics from Stanford University, where he was advised by Art B. Owen. Before Stanford, he earned a BA magna cum laude in physics, economics, and mathematics from Williams College. After completing his BA, he worked as a foreign exchange derivatives trader at Goldman Sachs from 2013 to 2018.
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Gary M. Shaw
NICU Nurses Professor and Professor (Research), by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health and of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Maternal Fetal Medicine)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsPrimary research interests include 1) epidemiology of birth defects, 2) gene-environment approaches to perinatal outcomes, and 3) nutrition and reproductive outcomes.
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Julia Fridman Simard
Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, of Medicine (Immunology & Rheumatology) and, by courtesy, of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Maternal Fetal Medicine)
BioJulia Fridman Simard, ScD, is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology & Population Health, and, by courtesy, of Medicine in Immunology and Rheumatology and Obstetrics and Gynecology in Maternal Fetal Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Simard earned her Masters and Doctorate of Science in Epidemiology degrees at the Harvard School of Public Health. During that time she trained with investigators at the Section of Clinical Sciences, Division of Rheumatology, Immunology, and Allergy at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. In 2008, Dr. Simard relocated to Sweden to begin a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. She became an Assistant Professor in their Clinical Epidemiology Unit in 2011, and was later honored with a Karolinska Institutet Teaching Award. Leveraging the population-based registers of Sweden, Dr. Simard initiated a national register linkage study to examine the utility of registers in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) research and develop an extensive data repository for future epidemiologic investigations.
While maintaining a close collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet, she joined Stanford’s Epidemiology faculty in 2013. Dr. Simard studies outcomes such as malignancy, stroke, infection, and mortality, in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases with a focus on systemic lupus erythematosus. Recently her primary research focus has shifted to the intersection between reproductive epidemiology and rheumatic disease fueled by a K01 career development award from the NIH (NIAMS) to study maternal and fetal outcomes in systemic lupus pregnancy. This led to collaborations with colleagues at Stanford, throughout the US, and abroad, and a series of projects focused on the diagnosis of preeclampsia and associated risks in pregnant women with systemic lupus. Dr. Simard was awarded a Peter Joseph Pappas Research Grant from the Preeclampsia Foundation for her lab's work examining preeclampsia risk in high-risk populations, and a McCormick Faculty Award from Stanford Medicine to take important steps towards disentangling preeclampsia from lupus nephritis. Dr. Simard is leading an international study of hydroxychloroquine in lupus pregnancy leveraging mixed methods in partnership with qualitative researchers, patients, clinicians, and epidemiologists in Sweden, Canada, and in the United States.
In addition to these issues of misclassification in reproductive rheumatology questions, Dr. Simard's lab is also interested in how misclassification, missed opportunities, and misdiagnosis contribute to disparities in complex conditions such as systemic lupus. In addition to methodologic issues around misclassification and bias and the largely clinical epidemiology focus of her work, Dr. Simard's work examines social determinants of health and health disparities. Dr. Simard was recently awarded an R01 from NIH (NIAID) to study the role of cognitive and unconscious bias in clinical decision making for female-predominant diseases including lupus. -
Shamsi Soltani
Ph.D. Student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, admitted Autumn 2021
BioShamsi Soltani is a PhD candidate in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health and a trainee with the Center for Population Health Sciences, both in the Stanford School of Medicine. She is also a fellow in the Training in Advanced Data Analytics for Behavioral and Social Sciences (TADA-BSSR) program, supervised by Drs. Abby King and Lorene Nelson. Her dissertation work revolves around sleep as a modifiable risk factor for suicide in LGBTQ+ populations and is mentored by Drs. Rebecca Bernert and Mitchell Lunn.
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Marcia L. Stefanick, Ph.D.
Professor (Research) of Medicine (Stanford Prevention Research Center), of Obstetrics and Gynecology and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMarcia L. Stefanick, Ph.D is a Professor of Medicine Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and by courtesy, Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Stefanick’s research focuses on chronic disease prevention (particularly, heart disease, breast cancer, osteoporosis, and dementia) in both women and men. She is currently the Principal Investigator the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Extension Study, having been the PI of the Stanford Clinical Center of the landmark WHI Clinical Trials and Observational Study since 1994 and Chair of the WHI Steering and Executive Committees from 1998-2011, as well as PI of the WHI Strong and Healthy (WHISH) Trial which is testing the hypothesis that a DHHS-based physical activity intervention, being delivered to a multi-ethnic cohort of about 24,000 WHI participants across the U.S., aged 68-99 when the trial started in 2015, will reduce major cardiovascular events over 8 years, compared to an equal number of “usual activity” controls. Dr. Stefanick is also PI of the Osteoporotic Study of Men (MrOS) which is continuing to conduct clinical assessments of bone and body composition in survivors of an original cohort of nearly 6000 men aged 65 and over in 2001. As founding Director of the Stanford Women’s Health and Sex Differences in Medicine (WHSDM, “wisdom”) Center, she plays a major role in promoting research and teaching on Sex and Gender in Human Physiology and Disease, Women’s Health and Queer Health and Medicine. Dr. Stefanick also plays major leadership roles at the Stanford School of Medicine, including as co-leader of the Population Sciences Program of the Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford’s NCI-funded comprehensive cancer center.
Dr. Stefanick obtained her B.A. in biology from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (1974), then pursued her interest in hormone and sex difference research at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center, after which she obtained her PhD in Physiology at Stanford University, focusing on reproductive physiology and neuroendocrinology, with exercise physiology as a secondary focus. Her commitment to human research led to a post-doctoral fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, which has been her academic home for nearly 40 years. -
Tainayah Whitney Thomas
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health (Epidemiology)
BioTainayah Thomas, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health. Her research focuses on primary care improvement and diabetes prevention and management among racially and ethnically diverse populations. Dr. Thomas's research seeks to leverage delivery science research methodology to promote the integration of evidence-based research into clinical practice. Dr. Thomas is dedicated to transforming research into action by engaging community, health system, and policy stakeholders in adapting, implementing, and sustaining interventions that address health disparities and promote health equity.
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Candice N. Thompson, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor, Surgery - General Surgery
Masters Student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, admitted Autumn 2023BioDr. Thompson is a board-certified, fellowship-trained general surgeon who specializes in breast surgical oncology. She is a clinical assistant professor of surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine and the Medical Director for the Office of Cancer Health Equity.
Dr. Thompson's clinical interests include treatment of women and men who have breast cancer, benign breast disease, genetic mutations, family history of breast cancer, or other breast cancer risk factors. Procedures performed by Dr. Thompson include lumpectomies (partial mastectomies), skin- and nipple-sparing mastectomies, simple mastectomies with aesthetically flat closure, oncoplastic procedures, benign breast lesion excisions, axillary node dissections, and sentinel lymph node biopsies.
She completed a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Stanford University under the mentorship of one of the world’s foremost experts in the field. She completed her general surgery training at Georgetown University, where she was the co-administrative chief resident. She is passionate about equitable care and addressing healthcare disparities, especially in breast cancer.
Dr. Thompson works closely with medical oncology, radiation oncology, plastic surgery, genetics, and other breast cancer specialists in a multidisciplinary setting to provide high quality, evidence-based, and individualized care. Dr. Thompson is a strong advocate for patient education and empowerment and strives to deliver compassionate care to patients and their families.
Her research has focused on Nipple Sparing Mastectomies, Community Engagement for Breast Cancer in the Black Community, Immune responses during breast cancer treatment, and prognostic role of Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the management of breast cancer. She also has strong research interests in community engagement, health disparities, oncoplastic surgical options, and cancer biomarkers. She has delivered presentations on a wide range of topics related to breast cancer at national and regional meetings including NRG Oncology, ASBrS, ASC.
For her scholarship and research achievements, Dr. Thompson has won numerous honors and awards. She has earned the resident teaching award during her chief year at Georgetown. She was awarded the Stanford Cancer Institute Clinical Innovation Fund Grant for her work in educating the Black Community about Breast Health and Breast Cancer (2022). She was also awarded the prestigious NCI Early-Surgeon Scientist Program (ESSP) Award to support her early career as a surgeon scientist(2024). She also serves on the AAS Academic Advancement Committee, NRG Oncology Surgical Oncology Committee, NCCN Breast Screening and Diagnosis Panel, and TOUCH Black Breast Advisor for Pink Table Talk.
Dr. Thompson is a member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS), Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS), Association of Women Surgeons (AWS), National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®), and American Medical Association (AMA).
