Skip to content Skip to navigation

PRISM Mentors

Return to PRISM page

PRISM supports all faculty in recruiting postdocs. The faculty listed on this page have expressed special interest in the PRISM program and may be actively recruiting. This is one of many ways to identify potential postdoc mentors; also review the guidance and links in the PRISM Application Guide for other ways to explore Stanford faculty. As you look for potential postdoc mentors, consider how faculty research interests align with your own.

 

PRISM Faculty Opt-In   Displaying 401 - 450 of 546
PRISM mentor Research Interests

Alison Marsden

Pediatrics, Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Cardiovascular Med Institute
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 09, 2020

The Cardiovascular Biomechanics Computation Lab  develops fundamental computational methods for the study of cardiovascular disease progression, surgical methods, treatment planning and medical devices.  We focus on patient-specific modeling in pediatric and congenital heart disease, as well as adult cardiovascular disease.  Our lab bridges engineering and medicine through the departments of Pediatrics, Bioengineering, and the Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering. We develop the SimVascular open source project.

  • Mechanisms in Innovation in Vascular Disease
  • Multi-Disciplinary Training Program in Cardiovascular Imaging at Stanford

Sushma Reddy

Pediatrics, Ped: Cardiology, Cardiovascular Med Institute
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: September 05, 2023

My laboratory's overall goal is to (i) understand the mechanisms of right heart failure in children and adults with congenital heart disease and (ii) to develop biomarkers as a plasma signature of myocardial events to better understand the mechanisms of heart failure, improve monitoring of disease progression, early detection of heart failure and risk-stratification.

We have focused on tetralogy of Fallot population and single ventricle heart disease. As the survival continues to improve, so also has the incidence of heart failure. However, the underlying cellular mechanisms of heart failure are poorly understood as a result of which no targeted therapy is available. Since it is not possible to obtain heart muscle biopsies routinely on patients, we have taken a novel strategy of using Multi-Omics to better understand disease mechanisms and to follow patients over time comparing their Omics signature to themselves thereby personalizing their care. The goal is to create a targeted biomarker panel for clinical utility to be used in conjunction with imaging data to improve overall prediction of risk. Based on our work to date, we are also interested in understanding myocardial mitochondrial and vascular dysfunction as these have the potential to serve as novel therapeutic targets.

Lab website is in creation. Link will be updated when it is ready.

 

  • Training in Myocardial Biology at Stanford (TIMBS)

Thomas Robinson

Ped: General Pediatrics, Med: Prevention Research Cntr, Epidemiology and Population Health, Cardiovascular Med Institute, Stanford Cancer Center, Woods Institute, HumanCentered Artificial Inte
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 27, 2023

Stanford Solutions Science Lab.

The Stanford Solutions Science Lab designs solutions to improve health and well-being of children, families, and the planet.  Dr. Robinson originated the solution-oriented research paradigm. 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. His research is largely experimental, conducting rigorous school-, family- and community-based randomized controlled trials. He studies obesity and disordered eating, nutrition, physical activity/inactivity and sedentary behavior, the effects of television and other screen time, adolescent smoking, aggressive behavior, consumerism, and behaviors to promote environmental sustainability. Rich longitudinal datasets of physical, physiological, psychological, behavioral, social, behavioral, and multi-omics measures are available from our many community-based obesity prevention and treatment trials in low-income and racial/ethnic minority populations of children and adolescents and their parents.

Stanford Screenomics Lab - Human Screenome Project.

People increasingly live their lives through smartphones. Our Stanford Screenomics app captures everything that people see and do on their smartphone screens – a record of digital life – by taking a screenshot every 5 seconds. The resulting sequence of screenshots, make up an individual’s screenome, an unique and dynamic sequence of exposures, thoughts, feelings, and actions. To date, we have collected more than 350 million screenshots from 6-12 months of phone use from national samples of about 500 hundred adults and adolescents and their parents. Opportunities available to study the screenome to understand digital media use and its impacts on health and behavior,  develop novel diagnostics and prognostics from the screenome, and deliver precision interventions to improve health and well being. An opportunity to help build this paradigm-disrupting new science.

Joseph Wu

Cardiovascular Med Institute
Professor, Director
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

Our lab works on biological mechanisms of patient-specific and disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The main goals are to (i) understand basic cardiovascular disease mechanisms, (ii) accelerate drug discovery and screening, (iii) develop “clinical trial in a dish” concept, and (iv) implement precision cardiovascular medicine for prevention and treatment of patients. Our lab uses a combination of genomics, stem cells, cellular & molecular biology, physiological testing, and molecular imaging technologies to better understand molecular and pathophysiological processes.

Joseph Wu

Cardiovascular Med Institute
Professor & Director, Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 12, 2022

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.

  • Mechanisms in Innovation in Vascular Disease
  • Multi-Disciplinary Training Program in Cardiovascular Imaging at Stanford
  • Training in Myocardial Biology at Stanford (TIMBS)

Sean Wu

Cardiovascular Med Institute, Med: Cardiovascular Medicine
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 12, 2020

My laboratory seeks to identify mechanisms responsible for human congenital heart disease, the most common cause of still-births in the U.S. and one of the major contributors to morbidity and mortality in infants and toddlers. We believe that by understanding the mechanisms regulating growth and differentiation of heart precursor stem/progenitor cells during early embryonic development we can then apply these principles to understand the pathogenesis heart malformation during fetal development and to leverage them for treating adult onset heart diseases such as heart failure and arrhythmia. We currently use both genetically-modified mice as our in vivo model to understand the biology of heart development as well as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as a in vitro model to study the process of heart cell formation. Our major areas of interests include cardiovascular developmental biology, disease modeling, tissue engineering, and regenerative biology. Within each of these areas we are particularly focused on understand the major genes that regulate the proper formation of heart chambers and the consequesnces of disrupting the normal expression of these genes and how that may lead to the development of congenital heart diseases. While mouse models are useful for studying the process of heart formation, they are not exactly like the human hearts in various ways. Since human heart fetal tissue are diffulty to obtain, we have chosen to use iPSCs derived from patients with particular congenital heart diseases to study steps involved in human heart malformation. Furthermore, to bring our work closer to treating heart disease patients, we have combined our expertise in stem cell biology with 3D biopring to make engineered functional heart tissue for screening drugs and to serve as replacement tissues for damaged heart muscles.

 

  • Mechanisms in Innovation in Vascular Disease
  • Other

Han Zhu

Med: Cardiovascular Medicine, Cardiovascular Med Institute
Clinical Instructor (2023: Assistant Professor), Director, Stanford Translational Cardio-Oncology
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: February 13, 2023

Our lab is dedicated to discovering the underpinnings of immune-related diseases in the heart. Many cancer drugs may cause immune-related toxicity in the heart, including severe myocarditis, making it difficult for patients with cancer to get the life-saving treatments they need. We have previously discovered that several key types of immune cells may be involved in potentiating disease. We are currently performing experiments to pin down the underlying mechanisms of how immune cells may cause various inflammatory heart diseases. We use a combination of precision medicine-oriented techniques including single-cell RNA-seq, TCR-seq, and CyTOF as well as classical molecular biology, cell modeling and animal modeling to answer mechanistic questions about the pathogenesis of cardiac inflammatory diseases, with the goals of discovering therapeutic targets which can be brought to the patient bedside. 

 

 

  • Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Training Program

Dean Felsher

Med: Oncology
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 12, 2022

I am a Professor of Medicine-Oncology and Pathology and the Director of TRAM, ARTS and CTNT Programs.

My laboratory studies how oncogenes such as MYC initiate and maintain cancer.  In partic ular we have shown that shutting down oncogenes even for a brief time can revese cancer or elicit "Oncogene Addiction"  For a recent review of our work please see:

The MYC oncogene - the grand orchestrator of cancer growth and immune evasion Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, 2022

Members of my laboratory are studying basic mechanisms of Oncogene Addiction, the role of Self-renewal/Stemness, Metabolism, Host Immune System, Protein 
Biogenesis, Microbiome, Extracellular Vesicles.  

We are developing novel therapuetics using small molecules, nanoparticles, proteins/peptides that can be used to target oncogenes and/or restore the immune response against cancer.

We are developing new diagnostic and imaging agents using PET, Mass Spec, Nanoproteomics, MIcrofluidics.

For recent examples of our work please see: Casey et al, Science, 2016; Gouw et al, Cell Metabolism, 2019; Dhanasekaran et al eLife, 2020; Swaminathan et al, Nat Comm 2020.

 

  • Cancer-Translational Nanotechnology Training Program (Cancer-TNT)
  • Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology
  • Stanford Cancer Imaging Training (SCIT) Program
  • Stanford Molecular Imaging Scholars (SMIS)
  • Training in Pediatric Nonmalignant Hematology and Stem Cell Biology

James Ford

Med: Oncology
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

The focus of our research is understanding the role of genetic changes in cancer genes in the risk and development of common cancers and on manipulating DNA repair mechanisms for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Solid tumors often exhibit high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in oxidative damage and the generation of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), a common source of mutations and DNA damage in the cell. ROS can be generated by multiple mechanisms including activating RAS mutations, exposure to chemical carcinogens and ionizing reagents, or as a by-product of metabolic processes in the cell.  ROS likely impacts the initiation of BRCA-mutated triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) through the accumulation of mutations in the cell.  Up-regulating base excision repair (BER) pathways is a potentially viable approach to inhibiting tumorigenesis in BRCA-mutated individuals by reducing mutagenesis. We have identified small-molecule activators of BER and are exploring their mechanism of action and activity in cells and tumorogenesis models in mice. We are seeking a Postdoctoral scholar to work in this area who is
well-versed in tissue culture, cellular assays, and molecular biology techniques. Experience and a willingness to work with mice is preferred.

Haruka Itakura

Med: Oncology
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

The Itakura Lab has an immediate opening for a creative and motivated postdoctoral scholar to conduct applied research in the areas of machine learning and pattern/feature detection with a focus on either computer vision/image or genomic/molecular data processing and analysis. The lab focuses on implementing machine learning frameworks and radiogenomic approaches on heterogeneous, multi-scale cancer data (e.g., clinical, imaging, histopathologic, genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic) to accelerate discoveries in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Projects include prediction modeling of survival and treatment responses, biomarker (feature) discovery, cancer subtype discovery, and identification of new therapeutic targets. Guided by critical and relevant problems in oncology, these projects have the potential to lead to clinically actionable or translatable findings.


The successful candidate will join the Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology and work. The job description:

 

  • Build and implement algorithms in machine learning applied to either imaging data (computer vision) or genomic/molecular data (computational biology)
  • Develop software tools for integrative analysis of heterogeneous, multi-omic cancer data using machine learning
  • Publish and present research findings in journals and conferences


Required Qualifications:

 

  • PhD (or MD/PhD) in Computer Science, Engineering, Informatics, Statistics, Applied Physics, or a related field with strong skills in data mining, machine learning, or statistics
  • Experience in modeling, integrative analyses, parallel computing, and/or software development desirable
  • Biomedical knowledge or research experience is not a requisite
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently, problem-solve, author manuscripts, strive for innovation, and be highly self-motivated
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team

Ronald Levy

Med: Oncology
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: June 23, 2022

We work on cancer and the immune system.

We make new monoclonal antibodies and vaccines against cancer

We to animal models of cancer immunotherapy

We conduct clinical trials in patients

We study biopsy samples from trial patients and analyze them by high dimensional single cell analysis techniques

  • Program in Translational and Experimental Hematology
  • Training Program in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Rajat Rohatgi

Biochemistry, Med: Oncology
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 12, 2022

The overall goal of our laboratory is to uncover new regulatory mechanisms in signaling systems, to understand how these mechanisms are damaged in disease states and how to devise new new strategies to repair their function.  Specific areas are highlighted below:

1. The Hedgehog and WNT pathways, two cell-cell communication systems that regulate the formation of most tissues during development. These same pathways play central roles in tissue stem-cell function and organ regeneration in adults. Defects in these systems are associated with degenerative conditions and cancer.

2. Signal transduction at the primary cilium and the mechanism of cilia-associated human diseases. Primary cilia are solitary hair-like projections found on most cells in our bodies that function as critical hubs for signal transduction pathways (such as Hedgehog). Over fifty human genetic diseases, called “ciliopathies,” are caused by defects in cilia. Patients with ciliopathies can show phenotypes in nearly all organ systems, suffering from abnormalities ranging from birth defects to obesity.

3. Regulation of signaling pathways by endogenous lipids. The landscape of endogenous small-molecules and their biological functions remains a terra incognita, one that provides many opportunities to discover new regulatory layers in signaling pathways and other membrane dependent processes.

4. Biomolecular condensates in cancer and cancer therapeutics. The formation of reversible, membrane-less compartments in cells by the segregation of proteins into liquid phases, hydrogels or amyloid-like assemblies is an emerging principle of cellular organization. Emerging evidence shows that some cytotoxic drugs used in oncology can accumulate in and disrupt the biophysical properties of these condensates. A future challenge is to develop strategies to target such membraneless compartments (such as the nucleolus) for effective and safe cancer therapies.

5. Cellular adaptation to extreme tissue environments. Many cells in our bodies can be considered “extremophiles,” charged with maintaining homeostasis in the face of an environment containing markedly non-physiological concentrations of ions, small molecules and toxins. For instance, cells in the kidney medulla face tissue concentrations of ions, urea and other small molecules that are several-fold higher than blood.

Rajat Rohatgi

Biochemistry, Med: Oncology
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 14, 2022

A central focus of our laboratory is to uncover new regulatory mechanisms in cell-cell communication system, understand how these mechanisms are damaged in disease states and devise strategies to repair their function. We are actively recruiting post-doctoral fellows to join projects in the following areas:
--Signaling pathways implicated in birth defects, cancer and regeneration.
--Regulation of signaling and development by primary cilia.
--Genetic and biochemical dissection of lipid pathways that regulate signaling, development and cancer.
--The role of biomolecular condensates in cancer and cancer therapeutics.
We strive to provide a supportive, inclusive, organized and collaborative lab environment that maximizes the ability to tackle important biomedical problems. Career development is a priority. Nearly all prior lab members have obtained multiple publications and top-level competitive positions in academics or in the biotech industry.


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

Rajat Rohatgi

Biochemistry, Med: Oncology
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 14, 2022

Our lab uses cellular, biochemical, and genetic approaches to understand the mechanism by which developmental signaling pathways, such as the WNT and Hedgehog pathways, function and how they are damaged in disease states. We use a broad range of approaches in our work: genome-wide CRISPR screens, proteomics, imaging, and both protein and lipid biochemistry.

Andrew Gentles

Biomedical Data Sciences, Biomedical Informatics, Stanford Cancer Center, Neuroscience Institute
Assistant professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 12, 2022

Our research focus is in computational systems biology, primarily in cancer and more recently in neurodegenerative diseases.  We develop and apply methods to understand biological processes underlying disease, using high-throughput genomic and proteomic datasets and integrating them with phenotypes and clinical outcomes. A key interest is dissecting how the cellular composition and organization of tissues affects their behaviour in disease; and how these things might be targeted for therapy or diagnostic purposes. We collaborate with many wet lab and clinical groups at Stanford, including in the areas of cancer, immunology, and neuroscience.

Olivier Gevaert

Biomedical Informatics, Biomedical Data Sciences
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 18, 2022

Vast amounts of molecular data characterizing the genome, epi-genome and transcriptome are becoming available for a wide range of complex disease such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, new computational tools for quantitatively analyzing medical and pathological images are creating new types of phenotypic data.  Now we have the opportunity to integrate the data at molecular, cellular and tissue scale to create a more comprehensive view of key biological processes underlying complex diseases. Moreover, this integration can have profound contributions toward predicting diagnosis and treatment. The Gevaert lab focuses on achieving progress in multi-scale modeling by tackling challenges in biomedical multi-scale data fusion. Applications are in the area of complex diseases with most projects in the lab focused on oncology, and possible new directions studying neuro-degenerative & cardiovascular diseases.

Olivier Gevaert

Biomedical Informatics, Biomedical Data Sciences
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

Multi-omics, multi-modal, multi-scale data fusion in complex diseases using machine learning

Aaron Newman

Biomedical Data Sciences, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: June 02, 2022

Our group combines computational and experimental techniques to study the cellular organization of complex tissues, with a focus on determining the phenotypic diversity and clinical significance of tumor cell subsets. We have a particular interest in developing innovative data science tools that illuminate the cellular hierarchies and stromal elements that underlie tumor initiation, progression, and response to therapy. As part of this focus, we develop new algorithms to resolve cellular states and multicellular communities, tumor developmental hierarchies, and single-cell spatial relationships from genomic profiles of clinical biospecimens. Key results are further explored experimentally, both in our lab and through collaboration, with the goal of translating promising findings into the clinic.

As a member of the Department of Biomedical Data Science and the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and as an affiliate of graduate programs in Biomedical Informatics, Cancer Biology, and Immunology, we are also interested in the development of impactful biomedical data science tools in areas beyond our immediate research focus, including developmental biology, regenerative medicine, and systems immunology.

Daniel Rubin

Biomedical Data Sciences, Radiology, Biomedical Informatics
Professor of Biomedical Data Science, Radiology, and Medicine
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 17, 2020

The QIAI lab focuses on cutting‐edge research at the intersection of imaging science and biomedical informatics, developing and applying AI methods to large amounts of medical data for biomedical discovery, precision medicine, and precision health (early detection and prediction of future disease). The lab develops novel methods in text and image analysis and AI, including multi-modal and multi-task learning, weak supervision, knowledge representation, natural language processing, and decision theory to tackle the challenges of leveraging medical Big Data. Our exciting work is bridging a spectrum of biomedical domains with multidisciplinary collaborations with top scientists at Stanford as well as with other institutions internationally. The QIAI lab provides a unique multidisciplinary environment for conducing innovative AI-based healthcare research with a strong record of scholarly publication and achievement. Core research topics in the laboratory include: (1) automated image annotation using unsupervised methods of processing associated radiology reports using word embeddings and related methods; (2) developing methods of analyzing longitudinal EMR data to predict clinical outcomes and best treatments, (3) creating multi-modal deep learning models integrating multi-dimensional EMR and other data to discover electronic phenotypes of disease, (4) developing AI models with noisy or sparse labels (weak supervision), and cross-modal, multi-task learning, and observational AI approaches, and (5) developing and implementing algorithms for distributed computation for training deep learning models that leverage multi-institutional data while avoiding the barriers to data sharing.

  • Stanford Cancer Imaging Training (SCIT) Program

Julia Salzman

Biochemistry, Biomedical Data Sciences
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

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

Nigam Shah

Biomedical Informatics, Biomedical Data Sciences
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

We analyze multiple types of health data (EHR, Claims, Wearables, Weblogs, and Patient blogs), to answer clinical questions, generate insights, and build predictive models for the learning health system. Our group runs the country's only bedside consult service to enable better medical decisions using aggregate EHR and Claims data at the point of care. Our team leads the Stanford Medicine Program for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, which makes predictions that allow taking mitigating actions, and studies the ethical implications of using machine learning in clinical care. We have built models for predicting future increases in cost, identifying slow healing wounds, missed diagnoses of depression and for improving palliative care.

  • Mechanisms in Innovation in Vascular Disease
  • Training Program in Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology

Vinicio de Jesus Perez

Pulmonary & Critical Care Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

Several studies have now shown the importance of Wnt signaling for heart tissue repair in the left ventricle, but fewer studies have been done to understand Wnt’s role in right ventricle hypertrophy. The remodeling of the right ventricle during pulmonary hypertension leads to changes and impairment in the vasculature, cardiomyocyte dysfunction and fibrosis.  Our lab has shown the importance of Wnt signaling in pulmonary angiogenesis and we hypothesize that Wnt expression in the cardiac cells is critical to improve their response to the pressure load and with this, prevent heart failure. Using cardiac muscle cells and endothelial cells derived from healthy and idiopathic PH patients; we are screening and comparing the expression of several Wnts between the two groups in order to find Wnt candidates for our study. We aim to find a Wnt-associated gain of function in heart cells after injury during PH

Mildred Cho

Center for Biomedical Ethics
Associate Director
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: February 01, 2022

Stanford Training Program in Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Research

  • Co-Principal Investigators and Program Co-Directors:  Mildred Cho, PhD, Holly Tabor, PhD
  • Funding source: NIH National Human Genome Research Institute
  • Appointment:  One year, renewable for up to three years
  • Qualifications: The NIH requires that candidates must have a PhD or MD (JD or Master’s degree only not accepted) prior to starting the fellowship, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to be eligible for funding.  We are seeking candidates with a background in social science, ethics, philosophy, history, health services research, public policy or other related disciplines.

Job description: 

The postdoctoral fellow will conduct independent research on ethical, legal and social considerations arising from genetics and genomics.  The fellow will be part of an interdisciplinary community including faculty and fellows from this program and other affiliated programs. Fellows are expected to gain practical experience in professional activities through programs such as the Stanford Benchside Ethics Consultation Service, a research ethics consultation program to assist life sciences researchers in the resolution of ethical concerns in their research, one of the Stanford-affiliated clinical ethics consultation services, and/or teaching.

In addition to participating in SCBE and CIRGE activities, fellows will have access to a full range of courses at Stanford University, which includes genetics, social science, humanities and law courses.  It is expected that the fellow may need formal coursework in genetics, ethics, or ELSI research methods.  Mentors will assist the fellow in formulating an individualized curriculum and career strategies.  All trainees will be expected to present their research in scholarly venues.  Fellowship support includes a stipend, tuition, and health insurance. Funds will be provided by the fellowship for each fellow to travel to one meeting per year.

For more information, please see our website

  • The Stanford Training Program in ELSI Research

David Magnus

Center for Biomedical Ethics, Med: Primary Care and Population Health
Director, Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: November 11, 2021

The Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics (SCBE) is an interdisciplinary hub for faculty who do research, teaching, and service on topics in bioethics and medical humanities. SCBE researchers have pioneered new approaches to studying the ethical issues presented by new technologies in biomedicine, including Artificial Intelligence, CRISPR and Gene Therapy, Stem Cell Research, Synthetic Biology, and the Human Brain Initiative. To benefit patients, SCBE has undertaken novel, ground-breaking research to improve clinical care, including end of life care, communication between patients and physicians, care for disabled patients, and organ transplantation processes. SCBE offers postdoctoral fellowships in Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Research and Clinical Ethics. We currently have an opening for a postdoctoral fellow in Clinical Ethics. View more information here. 

Ravi Majeti

Med: Hematology, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med, Stanford Cancer Center
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 16, 2020

The Majeti lab focuses on the molecular/genomic characterization and therapeutic targeting of leukemia stem cells in human hematologic malignancies, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In parallel, the lab also investigates normal human hematopoiesis and hematopoietic stem cells. Our lab uses experimental hematology methods, stem cell assays, genome editing, and bioinformatics to define and investigate drivers of leukemia stem cell behavior. As part of these studies, we have led the development and application of robust xenotransplantation assays for both normal and malignant human hematopoietic cells. A major focus of the lab is the investigation of pre-leukemic hematopoietic stem cells in human AML.

  • Cancer Etiology, Prevention, Detection and Diagnosis
  • Program in Translational and Experimental Hematology
  • Training in Pediatric Nonmalignant Hematology and Stem Cell Biology
  • Training Program in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Catherine Blish

Med: Infectious Diseases
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: November 11, 2021

My lab is focused on understanding host-pathogen interactions with a particular focus on innate immune responses. We apply omics approaches to dissect these interactions, performing in vivo profiling and building in vitro systems to define host-pathogen interactions. We have a particular passion for understanding the mechanisms by which NK cells recognize and respond to pathogens. We currently have projects evaluating immunity to SARS-CoV-2, HIV, influenza, and tuberculosis.

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

  • Applied Genomics in Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology

Shirit Einav

Microbiology and Immunology, Med: Infectious Diseases
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 12, 2022

Our basic research program focuses on understanding the roles of virus-host interactions in viral infection and disease pathogenesis via both molecular and systems virology/immunology single cell approaches. This program is combined with translational efforts to apply this knowledge for the development of broad-spectrum host-centered antiviral approaches to combat emerging viral infections, including dengue, encephalitic alphaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola, and means to predict disease progression.

Our studies focus on the following emerging concepts that are transforming our understanding of virus-host interactions:

1. Understanding the pathogenesis of flaviviral infections via an integrative systems immunology single cell approach. The goal of this project is to elucidate the cellular and molecular factors contributing to increased severity of dengue and Zika disease in distinct patient populations (children, adults, pregnant women). To achieve this goal, we are advancing and utilizing various single-cell immunological approaches (virus-inclusive single cell RNA-seq, CyTOF etc) and samples from our large Colombia dengue cohort (>500 patients) and Zika cohort. We are mapping an atlas of viral immune cellular targets and studying critical protective and pathogenic elements of the host response to these viruses in multiple distinct infected and bystander cell subtypes with an unprecedented resolution. The translational goals of this project are to identify candidate biomarkers associated with infection outcome and candidate targets for antiviral therapy, as well as improve vaccine strategies.

2. Deciphering the intracellular membrane trafficking pathways essential for viral pathogens. We have used proteomic and genetic approaches to identify proteins that are critical for the replication of multiple globally relevant RNA viruses including dengue virus, Zika virus, encephalitis alphaviruses, SARS-CoV-2, hepatitis C virus, and Ebola virus. We are studying the molecular mechanisms by which these viruses hijack intracellular membrane trafficking pathways for mediating key steps in their viral life cycle and are characterizing the roles these factors play in cellular biology using viruses as complexed probes. Ongoing work focuses on the roles of cellular kinases and adaptor protein complexes in viral trafficking during viral entry, assembly, release, and direct cell-to-cell spread, the role of the ESCRT machinery in intracellular viral budding, and the roles of ubiquitin signaling pathways in the regulation of trafficking during viral assembly and release.

3. Advancing the development of small molecules targeting host functions as broad-spectrum antivirals. Most direct antiviral strategies targeting viral enzymes provide a “one drug, one bug” approach and are associated with the emergence of viral resistance. We have discovered several host functions exploited by multiple viruses as targets for broad-spectrum antivirals. We have demonstrated the utility of a repurposed approach that inhibits these factors in suppressing replication of multiple RNA viruses both in vitro and in mouse models and are advancing this approach into the clinic and studying its mechanism of action. In parallel, we are developing chemically distinct small molecules targeting various cellular functions as pharmacological tools to study cell biology and viral infection and as broad-spectrum antivirals to combat SARS-CoV-2, dengue virus, encephalitic alphaviruses and Ebola virus.

  • Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Stephen Luby

Med: Infectious Diseases
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 09, 2021

Dr. Luby’s research group is engaged in several efforts to generate knowledge that will alter the way that bricks are manufactured across South Asia so that they generate less air pollution, less climate change and tens of thousands fewer deaths per year. This involves: 1) evaluating interventions to improve combustion efficiency within brick kilns and so simultaneously reduce coal costs for producers while generating less pollution 2) using remote sensing to specify the location of brick kilns and ultimately evaluate their emissions.

Another strand of his work looks at the release of lead into the environment in low and middle income countries, seeks to identify the sources of lead that is generating the greatest public health burden and develops and evaluates interventions to reduce this burden.

His research group also explores practical interventions to reduce infectious disease transmission in low and middle income countries. These activities include efforts to maximize the uptake of masks, water treatment and vaccines with careful evaluation of the impact of these interventions. His research group explores strategies to reduce the risk of pathogen transmission in healthcare facilities in lower income countries.

  • Applied Genomics in Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Julie Parsonnet

Med: Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Population Health
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 27, 2023

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

  • Applied Genomics in Infectious Diseases
  • Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
  • Training grant in academic gastroenterology

Julie Parsonnet

Med: Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology and Population Health
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 27, 2022

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.
  • Clinical Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

David Relman

Med: Infectious Diseases
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 14, 2022

The primary research focus of the Relman Lab is the human indigenous microbiota (microbiome), and in particular, the nature and mechanisms of variation in patterns of microbial diversity within the human body as a function of time (microbial succession), space (biogeography within the host landscape), and in response to perturbation, e.g., antibiotics (community robustness and resilience). One of the goals of this work is to define the role of the human microbiome in health and disease. We are particularly interested in measuring and understanding resilience in the human microbial ecosystem. Our work includes the human oral cavity, gut, and female reproductive tract, as well as an analysis of microbial diversity in marine mammals. This research integrates theory and methods from ecology, population biology, environmental microbiology, genomics and clinical medicine.

  • Applied Genomics in Infectious Diseases

Upi Singh

Med: Infectious Diseases
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

Singh lab - basic and translational science for parasitic amebic pathogens including gene expression, developmental control and identification of new drug regimens.

  • Applied Genomics in Infectious Diseases

Andrew Mannix

Materials Sci & Engineering, Geballe Lab for Adv Mat
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

Building synthetic solids with atomic precision from layered sheets and other nanomaterials. Scanning probe characterization of atomic-scale electronic and opto-electronic phenomena. 2D materials and thin film growth.

Eric Darve

Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 15, 2023

Alison Marsden

Pediatrics, Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering, Cardiovascular Med Institute
Associate Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 09, 2020

The Cardiovascular Biomechanics Computation Lab  develops fundamental computational methods for the study of cardiovascular disease progression, surgical methods, treatment planning and medical devices.  We focus on patient-specific modeling in pediatric and congenital heart disease, as well as adult cardiovascular disease.  Our lab bridges engineering and medicine through the departments of Pediatrics, Bioengineering, and the Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering. We develop the SimVascular open source project.

  • Mechanisms in Innovation in Vascular Disease
  • Multi-Disciplinary Training Program in Cardiovascular Imaging at Stanford

Sheri Krams

Immunity Transplant Infection
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 12, 2020

Current Research Projects

 

• Pediatric Research Immune Network on SARS-CoV-2 and MIS-C (PRISM)
• Work with our team to consent subjects, obtain and process samples for immune assays to determine the immune responses in children with COVID.

• Identification and Therapeutic Targeting of a Novel Cell Population in Rejection of Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation
• Work with our microsurgeon to establish the cell populations, using CyTOF, important in the initiation of T cell‒mediated rejection of vascularized composite allotransplantation.

• Exosomes as a Reliable Noninvasive Method for Monitoring VCA Graft Rejection
• Work with our microsurgeon to assess the importance of exosomes and their cargo in graft rejection in a novel experimental model of vascularized composite allotransplantation

• Exosomes and the Immune Response in Allograft Outcomes in Pediatric Transplant
Recipients
• Work with a senior postdoctoral fellow to determine the impact of an allograft on the early post-transplant immune response.

  • Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology

Sheri Krams

Immunity Transplant Infection, Surg: Transplantation Surgery
Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: June 23, 2022

Our research focuses on the control of immune responses to alloantigen and viruses (EBV, SARS-CoV-2) using both experimental models and human immunology. Current studies ongoing in the lab are:

Insight into Development and Progression of Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome and  COVID in Children.
Exosomes and microRNAs in the regulation of  Immune Responses
NK Cell Diversity and Responses to viral and allo antigens
Novel T regulatory populations

Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology/CyTOF/bioinformatics

  • Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology

Olivia Martinez

Immunity Transplant Infection
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 15, 2023

My laboratory investigates the immune response to viruses and allogeneic tissues. We are interested in characterizing the human immune response to EBV, CMV, and SARS-CoV-2 to distinguish features that are associated with control of the virus or result in pathologies including COVID-19, MIS-C, and post-transplant viral disease. Projects that are available include 1) analysis of the diversity of TCR usage in the response to EBV, CMV, and SARS-CoV-2 through the use of next generation sequencing and single cell approaches to evaluate T cell phenotype and function; 2) characterization of the natural killer (NK) cell populations that participate in the response to viruses; 3) determining the role of the viral protein LMP1 in activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and the effect of targeting this pathway in EBV-associated  B cell lymphoma development. 4) identification of novel host gene targets and pathways of oncogenesis utilized by EBV.  Human immunology projects utilize cell lines as well as existing extensive repositories of  human blood and tissue samples. Animal models of transplant immunology and tumor immunology are also established in the lab.

Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology

William Robinson

Med: Immunol and Rheumatology, Immunity Transplant Infection
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 12, 2022

Our lab studies the molecular mechanisms of and develops therapies to treat autoimmune and rheumatic diseases, with a focus on rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus.

The overriding objectives of our laboratory are:

1) To investigate the mechanisms underlying autoimmune diseases.

2) To develop novel diagnostics and therapeutics for autoimmune and rheumatic diseases.

3) To investigate the role of innate immune inflammation in osteoarthritis.

We perform translational research, with the goal of rapidly converting discoveries made at the bench into practical patient care tools and therapies.

 

  • Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology
  • Stanford Training Program in Aging Research
  • Training Program in Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology

Agnieszka Czechowicz

Pediatrics, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: February 01, 2022

The lab's current research is aimed primarily at understanding how hematopoietic stem cells interact with their microenvironment in order to subsequently modulate these interactions to ultimately improve bone marrow transplantation and unlock biological secrets that further enable regenerative medicine broadly. We are primarily focused on studying the cell surface receptors on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and bone marrow stromal cells, and are actively learning how manipulating these can alter cell state and cell fate.  We have also pioneered several antibody-based conditioning methods that are at various stages of clinical development to enable safer stem cell transplantation.

There are many exciting opportunities that stem from this work across a variety of disease states ranging from rare genetic diseases, autoimmune diseases, solid organ transplantation, microbiome and cancer. While we are primarily focused on blood and immune diseases, the expanded potential of this work is much broader and can be applied to other organ systems as well and we are very eager to develop collaborations across disease areas. The Czechowicz lab hopes to further add in the field of translation research.

Goals
We aim to increase our understanding of the basic science principles that govern these cells and then exploit these findings to develop improved therapies for patients
We are particularly focused on pediatric non-malignant bone marrow transplantation with a strong interest in genetic blood/immune diseases and bone marrow failure, but do complementry work on solid tumors with marrow disease, solid organ tolerance induction, autoimmune diseases and gene therapy/gene editing.

  • Program in Translational and Experimental Hematology

Max Diehn

Radiation Oncology, Stanford Cancer Center, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Associate Professor, Vice Chair of Research, Division Chief of Radiation & Cancer Biology
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 28, 2020

The overarching research goal of the Diehn lab is to develop and translate novel diagnostic assays and therapies to improve personalized treatment of cancer patients. We have a major focus on the development and application of liquid biopsy technologies for human cancers, with a particular emphasis on lung cancers and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). We also investigate mechanisms of treatment resistance to radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted agents. Most of our research projects start by identifying an unmet need in the clinical management of cancer patients that we then try to solve via development or application of novel technologies. We use genomics, bioinformatics, stem cell biology, genome editing, mouse genetics, and preclinical cancer models in our work. Discoveries from our group are currently being tested in multiple clinical trials at Stanford and elsewhere in order to translate them into the clinic.

  • Cancer Etiology, Prevention, Detection and Diagnosis
  • Institutional Training Grant in Genome Science
  • Postdoctoral Training in the Radiation Sciences

Margaret Fuller

Developmental Biology, Genetics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: February 27, 2023

We study the genetic and molecular mechanisms that regulate proliferation and differentiation in adult stem cell lineages, using the Drosophila male germ line as a model.  Our current work is focused on the switch from mitosis to meiosis and how the new gene expression program for cell type specific terminal differentiation is turned on.  One emerging surprise is the potential role of alternative processing of nascent mRNAs in setting up the dramatic change in cell state

  • Institutional Training Grant in Genome Science
  • Postgraduate Training Program in Epithelial Biology
  • Other

Natalia Gomez-Ospina

Ped: Genetics, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: November 16, 2020

The main focus of Dr. Gomez-Ospina’s lab is to develop therapies for patients with genetic neurodgenerative diseases. The lab uses genome editing and stem cells to produce definitive treatments for childhood neurodegenerative diseases, many of which are lysosomal storage disorders.

Current projects in the lab include developing autologous transplantation of genome-edited hematopoietic stem cells for Mucopolysaccharidosis type I, Gaucher, Krabbe disease, Frontotemporal Dementia, and Friedreich's ataxia.

Although there is a strong translational focus to the lab, we are also pursuing basic science questions to understand and enhance our therapies including: 1) increasing the efficiency of genome editing tools, 2) understanding microglia turnover in response to conditioning before hematopoietic stem transplant, and 3) stablishing brain-specific conditioning regimens to neurometabolic diseases.

Maria Grazia Roncarolo

Pediatrics, Med: Bone Marrow Transplant, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: July 13, 2022

Roncarolo laboratory is exploring the basic biology and translational applications of human type 1 regulatory cells (Tr1). We are using engineered Tr1, ex vivo Tr1, and alloantigen-specific Tr1 to uncover the molecular frameworks that govern Tr1 identity, differentiation and function. We are also translating Tr1 into the clinic. First, Tr1 can be used as a supportive cell therapy to enhance stem cell engraftment and immune reconstitution after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Alloantigen-specific Tr1, designed to prevent graft-vs-host disease (GvHD) after allogeneic HSCT, are already being tested in a phase I/II clinical trial (NCT03198234). Second, we are investigating the mechanisms of action and clinical potential of the engineered Tr1 called CD4(IL-10) or LV-10, generated by lentiviral transduction of CD4 T cells with IL10 gene. Besides their immunosuppressive and anti-GvHD properties, LV-10 lyse primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and delay myeloid leukemia progression in vivo. We are exploring LV-10 as a novel cell immunotherapy for AML. Finally, we are interested in curing inborn errors of immunity by stem cell transplantation or autologous stem cell gene correction. We are testing a gene editing strategy to correct pathogenic mutations in IL10 and IL10 receptor genes, which cause severe and debilitating VEO-IBD (very early onset inflammatory bowel disease) in infants and young children.

  • Training in Pediatric Nonmalignant Hematology and Stem Cell Biology

Kyle Loh

Developmental Biology, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 18, 2023

How the richly varied cell-types in the human body arise from one embryonic cell is a biological marvel and mystery. We have mapped how human pluripotent stem cells develop into over thirty different human cell-types. This roadmap allowed us to efficiently and rapidly generate human liver, bone, heart and blood vessel progenitors in a Petri dish from pluripotent stem cells. Each of these tissue precursors could regenerate their cognate tissue upon injection into respective mouse models, with relevance to regenerative medicine. In addition to our interests in developmental and stem cell biology, we also harbor an emerging interest in deadly biosafety level 4 viruses, such as Ebola and Nipah viruses.

Ravi Majeti

Med: Hematology, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med, Stanford Cancer Center
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 16, 2020

The Majeti lab focuses on the molecular/genomic characterization and therapeutic targeting of leukemia stem cells in human hematologic malignancies, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In parallel, the lab also investigates normal human hematopoiesis and hematopoietic stem cells. Our lab uses experimental hematology methods, stem cell assays, genome editing, and bioinformatics to define and investigate drivers of leukemia stem cell behavior. As part of these studies, we have led the development and application of robust xenotransplantation assays for both normal and malignant human hematopoietic cells. A major focus of the lab is the investigation of pre-leukemic hematopoietic stem cells in human AML.

  • Cancer Etiology, Prevention, Detection and Diagnosis
  • Program in Translational and Experimental Hematology
  • Training in Pediatric Nonmalignant Hematology and Stem Cell Biology
  • Training Program in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Aaron Newman

Biomedical Data Sciences, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: June 02, 2022

Our group combines computational and experimental techniques to study the cellular organization of complex tissues, with a focus on determining the phenotypic diversity and clinical significance of tumor cell subsets. We have a particular interest in developing innovative data science tools that illuminate the cellular hierarchies and stromal elements that underlie tumor initiation, progression, and response to therapy. As part of this focus, we develop new algorithms to resolve cellular states and multicellular communities, tumor developmental hierarchies, and single-cell spatial relationships from genomic profiles of clinical biospecimens. Key results are further explored experimentally, both in our lab and through collaboration, with the goal of translating promising findings into the clinic.

As a member of the Department of Biomedical Data Science and the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, and as an affiliate of graduate programs in Biomedical Informatics, Cancer Biology, and Immunology, we are also interested in the development of impactful biomedical data science tools in areas beyond our immediate research focus, including developmental biology, regenerative medicine, and systems immunology.

Lucy Erin O'Brien

Molecular & Cellular Phys, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: August 31, 2020

Mature organs respond to the body's changing needs by moving between different 'states' of cellular flux.
The same organ exhibits different kinds of cell flux over time. This is because flux is dynamically tuned to optimize organ function. At homeostasis, cell addition balances loss, giving rise to equilibrium. Upon environmental change, transient disequilibrium promotes physiological growth or shrinkage. When disequilibrium becomes chronic, it leads to pathogenic resizing and disease. We conceptualize these differences as 'organ states' that form a phase space.

What does organ-scale cellular flux look like, and how do these dynamics arise?
We know many molecular signals that impact cellular flux. Yet, we have scarcely begun to discover how these signals alter the 'lifecycle' of individual cells or understand how cells' life cycles integrate to create diverse organ states. For most organs, even basic spatiotemporal features of these cell behaviors remain mysterious.

Our goal is to explain—and ultimately even predict—how large populations of individual cells act to create diverse organ states in response to external change. We believe that the cell dynamics of adult organs can be understood in the granular way that we currently understand embryonic gastrulation. Toward this vision, we build new experimental approaches and conceptual models to decipher how cell life cycles and molecular signaling together create the organ phase space.

The fly gut is our testing ground for probing cell dynamics at the organ-scale…
The adult Drosophila midgut, or fly gut, is a stem-cell based digestive organ. Its relative simplicity (~10,000 cells), extreme genetic tractability, and ease of handling make it ideal for exploring how single-cell behaviors scale to produce whole-organ phenotypes. Because the organ phase space and the cellular life cycle are general features of adult organs, the lessons we learn from the fly gut will provide a general template for organs in other animals, including humans.

…and is a powerful model to study how dynamic cell flux maintains healthy organ form.
The fly gut is also an archetypical example of an epithelial tube, which is both the most primitive organ form and the form of most organs in our own bodies. As our ability to grow human organs in a dish becomes closer to reality, understanding how general principles of epithelial organization operate with the particular dynamics of adult organs becomes crucial for designing better, safer organ therapies. We leverage these well-understood principles of epithelial organization in order to study how the dynamics of cellular flux in the fly gut both reinforce and respond to organ shape.

Albert Wu

Ophthalmology, Stem Cell Bio Regenerative Med
Assistant Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: January 13, 2022

Our translational research laboratory endeavors to bring breakthroughs in stem cell biology and tissue engineering to clinical ophthalmology and reconstructive surgery. Over 6 million people worldwide are afflicted with corneal blindness, usually caused by chemical and thermal burns, ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, microbial infections, or chronic inflammation. These injuries often result in corneal vascularization, conjunctivalization, scarring, and opacification from limbal epithelial stem cell (LSC) deficiency (LSCD), for which there is currently no durable treatment.

The most promising cure for bilateral LSCD is finding an autologous source of limbal epithelial cells for transplantation. Utilizing recent advances in the field of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), our research aims to create a reliable and renewable source of limbal epithelial cells for potential use in treating human eye diseases. These cells will be grown on resorbable biomatrices to generate stable transplantable corneal tissue. These studies will serve as the basis for human clinical trials and make regenerative medicine a reality for those with sight-threatening disease. On a broader level, this experimental approach could serve as a paradigm for the creation of other transplantable tissue for use throughout the body. Stem cell biology has the potential to influence every field of medicine and will revolutionize the way we perform surgery.

Tom Abel

Physics, Kavli Institute
Professor
View in Stanford Profiles


Last Updated: October 18, 2021

Tom's current research focuses on studying the formation and evolution of galaxies with new numerical techniques, however, he enjoys all areas of non-linear physics which can be addressed using supercomputer calculations! His research interests span dark matter dynamics, the physics of collisionless shocks, investigating the role that cosmic rays and magnetic fields play in the formation and evolution of galaxies, modeling the formation of stars and black holes as well as turbulence, and applications of numerical general relativity.

Pages