Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Showing 1-20 of 39 Results
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Julia Kaltschmidt
Professor of Neurosurgery
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe lab’s primary research interest is to understand how specific neuronal circuits are established. We use mouse genetics, combinatorial immunochemical labeling and high-resolution laser scanning microscopy to identify, manipulate, and quantitatively analyze synaptic contacts within the complex neuronal milieu of the spinal cord and the enteric nervous system.
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Tahereh Kamali
Instructor, Adult Neurology
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsAI for Healthcare, Neuroimaging, Biomarkers Development
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Spyros Karadimas, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
BioDr. Spyridon Karadimas is a board-certified, fellowship-trained cerebrovascular neurosurgeon and physician-scientist with Stanford Health Care. He is also an assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Karadimas offers advanced, personalized treatment for complex vascular disorders of the brain, neck, and spine in both adults and children. His expertise spans brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, cavernous malformations, arteriovenous fistulas, Moyamoya disease, stroke, and carotid artery disease. Dr. Karadimas is a rare combination of surgeon, scientist, and innovator dedicated to advancing patient care and shaping the future of cerebrovascular neurosurgery.
Dr. Karadimas directs a basic and translational research program focused on the neural circuits of motor control and stroke recovery. His laboratory integrates systems neuroscience, in vivo imaging, electrophysiology, and brain-computer interface development to uncover the principles of neuroplasticity, or how the brain adapts to change. This knowledge allows him to create new ways to help people move again after a brain injury.
Dr. Karadimas has published his research as first author in peer-reviewed journals such as Nature, Nature Neuroscience and Science Translational Medicine. His work has received editorial highlight at Nature Reviews Neuroscience. He has presented to his peers at international, national, and regional meetings, including those of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery, American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), European Association of Neurosurgical Societies, and World Federation of Skull Base Societies.
Dr. Karadimas is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and American Association of Neurological Surgeons as well as member of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the North American Skull Base Society. -
Maya M. Kasowski
Assistant Professor of Pathology, of Medicine (Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine) and, by courtesy, of Genetics
BioI am a clinical pathologist and assistant professor in the Departments of Medicine, Pathology, and Genetics (by courtesy) at Stanford. I completed my MD-PhD training at Yale University and my residency training and a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Genetics at Stanford University. My experiences as a clinical pathologist and genome scientist have made me passionate about applying cutting-edge technologies to primary patient specimens in order to characterize disease pathologies at the molecular level. The core focus of my lab is to study the mechanisms by which genetic variants influence the risk of disease through effects on intermediate molecular phenotypes.
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Makoto Kawai
Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Sleep Medicine
BioI am a physician scientist in the field of sleep medicine in aging and brain function. Using combined polysomnogram and novel neuroimaging technology, I aim to identify potential sleep biomarkers to investigate the mechanism of progression from normal aging to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia. I also investigate the impact of sleep on cognitive/affective function or behavior abnormality in various neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Mark A. Kay, M.D., Ph.D.
Dennis Farrey Family Professor of Pediatrics, and Professor of Genetics
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsMark A. Kay, M.D., Ph.D. Director of the Program in Human Gene Therapy and Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Genetics. Respected worldwide for his work in gene therapy for hemophilia, Dr. Kay and his laboratory focus on establishing the scientific principles and developing the technologies needed for achieving persistent and therapeutic levels of gene expression in vivo. The major disease models are hemophilia, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B viral infections.
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Corey Keller, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Public Mental Health and Population Sciences)
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsThe goal of my lab is to understand the fundamental principles of human brain plasticity and build trans-diagnostic real-time monitoring platforms for personalized neurotherapeutics.
We use an array of neuroscience methods to better understand the basic principles of how to create change in brain circuits. We use this knowledge to develop more effective treatment strategies for depression and other psychiatric disorders. -
Kevin Kelley
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry and Psychology)
BioAs a neuroscientist and psychiatrist, I am motivated by how little we understand about the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders and hope that further knowledge will help to alleviate the ongoing distress of many of our patients. My research program leverages computational genomics, human brain cellular models, and molecular neuroscience techniques to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of human brain development and how dysfunction in these processes lead to psychiatric disorders.
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Oussama Khatib
Weichai Professor and Professor, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering
BioRobotics research on novel control architectures, algorithms, sensing, and human-friendly designs for advanced capabilities in complex environments. With a focus on enabling robots to interact cooperatively and safely with humans and the physical world, these studies bring understanding of human movements for therapy, athletic training, and performance enhancement. Our work on understanding human cognitive task representation and physical skills is enabling transfer for increased robot autonomy. With these core capabilities, we are exploring applications in healthcare and wellness, industry and service, farms and smart cities, and dangerous and unreachable settings -- deep in oceans, mines, and space.
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Chaitan Khosla
Wells H. Rauser and Harold M. Petiprin Professor and Professor of Chemistry and, by courtesy, of Biochemistry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsResearch in this laboratory focuses on problems where deep insights into enzymology and metabolism can be harnessed to improve human health.
For the past two decades, we have studied and engineered enzymatic assembly lines called polyketide synthases that catalyze the biosynthesis of structurally complex and medicinally fascinating antibiotics in bacteria. An example of such an assembly line is found in the erythromycin biosynthetic pathway. Our current focus is on understanding the structure and mechanism of this polyketide synthase. At the same time, we are developing methods to decode the vast and growing number of orphan polyketide assembly lines in the sequence databases.
For more than a decade, we have also investigated the pathogenesis of celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine, with the goal of discovering therapies and related management tools for this widespread but overlooked disease. Ongoing efforts focus on understanding the pivotal role of transglutaminase 2 in triggering the inflammatory response to dietary gluten in the celiac intestine. -
Butrus Khuri-Yakub
Professor (Research) of Electrical Engineering, Emeritus
BioButrus (Pierre) T. Khuri-Yakub is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He received the BS degree from the American University of Beirut, the MS degree from Dartmouth College, and the Ph.D. degree from Stanford University, all in electrical engineering. His current research interests include medical ultrasound imaging and therapy, ultrasound neuro-stimulation, chemical/biological sensors, gas flow and energy flow sensing, micromachined ultrasonic transducers, and ultrasonic fluid ejectors. He has authored over 600 publications and has been principal inventor or co-inventor of 107 US and international issued patents. He was awarded the Medal of the City of Bordeaux in 1983 for his contributions to Nondestructive Evaluation, the Distinguished Advisor Award of the School of Engineering at Stanford University in 1987, the Distinguished Lecturer Award of the IEEE UFFC society in 1999, a Stanford University Outstanding Inventor Award in 2004, Distinguished Alumnus Award of the School of Engineering of the American University of Beirut in 2005, Stanford Biodesign Certificate of Appreciation for commitment to educate, mentor and inspire Biodesgin Fellows, 2011, and 2011 recipient of IEEE Rayleigh award.
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Mathew Kiang
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health (Epidemiology)
BioI am an assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health. My research lies at the intersection of computational epidemiology and social epidemiology. Methodologically, my work revolves around combining disparate data sources in epidemiologically meaningful ways. For example, I work with individual-level, non-health data (e.g., GPS, accelerometer, and other sensor data from smartphones), traditional health data (e.g., survey, health systems, or death certificate data), and third-party data (e.g., cellphone providers or ad-tech data). To do this, I use a variety of methods such as joint Bayesian spatial models, traditional epidemiologic models, dynamical models, microsimulation, and demographic analysis. Substantively, my work focuses on socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequities, substance use, and child health. For example, recently, my work has examined inequities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution, cause-specific excess mortality, and drug poisonings. Other work has examined the impact of changing vaccination rates on the reemergence of infectious diseases and the prevalence of parental death among children.
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Peter S. Kim
Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professor of Biochemistry
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsOur research focuses on developing new strategies for vaccine creation. We also aim to generate vaccines targeting infectious agents that have eluded efforts to date. We integrate experimental approaches with protein language models to guide artificial evolution and enable efficient antibody and protein engineering. Our interdisciplinary approach aims to address critical global health challenges.
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Seung K. Kim M.D., Ph.D.
KM Mulberry Professor, Professor of Developmental Biology, of Medicine (Endocrinology) and, by courtesy, of Pediatrics (Endocrinology)
On Partial Leave from 09/16/2025 To 03/31/2026Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe study the development of pancreatic islet cells using molecular, embryologic and genetic methods in several model systems, including mice, pigs, human pancreas, embryonic stem cells, and Drosophila. Our work suggests that critical factors required for islet development are also needed to maintain essential functions of the mature islet. These approaches have informed efforts to generate replacement islets from renewable sources for diabetes.
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Benyam Z. Kinde, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology
BioDr. Kinde is a board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmologist and ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Stanford Health Care Byers Eye Institute. He is also an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Kinde completed the American Society of Ophthalmic and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery (ASOPRS) fellowship in ophthalmic plastic surgery through the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami.
Dr. Kinde diagnoses and treats a wide range of conditions related to the eyelid and other eye structures, including facial nerve palsy, skin cancer, and thyroid eye disease. He also provides care for patients who wish to enhance their appearance through surgical and nonsurgical interventions. Dr. Kinde offers many types of treatments, including cosmetic surgery, eyelid surgery (including upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty and ptosis surgery), reconstructive surgery, tear duct (lacrimal) surgery, and orbital surgery.
Dr. Kinde is a physician-scientist whose research interests focus on developing new tools to promote survival of retinal ganglion cells after optic nerve injury. He has investigated how modulating the DNA damage response in mouse models of traumatic optic neuropathy (symptoms of nerve damage) may promote and improve optic nerve function after injury. His previous work focused on increasing the resilience of neurons (messaging nerve cells) in mouse models of glaucoma and in humans with glaucoma. He completed his MD and PhD in neuroscience at Harvard Medical School, where his thesis work revealed a new understanding of Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects body movement.
Dr. Kinde has published in many peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Science, Cell, Ophthalmology, and Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine. He has presented to his peers at international and national meetings, including the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Inter-American Course in Clinical Ophthalmology. -
David Kingsley
Rudy J. and Daphne Donohue Munzer Professor in the School of Medicine
Current Research and Scholarly InterestsWe use mice, stickleback fish, and humans to study the molecular basis of evolution and common diseases. By combining genetics and genomics, we have identified key DNA changes that control bone formation, limb patterning, hair color, brain evolution, and susceptibility to arthritis, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. We find that the same genetic mechanisms are often used repeatedly in nature, providing new insights into the origin of key traits in many different species, including ourselves.
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Amanda Kirane, MD, PhD, FACS, FSSO
Associate Professor of Surgery (General Surgery)
BioDr. Kirane is a fellowship-trained, board-certified specialist in complex general surgical oncology. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, Section of Surgical Oncology, at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Kirane serves as Director of Cutaneous Surgical Oncology at the Stanford Cancer Center and her clinical practice focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and other skin cancers. She partners closely with patients and families to provide the most effective treatment approach possible. For each patient, she tailors an evidence-based, personalized care plan that is innovative, comprehensive, and compassionate.
Dr. Kirane is Principal Investigator of multiple studies in melanoma and mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy, with focus on myeloid biology. Her current interests include immune response and novel therapies in melanoma, predictive modeling of patient responses using organoid technology, and translational biomarker development. She has led research into immune therapy for earlier stage melanoma using regionally directed therapy to augment immune response in melanoma and trials in surgical care in melanoma.
The National Institutes of Health, American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Melanoma Research Alliance, and others have funded her research. She has co-authored articles on her discoveries in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Nature Communications, Nature Genetics, Cancer Research, Journal of Surgical Oncology, Annals of Surgery, Annals of Surgical Oncology, and elsewhere. Topics include intratumoral therapy, biomarker development, macrophage biology in melanoma and immunotheraputic resistance, and patient-derived organoid modeling. Dr. Kirane has presented updates on the management of melanoma and other cancers to her peers at meetings of the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, and Society for Immunotherapy in Cancer.
Dr. Kirane has earned awards for her achievements in clinical care, research, and scholarship. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, Society of Surgical Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and other prestigious organizations have honored her work. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS) and Society of Surgical Oncology (FSSO). She is a member of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, American Association of Cancer Research, Society for Melanoma Research, Connective Tissue Oncology Society, Association of Academic Surgeons, and Association of Women Surgeons.
She volunteers her time and expertise on behalf of the Melanoma Research Foundation, members of her community in need, STEM programs for girls, and other initiatives. She also is fellowship trained in Physician Wellness and Wellbeing and teaches somatic technique, mindfulness-based stress reduction, meditation, and breathwork.
