PRISM Mentors

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

Dr. Michael Zeineh received a B.S. in Biology at Caltech in 1995 and obtained his M.D.-Ph.D. from UCLA in 2003. After internship also at UCLA, he went on to radiology residency and neuroradiology fellowship both at Stanford. He has been faculty in Stanford Neuroradiology since 2010. He spearheads many initiatives in advanced clinical imaging at Stanford, including clinical fMRI and DTI. Simultaneously, he runs a lab with the goal of discovering new imaging abnormalities in neurodegenerative disorders, with a focus on detailed microcircuitry in regions such as the hippocampal formation using advanced, multi-modal in vivo and ex vivo methods, with applications to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and mild traumatic brain injury.

Specific projects:

Ex vivo MRI of iron in Alzheimer’s disease MR-histopathology correlation (both traditional histology and clearing methods) MR-PET of AD 7T MR in AD Analysis of iron-changes in exosomes from AD Multi-modal MRI (DTI, ASL, QSM, rsfMRI) in mild traumatic brain injury 7T MR in Epilepsy Ultra-high resolution 7T MRI X-ray imaging of iron X-ray imaging of myelin and myelin orientation Scattered light imaging Hippocampal microanatomy

Her lab seeks to understand the unique biological mechanisms of human placentation. While the placenta itself is one of the key characteristics for defining mammals, the human placenta is different from most available animal models: it is one of the most invasive placentas, and results in the formation of an organ comprised of cells from both the fetus and the mother. In addition to this fascinating chimerism, fetal cells are deeply involved in the remodeling of the maternal vasculature in order to redirect large volumes of maternal blood to the placenta to support the developing fetus. As such, the investigation of this human organ covers a large array of biological processes, and deals not only with understanding its endocrine function, but the physiologic process of immune tolerance, vascular remodeling, and cellular invasion.

As a physician scientist, Dr. Winn’s ultimate goal is to see this knowledge translate to improved clinical care resulting in healthier mothers and babies. Her lab uses a combination of molecular, cellular, tissue and translational studies in their research.

My health services research lab focuses on how novel risk predictors can be used to guide improvements in patient centered outcomes and healthcare value. I study improvement of healthcare outcomes for vulnerable populations such as frail and older adults and disparities in care for vascular patients. My accumulated research points to frailty as a versatile tool that can guide surgical decision making, inform patient consent and design quality improvement initiatives at the patient and hospital level. My previous work includes the development and validation of the Risk Analysis Index (RAI), a surgical frailty calculator that can be used prospectively with a clinical questionnaire or retrospectively. The RAI is easily applied, and when used in widespread preoperative screening, was associated with reduced mortality. The next step is to incorporate frialty screening into clinical workflow and develop interventions to mitigate postoperative adverse events for these high-risk patients. Using mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) research and implementation science, we are now developing interventions to improve outcomes for this high risk population.

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

The Winn laboratory seeks to understand the unique biological mechanisms of human placentation. Abnormalities in placental development and function account for many obstetric complications. The pregnancy complication of preclampsia is the primary diseease process that the lab studies ,which is a major couase of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. While the placenta itself is one of the key characteristics for defining mammals, placental development is not highly conserved across species and therefore human placental biology is different from most available animal models: it is one of the most invasive placentas, and results in the formation of an organ comprised of cells from both the fetus and the mother. In addition to this fascinating chimerism that requires maternal immune adaptations to avoid rejection of the allograph fetus, placental cells are deeply involved in the remodeling of the maternal vasculature, in order to redirect large volumes of maternal blood to the placenta to support the developing fetus. The molecular and cellular aspects of human placenta invasion are often copted by cancers.  The placenta is also a critical endorcrine organ which orchestrates the many physiologic and metabolic changes that occur in pregnancy. As such, the investigation of this human organ covers a broad array of human biological processes.  The lab is dedicated to undertake, the challenge of shedding understanding into the human placental process of immune tolerance, vascular remodeling,  cellular invasion and endocrine function.   The Winn Lab uses a combination of human samples, in vitro cellular and organoid model systems to dissect the molecular and cellular basis of placental function as well as investigates pregnancy cohort for translational studies to improve prediction, diagnosis and treatment of obstetrical complications.  The ultimate goal of the Winn Lab is to improve pregnancy health for the pregnant person and their offspring and train the next generation of reproductive and perinatal scientists. 

The Stanford Brain Stimulation Lab, directed by Dr. Nolan Williams at Stanford School of Medicine, is looking for postdoctoral researcher candidates for an open postdoctoral position leading clinical trials and driving forward novel therapeutic strategies. The Brain Stimulation Lab (BSL) utilizes novel brain stimulation techniques to probe and modulate the neural networks underlying neuropsychiatric diseases/disorders in an effort to develop new models and novel therapeutics. Our lab is culturally diverse and interdisciplinary, consisting of basic neuroscientists, clinical researchers, data scientists, psychologists, residents, psychiatrists, and neurologists.

Working in our lab will provide you experience in the most cutting-edge research with diverse clinical populations (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, Addiction/Substance Use Disorders and Borderline Personality Disorder), as well as healthy participants. Some of the tools our lab utilizes to answer our research questions include structural and functional MRI, EEG, TMS, and simultaneous EEG/TMS. We are now pushing forward trials involving invasive EEG recordings and deep brain stimulation in psychiatric populations, including depression and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

For more information, visit our website here. Publications can be viewed here.

About the position.

We are currently looking for a postdoctoral researcher with proven experience in clinical trials in psychiatry to take a leading role in trials conducted at the lab, drive forward novel therapeutic strategies, and/or develop novel analytical strategies and methodologies. The candidate will work closely with, and receive guidance from, a faculty member assigned to the trial and will lead a team of clinical research coordinators. The BSL includes dedicated teams for patient recruitment, neuroimaging data collection, data analysis, treatment, and regulatory affairs, which will support the candidate in carrying out their duties. The position is a unique opportunity to further develop a career in clinical/translational neuroscience and psychiatric research.

Requirements:

1. PhD in Neuroscience or related field; or M.D with training in psychiatry. 2. Proven experience or familiarity with clinical trials in psychiatry;  or advanced methodological/analytic background and training 3. Leadership qualities (fosters teamwork, strong communication skills, interest in mentorship of junior lab members). 4. Strong references.

To apply please complete the following application form.

Our lab focuses on experimental, data-driven and theoretical work in turbulent and unsteady flows, as they impact problems in aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, climate and energy. We have particular interests in developing hybrid approaches that exploit power of data, real-time sensing and actuation, modeling and machine learning to create innovative flow states and engineering capabilities.

Giardino Lab: Circuits & Systems Neuroscience

Our research group aims to decipher the neural mechanisms underlying the interactions between psychiatric conditions of addiction, stress, and sleep disturbances. The Giardino Lab uses in vivo physiological tools for neural recording and neuromodulation in genetic mouse models to dissect the neuropeptide basis of extended amygdala circuit function in motivated behaviors with molecular and synaptic resolution. The lab, located in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences' Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine, is currently accepting applicants for postdoctoral researchers.

Research Topics

• Stress & Reward
• Drug Addiction
• Sex Differences
• Wakefulness/Arousal
• Neuropeptide Release & Signaling
• Feeding & Metabolism

 Research Approaches

• Neuromodulation (optogenetics, chemogenetics)
• Neurophysiological recordings (fiber photometry, calcium imaging, EEG/EMG)
• Neurogenetics (CRISPR/Cas9 editing, Cre/loxP recombination, viral gene transfer, mouse genetics) 
• Neuroanatomy (circuit tracing, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, confocal & light sheet microscopy)
• Neuropharmacology (alcohol & drug self-administration, receptor mechanisms)
• Computation (neural circuit modeling, machine learning analysis of behavioral & physiological datasets)
• Behavior and Evolution (rodent model organisms, cross-species comparisons)
• Translation (interdisciplinary and clinical collaborations, treatment development)

Required Qualifications: Ph.D. in neuroscience/ psychology/ biology/ related field (or other doctoral degree with relevant research experience) Excellent publication record (including first-author papers) Enthusiasm for making new discoveries on the neural basis of behavior (stress, addiction, sleep/wake arousal states) Computational expertise / programming skills (strongly encouraged but not required) Commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at Stanford (non-negotiable)

Required Application Materials: Curriculum Vitae Cover letter describing your interest in the position (1-2 brief paragraphs) Contact info for 2+ references (name & email address)

Contact: willgiar at stanford dot edu

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.

We are a computational neuropsychiatry lab dedicated to developing computational methods to better understand brain’s overall dynamical organization in healthy and patient populations. We employ algorithms from a wide range of fields, including Applied Mathematics, Econometrics, Machine Learning, Biophysics, and Network Science.

We have immediate multiple openings for postdoc and research engineer/scientist positions. Please contact Dr. Manish Saggar (saggar@staford.edu), Assistant Professor (Research) of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (Interdisciplinary Brain Science Research), for any questions and for applications.  See here for more details - https://braindynamicslab.github.io/misc/join/  

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.

Our focus is on the basic molecular mechanisms of stem cells and muscle and their application to aging, regenerative medicine, and disease. The Blau lab brings together biologists, bioinformatics experts, and bioengineers who are interested in everything from the basic mechanisms of disease, to technology development, to clinical translation. We capitalize on an interdisciplinary approach to science because 'Where we look and how we look determines what we see’. The laboratory collaborates extensively with other researchers. Our overall objective is to understand and apply biology to improve quality of life.

The research at Stanford's Health Policy Data Science Lab is centered on developing and integrating innovative statistical machine learning approaches to improve human health and health equity. This includes ethical algorithms in health care, risk adjustment, comparative effectiveness research, and health program evaluation.