Stanford University
Showing 41-60 of 199 Results
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Rebecca M. Gardner
Ph.D. Student in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, admitted Autumn 2022
BioMy research interests are in maternal nutrition and well-being, with a current focus on hyperemesis gravidarum (HG)—severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy that often causes significant maternal undernutrition and poor antepartum and postpartum mental health, and is the leading cause of hospitalization in early pregnancy. I study HG from several angles: the environmental exposures that may exacerbate it, including ambient air pollution and wildfire smoke, and whether these contribute to HG-related hospitalization; and its downstream consequences for both mothers and children, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and neurodevelopmental conditions in childhood such as autism. More broadly, I am interested in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes, and their subsequent effects on offspring. Methodologically, I am drawn to applying causal inference methods traditionally used in economics to questions in public health.
Before starting a PhD, I was a biostatistician in the Quantitative Sciences Unit at Stanford for four years where I co-authored over thirty publications, collaborating with clinicians on various domains including developmental behavioral pediatrics, reproductive endocrinology & infertility, oncology, and clinical trials. I completed my MS in Statistics at Brigham Young University in 2016, where I collaborated with cardiologists to develop a new approach to diagnose rheumatic heart disease in pediatric patients in Samoa for my Master's thesis. -
Pascal Geldsetzer
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
BioPascal Geldsetzer is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Primary Care and Population Health and, by courtesy, in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health. He is also affiliated with the Phil & Penny Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience at the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Department of Biomedical Data Science, Department of Health Policy, and the Stanford Center for Population Health Sciences.
His research focuses on identifying and evaluating the most effective interventions for improving health at older ages. In addition to leading several randomized trials, his methodological emphasis lies in the use of natural experiments to ascertain causal effects in large observational datasets, particularly in electronic health record data. He has won an NIH New Innovator Award (in 2022), a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub investigatorship (in 2022), and three NIH R01 grants as Principal Investigator (in 2023 and 2024). In 2026, he was named one of the 100 most influential people in health and medicine globally by TIME Magazine. -
Nicole Gladish
Research Fellow, Epidemiology and Population Health
BioDr. Nicole Gladish is a Research Fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford University. Her work integrates genetic, epigenetic, and population-level data to understand how biological and environmental factors interact to shape health disparities and influence trajectories of healthy aging. In addition to exploring molecular mechanisms, she conducts applied research on health policy interventions developing and refining tools like deprivation indices to inform equitable decision-making at the systems level.
Dr. Gladish earned her Ph.D. in Medical Genetics from the University of British Columbia (UBC), where her thesis focused on how early-life adversity, such as low socioeconomic status and abuse, affects DNA methylation patterns. This work aimed to elucidate the biological mechanisms that predispose individuals to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
At Stanford, she continues to investigate the interplay between social determinants and biological risk, with a growing emphasis on translational research. Her development of improved social deprivation indices supports more accurate identification of disadvantaged communities, informing public health funding, service allocation, and structural interventions across the U.S.
Dr. Gladish's work bridges molecular epidemiology and public policy, aiming to ensure that scientific insights translate into measurable improvements in population health. -
Steven Goodman
Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, of Medicine (Primary Care and Population Health) and, by courtesy, of Health Policy
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsI study issues relating to the representation and measurement of evidence in medical research and determinants of the reliability of biomedical research findings. I also do work in evidence synthesis, comparative effectiveness research, and the ethics of clinical research.
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Britni Wilcher
Affiliate, Center for Population Health Sciences
BioBritni Wilcher, PhD, is a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Health Policy at Stanford University and an applied microeconomist working at the intersection of health, labor, and gender economics. Dr. Wilcher's research focuses on the economics of health decision making and its implications for labor markets using quasi-experimental designs. Her research portfolio spans vulnerable populations and policy interventions, from evaluating teletherapy adoption patterns among 200,000+ veterans to conducting regulatory impact analyses protecting 22+ million workers nationwide. Her collaborative research products have withstood judicial review up to the Supreme Court and provided evidence-based input into policy actions. Her work has been cited in congressional testimony and the 2022 Economic Report of the President. It has been featured in federal regulations and published in peer-reviewed journals including Labour Economics, Health Economics, Value in Health, and the International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care.
Dr. Wilcher has worked in management consulting, government, universities, and has consulted with think tanks, foundations, the EU Commission, and a United Nations entity. She holds a PhD in Economics from American University, an MSc in International Health Care Management, Economics, and Policy from SDA Bocconi School of Management, and a BA in Economics from Spelman College. -
Bonnie Halpern-Felsher
Marron and Mary Elizabeth Kendrick Professor of Pediatrics and Professor, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch focuses on developmental, cognitive and psychosocial factors involved in adolescents’ and young adults’ health-related decision-making, perceptions of risk and vulnerability, health communication and risk behavior. My research has focused on understanding and reducing health risk behaviors such as tobacco use, alcohol and marijuana use, risky driving, and risky sexual behavior.
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Summer Han
Associate Professor (Research) of Neurosurgery, of Medicine (Computational Medicine) and, by courtesy, of Epidemiology and Population Health
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMy current research focuses on understanding the genetic and environmental etiology of complex disease and developing and evaluating efficient screening strategies based on etiological understanding. The areas of my research interests include statistical genetics, molecular epidemiology, cancer screening, health policy modeling, and risk prediction modeling. I have developed various statistical methods to analyze high-dimensional data to identify genetic and environmental risk factors and their interactions for complex disease.
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Cellas Ari'ka Hayes
Postdoctoral Scholar, Epidemiology
BioDr. Cellas Hayes is a first-generation college graduate, neuroscientist, and postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and minors in Classics, and Latin from the University of Mississippi (2019) and earned his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with an emphasis in Pharmacology (2022), where he received advanced neuroscience research training under Dr. Nicole Ashpole’s guidance.
At Stanford, Dr. Hayes employs cutting-edge epidemiological and biostatistical methods with high-dimensional biological data to investigate the impact of cerebrovascular and Alzheimer’s disease pathologies on age-related outcomes such as cognitive decline and dementia. He has established national collaborations including the Strong Heart Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, Health and Aging Brain Study - Health Disparities, and the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center.
Dr. Hayes is becoming a recognized leader in his field and beyond, serving as a Stanford Propel Postdoctoral Fellowship Alumni, a Burroughs Wellcome Fund PDEP Fellow, and a HABS-HD Health Enhancement Scientific Program Fellow, and diversity supplement recipient. He is the founder and chair of the National Black Postdocs Emergency Support Program and a former co-president of the Stanford Black Postdocs Association. As a postdoc, Dr. Hayes has accrued over 500K in fellowship funds while participating in notable professional development programs like the NIH NIMHD HDRI and NIA Butler Williams Scholars Program. At UM, Dr. Hayes was the first recipient to receive a NIH NRSA F31 in 37 years while also being a Southern Regional Education Board Scholar and UMMC-GTEC Smith Scholars Program.
Passionate about mentorship and education, Dr. Hayes develops innovative resources and curricula through the Stanford Grant Writing Academy, where he has trained postbaccalaureate, doctoral, and postdoctoral scholars in grant writing and career development. -
Chris Heitzig
Postdoctoral Scholar, Epidemiology
BioChris Heitzig is a New Map of Life Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health. An economist by training, his research develops models to examine healthy aging across the life course, with a particular emphasis on identifying causal pathways and key points of policy intervention to improve well-being in later life. A central focus of his work is the socioeconomic impact of undiagnosed metabolic disorders—how these conditions manifest, the costs of leaving them untreated, and the potential for interventions to improve detection and outcomes. His research combines insights from economics and public health with machine learning methods for causal inference.
Before joining Stanford, Chris served in research roles at the Brookings Institution and the World Bank. At Brookings, he managed a $1.5 million research grant investigating how technological change is reshaping employment in Africa. At the World Bank, he designed randomized controlled trials to measure the causal effects of health and employment programs and served in an operational role as the day-to-day lead for a $20 million job transition program. Chris holds a PhD in Economics from the Institute of Development Studies, an MPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford, and a BA in Economics from Saint John’s University. -
Victor W. Henderson, MD, MS
Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health and of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch interests:
(1) Risk factors for age-associated cognitive decline and for dementia.
(2) Therapeutic strategies to improve cognitive abilities in aging and in dementia.
(3) Brain–behavior relations as they pertain to human cognition. -
Ixel Hernandez-Castro
Postdoctoral Scholar, Epidemiology
BioEnvironmental epidemiologist focused on understanding how cumulative environmental exposures during pregnancy and early life shape maternal and child health across the life course. My work integrates epidemiologic methods and molecular biomarkers to uncover shared biological pathways linking chemical and social exposures to pregnancy complications and adverse cardiometabolic and neurodevelopmental outcomes, with the goal of informing early prevention strategies and supporting health.
