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.