PRISM Mentors

My laboratory develops and implements ultrasonic beamforming methods, ultrasonic imaging modalities, and ultrasonic systems and devices. Our current focus is on beamforming methods that are capable of generating high-quality images in the difficult-to-image patient population. These methods include coherence beamforming techniques and neural network beamformers for general B-mode and Doppler imaging, sound speed estimation for quantification of liver steatosis and image correction, and molecular imaging techniques for early cancer detection. We attempt to build these imaging methods into real-time imaging systems in order to apply them to clinical applications for the difficult-to-image patient population. Other projects in our laboratory include the development of novel ultrasonic imaging devices, such as small, intravascular ultrasound arrays that are capable of generating high acoustic output to elucidate the mechanical properties and structure of vascular plaques, and the development of ultrasound-guided drug delivery and therapy systems for cancer and diabetes applications.

Dr. Jeremy Heit is a neurointerventional surgeon (neurointerventional radiologist) who specializes in treating stroke, brain aneurysms, brain arteriovenous malformations, brain and spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae, carotid artery stenosis, vertebral body compression fractures, and congenital vascular malformations. Dr. Heit treats all of these conditions using minimally-invasive, image-guided procedures and state-of-the-art technology.

Underlying the complexity of the human body is the ability of our cells to adopt diverse forms and functions. This process of cell differentiation requires cells to polarize, translating developmental information into cell-type specific arrangements of intracellular structures. The major goal of the research in my laboratory is to understand how cells build these functional intracellular patterns during development. In particular, we are currently focused on understanding the molecules and mechanisms that build microtubules at cell-type specific locations and the polarity cues that guide this patterning, both of which are essential for normal development and cell function. We study these processes in living animals because the chemical, mechanical, and ever-changing environments experienced by cells in intact organisms are not readily replicated ex vivo. Thus, we take innovative approaches in the model organism C. elegans using novel genetic and proteomic tools, high resolution live imaging, and embryological manipulations.

I am a Professor in the Department of Surgery at Stanford University. I trained as a dentist and have a certificate in Periodontics and a PhD. My lab works in the field of Regenerative Medicine and Dental Medicine, with a focus on the biological and mechanical regulation of tissue repair and regeneration. Our objective has remained unchanged for the last two decades: to make new discoveries that improve patient outcomes.

While conducting clinically relevant research has been my main objective, it has always gone hand-in-hand with another goal: I believe that education is one of the most important tools to improving human health, and I am committed to diversifying our profession for the good of our communities and society. I use every avenue available to transform the way people think about science and medicine and emphasize its contribution to their daily lives. I also invest my time in supporting initiatives that promote inclusion, equity, and diversity. I am the Vice Chair of Diversity and Inclusion in our Department of Surgery at Stanford, and in this role I oversee diversity/equity/inclusion initiatives that impact students ranging from high school and college, through to trainees and junior faculty. In my lab I have assembled a team of individuals from different racial, ethnic, gender, age, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and I believe our science is stronger because of this diversity.

Dr. Prochaska’s research program leverages technology to study and treat tobacco, alcohol, and other risk behaviors in populations at high risk. Her research spans community-based epidemiologic studies, randomized controlled clinical trials, and health policy analysis. Dr. Prochaska has conducted and collaborated on over 25 randomized controlled behavioral intervention trials, targeting tobacco and other risk behaviors with adolescents and adults.

I direct the NIH supported T32 Epilepsy postdoctoral training program, with faculty broadly interested in the cellular/circuit basis of normal brain excitability and how it is disrupted in the disease of epilepsy.  My particular interest is in large scale brain rhythms occuring during childhood absence epilepsy as studied in animal models.

Energy metabolism encompasses the fundamental homeostatic processes by which we regulate our energy storage and energy expenditure. Energy metabolism is highly dynamic and changes according to availability of nutrients, physical activity, or environmental conditions. Dysregulation of energy metabolism is a hallmark of many age-associated chronic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemias, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Therefore a complete understanding of the molecular pathways of energy metabolism represents an important basic scientific goal with implications for many of the most pressing biomedical problems of our generation. Metabolic tissues including adipose, liver, and muscle play critical roles in energy homeostasis. We are interested in understanding the dynamic endocrine signals that control metabolic tissue function. What are the identities of these signals? How do their levels change in response to physiologic energy stressors? Where are they made? What cell types or tissues do they act on? To answer these questions, we use chemical and mass spectrometry-based technologies as discovery tools. We combine these tools with classical biochemical and genetic techniques in cellular and animal models. Our goal is to discover new molecules and signaling pathways that regulate organismal energy metabolism. Recent studies from our laboratory have identified a family of cold-regulated lipid hormones that stimulate mitochondrial respiration as well as a thermogenic polypeptide hormone regulated by exercise. We suspect that many more remain to be discovered. We anticipate that our approach will uncover fundamental homeostatic mechanisms that control mammalian energy metabolism. In the long term, we hope to translate our discoveries into therapeutic opportunities that matter for metabolic and other age-associated chronic diseases.

Our laboratory uses chemical and genetic approaches to study the signaling pathways that control mammalian energy homeostasis. We focus on blood-borne metabolic hormones and other hormone-like molecules. Ultimately, we seek to translate our discoveries into therapeutic opportunities that matter for obesity and other age-associated metabolic diseases.

Research in the Pollack lab centers on translational genomics, with a current focus on diseases of the prostate. The lab employs next-generation sequencing, single-cell genomics, genome editing, and cell/tissue-based modeling to uncover disease mechanisms, biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Current areas of emphasis include: (1) Defining molecular features of prostate cancer that distinguish indolent from aggressive disease; (2) Determining disease mechanisms and new therapeutic targets in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); and (3) Defining disease drivers in rare neoplasms (e.g., ameloblastoma).

Our research aims to fill a fundamental gap of knowledge about the timing, location, and causal importance of specific neuronal populations in the brain that work together in the millisecond scale to subserve a given brain function.

We record directly from inside the brain in neurosurgical patients that are implanted with multiple electrodes across different anatomical and functional systems. We also apply direct electrical current to specific populations of neurons to alter their function while testing the effect of such perturbation on the human participant subjective feelings or task performance.

Our research is beneficial to each individual patient who volunteers to participate in our cognitive and behavioral experiments because we map the location of functional units within each patient’s brain and share this information with clinicians to make more precise and safer surgical plans and prevent major cognitive deficits after surgery.  We also map the location of pathological activity  and use the data to locate the source of seizures and the pathways for their propagation in each individual patient’s brain.

Our work is also relevant to public health and has societal impact. We strive to collect novel information about the functional architecture of the human brain, and improve our understanding of how the brain works. This will be vital for our understanding of the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders that affect higher level cognitive functions and cause major problems for afflicted individuals and their families and the society.

We study human brain function at multiple levels of cognitive and behavioral processing. We study brain activity from the very early sensory input to very late decision making in even social or emotional domains. We do not focus on a specific area of the brain or on a narrow field of cognitive neuroscience. As documented by our published work, every level of human cognition, every stage of human brain function, and every regions of the human brain - are of interest to us – as we want to understand how different areas of the brain work together across different experimental tasks. For instance, we have studied the prefrontal cortex (PFC) as we have recorded directly from the human periaqueductal gray (PAG) and we have electrically stimulated the human default network as we have stimulated the human hypothalamus.  Our goal is to acquire a universal understanding of the functional architecture of the human brain with millisecond and millimeter precision.

Our interdisciplinary lab pursues research centered around advanced polymer 3D fabrication methods and their applications in human health. Focus areas include (1) creating new digital polymer 3D printing capabilities, such as single-micron resolution printing and novel multi-materials printing methods; (2) synthesizing new polymers for 3D printing, with interests in composites, bioabsorbable materials, and recyclable materials; and (3) employing our 3D printing materials and process advances for clinical applications in areas including: new medical device opportunities; vaccine platform development via the advancement of novel microneedle designs; precision delivery of therapies (molecular and cellular) and vaccines; molecular monitoring; and device-assisted, targeted drug delivery, including for cancer treatment. We also pursue novel digital treatment planning approaches using 3D printed medical devices, with our current focus on pediatric therapeutic devices. In this area, we are working with partners at Stanford to design devices and treatment planning solutions for babies with conditions including cleft palate and Pierre Robin Sequence. Complementing these research areas, our lab also emphasizes entrepreneurship; diversity, equity, and inclusion; implications of the digital revolution in the manufacturing sector; and strategies toward achieving a circular economy.ch

Joseph C. Wu, MD, PhD is Director of Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and Simon H. Stertzer, MD, Professor of Medicine and Radiology at Stanford University. His lab works on cardiovascular genomics and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The main goals are to (i) understand basic disease mechanisms, (ii) accelerate drug discovery and screening, (iii) develop “clinical trial in a dish” concept, and (iv) implement precision medicine for patients.

The overall theme of our research has been the genetic basis of cardiovascular disease across the continuum from Discovery to the development of Model Systems to the Translation of these findings to the clinic and most recently to the Public Health aspect of genetics. Currently our Discovery and basic translational efforts center on understanding the genetic basis of insulin resistance using genome wide association studies coupled advanced genetic analyses such as colocalization with exploration using in vitro and in vivo model systems including induced pluripotent stem cells and and gene editing screens. 

"The fundamental theme of work in the Knowles lab is the application of genetics to improve human health. We view this as a continuum from Discovery to the development of Model Systems to Clinical Translation to larger Public Health efforts.

Currently, discovery and basic translational efforts center on understanding the genetic basis of insulin resistance and related cardiovascular traits using GWAS studies coupled with exploration in model systems both in vitro (including classic cell lines as well as induced pluripotent stem cells) and in vivo (primarily mouse models). Clinical-translational research efforts in the lab are at the intersection of genetics, insulin resistance and hypercholesterolemia. We are asking if we can improve an individual’s risk by giving them information (i.e. genetic risk score) about their inherited risk of heart disease. We are also performing a clinical trial to determine the mechanism of statin-associated diabetes (which predominantly occurs in those with insulin resistance). Finally, Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a major focus given its morbidity and mortality and public health impact. As the Chief Research Advisor for The FH Foundation (FHF), a patient-led non-profit research and advocacy organization, we are attempting to raise the profile of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an inherited disease that causes extremely elevated LDL cholesterol levels and risk of coronary disease. We helped lead the FHF efforts to establish a national patient registry (CASCADE FH), apply for an ICD10 code for FH, advocate for genetic testing to be offered to FH patients and are now using cutting-edge “big-data” approaches to identify previously undiagnosed FH patients in electronic medical records (FIND FH). We collaborate with the CDC, AHA and ACC on these efforts."

We invent and develop systems which couple fluid flow, chemical reactions, mass transport, heat transfer, and/or electric fields and apply these to chemical and biological assays.  We design, build, and test microfluidic devices that couple electrokinetics with chemical reactions for on-chip analyses of DNA and high-throughput flow systems for cell assays.  We have two funded projects for which we seek a motivated postdoctoral researcher:

1. We are developing a microfluidic device for fully automated detection of the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 RNA (the virus which causes Covid-19) in less than 60 min.  The device will feature electric field control and enhancement of four processes: RNA extraction, reverse transcription, LAMP amplification, and highly specific detection using CRISPR/Cas enzymes.  See a preliminary version of this assay here:  Ramachandran et al., PNAS, 117, 47 (2020).

2. We are conducting a fundamental study of CRISPR/Cas enzymes with the goal of exploring the ultimate sensitivity of CRISPR-based diagnostic systems.  This work includes developing experimentally validated models of enzyme kinetics and detailed models for the signal-to-noise ratio associated with CRISPR diagnostics.  See Ramachandran & Santiago, Analytical Chem., 93, 20 (2021).

Department URL:
https://me.stanford.edu

Statistical algorithms for genomics, RNA biology, splicing, cancer genomics, spatial transcriptomics

We are interested in the molecular mechanisms involved in synaptic transmission and plasticity using electrophysiological, optogenetic and behavioral tools in mouse brain and spinal cord. We study brain circuit alterations caused by stress, drugs of abuse, and pain. Our lab focuses on three regions of the central nervous system 1) the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a key nucleus in the reward pathway and containing neurons that regulate sleep architechture, and 2) spinal dorsal horn to brain connections that carry pain information, and 3) the lateral hypothalamus, a region critical in regulation of sleep/wake cycles. We have a postdoctoral opening for a highly motivated researcher for a new project in our lab. This project will probe brain circuits controlling sleep, testing for alterations in mice with mutations in bipolar disorder-related genes. The new postdoc will use electrophysiological and optogenetic approaches in mice to examine excitability changes and be part of a vibrant multi-university collaboration that will for the first time study how neuronal circuits, sleep/wake states, and behavior are altered with CRISPR driven bipolar disorder-linked gene mutations.

Dr. Parsonnet is an Infectious Diseases epidemiologist and clinician.  The Parsonnet lab works to understand how infectious agents influence the development of chronic diseases.  During the COVID crisis, the lab has also been actively involved in a wide range of investigations of this disease ranging from large seroepidemiologic studies to novel treatment trials to collaborative studies on COVID immunology.  Studies that could potentially take a fellow include:

• Large seroepidemiologic, longitudinal studies of COVID in the counties throughout California both before and after the initiation of vaccines.   We have collected data sets that allow us to understand risk factors for breakthrough infections,  how vaccination and other interventions change behavior,  and the role of natural infection in building immunity.
• Studies on COVID infection, immunity and vaccination in patients receiving dialysis
• A clinical trial of camostat, a TMPPRS2 blocker, that prevents SARS-CoV2 from entering cells.
• Studies that define the normal human body temperature in children and adults
• Research on how skin care in babies varies across populations and how this influences skin integrity and development of allergic diseases later in life (with Kari Nadeau).
• Studies on the development of the pediatric virome, microbiome and immunome in the first three years of life.

I am an infectious diseases physician and epidemiologist    OUr lab is well know internationally in two major areas:  1.  The role of infections in chronic diseases and 2.  Physiologic changes in humans over time, specifically the decrease in human body temperature.  3. Novel surveillance projects, especially serosurveys done through the mail and  the use of wastewater to track infections.  Right now, projects that could integrate a post-doctoral fellow include:  In addition, my research group works on gun violence prevention.  

1.  Analysis of a California population-based serosurvey on SARS-COV2 infection, including information on human behaviors (mask wearing, social , vaccination) and demographics (age, race, education),  We could expand this study to look at other infectious diseases as well.

2.  Research assessing the association between high normal body temperature and longevity.

3.  Gun violence prevention.  Gun violence is a national tragedy.  We have two major projects in this area:

     a.  A project with Santa Clara County Department of Public health that combines the many data sources on gun violence across the county (Police, hospitals,EMT, schools, health departments), bring together stakeholders at community organizations across the county fighting gun violence and work with health care workers to identify strategies to educate patients on gun violence prevention.

     b.  Educational project development to teach physicians across the county how to talk to patients about gun violence

We are generally interested in the mechanisms that drive the proliferation of cells under physiological and pathological conditions. We work on a wide range on projects from fundamental cell cycle mechanisms related to the RB pathway to pre-clinical cancer studies. We leverage publicly-available cancer genomics data and generate our own set of genetic, epigenetic, and proteomic data sets to identify novel regulators of cancer growth. We also develop novel genetic approaches in mice to conclusively determine the function of these candidate genes and pathways in tumorigenesis in vivo. Finally, we team up with pharmaceutical companies and clinicians in academic centers to translate our discoveries into the clinic as rapidly as possible.

My lab works towards developing novel therapeutics for Diabetes and Endocrine Cell Tumors. To achieve this goal, we develop (1) new animal disease models  to better understand disease pathogenesis (biologists), (2) innovative screening/discovery  platforms to identify potential therapeutic targets and lead compounds (biologists/biochemists) and  (3) synthesize new chemical entities with desired activities for therapeutic application (medicinal chemists). Hence, typical projects in the lab are interdisciplinary and collaborative where the work of biologists is supported by the power of synthetic chemistry . A major current theme in the lab is addressing the challenge   of cell-targeted drug delivery, i.e. how can we develop a medicine that only acts on the cell type of interest and apply this to (a) a regenerative therapy for diabetes and (b) the treatment of cancer.   If you're excited about disease modeling and/or drug discovery (in diabetes and cancer) my lab might be a good match for you.

The goals of the Sonnenburg Lab research program are to (i) elucidate the basic mechanisms that underlie dynamics within the gut microbiota and (ii) devise and implement strategies to prevent and treat disease in humans via the gut microbiota. We investigate the principles that govern gut microbial community function and interaction with the host using experimental systems ranging from gnotobiotic mice to humans. We pursue molecular mechanisms of host-microbial interaction using an array of technologies including gnotobiotic and conventional mouse models, quantitative imaging, molecular genetics and synthetic biology, and a metabolomics pipeline focused on defining microbiota-dependent metabolites. The synergy of these diverse techniques provides insight into the dynamics of a microbial ecosystem in response to cues ranging from nutrition to pathogen-induced inflammation. Studies of microbiomes diverse human cohorts, ranging from indigenous populations in Africa, Asia, and South America to dietary intervention trials in cohorts of US residents, have provided great insight into microbiome dynamics and fuel a pipeline of reverse translational studies.

How are nutrients recognized by their protein sensors? How is their transport across cellular and intracellular membranes regulated? And, how is nutrient sensing integrated with other chemical signals, such as hormones, to determine cellular decisions, especially the decision: to grow or not to grow?

We are a team of structural and chemical biologists aiming to answer these fundamental questions at the level of ångstroms, nanometers, and micrometers. Many proteins in these pathways are deregulated in cancer, and our mission is to first reveal the mechanism of action of these proteins, and then use that knowledge to develop targeted chemical probes to modulate their activity in cells and organisms.

Our lab is friendly to trainees from all walks of life, and we cherish trust, inclusiveness and intellectual curiosity, where no question is too big to study, as long as we have the right approach and a unique angle. Most importantly, our lab operates with a growth mindset for all of our trainees, and we put a heavy emphasis on training and skills development — across a wide range of experimental and computational techniques. And through collaboration, strong work ethic, seeking feedback, and trying out new strategies, we drive innovation and novel discoveries for our team.

If this is something you might be interested in, please contact Kacper directly. We are always on the lookout for driven postdocs! Especially, we want cell biologists and biochemists to join our team and to contribute your unique skillsets to a number of collaborative projects.

My research utilizes multimodal imaging (fMRI, dMRI, qMRI), computational modeling, and behavioral measurements to investigate human visual cortex. We seek to understand how the underlying neural mechanisms and their anatomical implementation enable rapid and efficient visual perception and recognition. Critically, we examine how the human brain and visual perception change across development to understand how the interplay between anatomical constraints and experience shapes visual cortex and ultimately behavior.

We strive to create a lab that reflects the diversity of our global community and is actively involved in solving scientific and societal problems that affect all of us. I am also involved in the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute and the Ophthalmology T32 training grant.