PRISM Mentors

Our heart transplant research group focuses on clinical and translational research in the field of heart transplantation. Our major projects currently focus on (1) donor heart evaluation and selection for heart transplantation, (2) evidence-based strategies to expand the heart transplant donor pool, (3) incidence, etiology, and mechanisms of primary graft dysfunction, (4) non-invasive biomarkers of acute rejection, (5) drug therapy to prevent and treat cardiac allograft vasculopathy--the leading cause of long-term graft failure after heart transplantation, and (6) developing genomic tools to monitor for early development of post-transplant malignancies. We are funded by the NIH and transplant-related foundations, and our work involves collaborations with other research groups across campus in Oncology, Bioengineering, Infectious Disease, and Biostatistics. 

"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."

The Wang Lab takes an interdisciplinary approach to studying fundamental mechanisms controlling gene expression in mammalian cells. Our work shows how epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, and RNA influence chromatin dynamics to affect gene regulation. OUR LAB IS CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON: How various dynamic epigenetic changes in chromatin structure impact gene expression during stem cell pluripotency/self-renewal, cellular differentiation, and reprogramming; How three-dimensional chromosomal structure and dysregulation contribute to development of diseases such as aging and cancer; and How to create novel genome engineering tools to interrogate the noncoding genome and the epigenome.   The long-term goal of The Wang Lab is to translate our understanding of these complex mechanisms to studies of human diseases.

Amyloidosis, heart failure, transplantation

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. 

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.

Our laboratory studies the mechanisms by which highly complex behaviors are mediated at the neuronal level, mainly focusing on the example of dynamic social interactions and the neural circuits that drive them. From dyadic interactions to group dynamics and collective decision making, the lab seeks a mechanistic understanding for the fundamental building blocks of societies, such as cooperation, empathy, fairness and reciprocity. The computations underlying social interactions are highly distributed across many brain areas. Our lab is interested in which specific areas are involved in a particular function, why such an architecture arises and how activity in multiple networks is coordinated. Our goal is to develop a roadmap of the social brain and use it for guiding restorative treatments for conditions in which social behavior is impaired, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders and Schizophrenia.

The primary goal of the Plasma Dynamics Modeling Laboratory (PDML), directed by Professor Ken Hara, is to develop numerical methods and theoretical models in order to understand the physical phenomena in various plasma discharge and flows. Current applications include electric propulsion (EP) and fundamental plasma physics phenomena including plasma-material interactions, plasma-wave interactions, and plasma-beam interactions.

Professor Gaffney leads a research team focused on femtosecond resolution measurements of chemical dynamics in complex condensed phase systems. This research takes advantage of recent advances in ultrafast x-ray lasers, like the LCLS at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, to directly observe chemical reactions on the natural time and length scales of the chemical bond – femtoseconds and Ångströms. This research focuses on the discovery of design principles for controlling the non-equilibrium dynamics of electronic excited states and using these principles to spark new approaches to light-driven catalysis in chemical synthesis.

This research builds on Professor Gaffney’s extensive experience with ultrafast optical laser science and technology. This work began with time- and angle- resolved two photon photoemission studies of electron solvation and localization at interfaces as a graduate student working with Professor Charles Harris at the University of California at Berkeley and extended to multidimensional vibrational spectroscopy studies of hydrogen bonding and ion solvation dynamics in solution during postdoctoral studies with Professor Michael Fayer at Stanford and as an Assistant Professor. The transition to ultrafast x-ray science began in 2004 at SLAC, where he helped establish the first chemical dynamics research program at SLAC.

Our group at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is leading R&D of machine learning applications for in the area of experimental neutrino physics and a wider community of High Energy Physics.  Modern neutrino experiments employ a big (100 to 10,000 tonnes), high-resolution (~mm/pixel) particle imaging detectors that records meters-long particle trajectories produced from a neutrino interaction. We address fundamental challenges in modeling these detectors, analyzing particle images, and inferring physics from big data using machine learning and advanced computing techniques. Our research has potential to accelerate physics discovery process by orders of magnitude and to maximize physics information extracted from the big, high-recision particle imaging detectors. 

Areas of technical R&D include:

• Development and optimization of end-to-end deep-learning based data analysis chain
• Scaling applications at massively parallel computing infrastructure
• Quantification of uncertainty/confidence-interval for deep-learning models
• Mitigation and quantification of domain shift (e.g. discrepancies between data and simulation)
• Differentiable software for modeling physics and solving the inverse problems

Areas of physics research include:

• Neutrino oscillation analysis and cross-section measurements at the Short Baseline Neutrino program and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment
• Physics of neutrino-nucleus interaction including modeling of many-body interactions inside a large (~40 nucleons) nucleus
• Modeling of detector physics processes using machine learning and differentiable simulation softwares

For details, feel free to contact Kazuhiro Terao.

The Svensson Laboratory is dedicated to the discovery of new fundamental pathways that regulates cellular and organismal metabolism. The main focus is to identify novel functions for new molecules controlling the regulation of glucose and lipid homeostasis using a combination of genomic, proteomic and physiology approaches.

Welcome to the Weinacht Lab, where we study hematopoiesis and immune system development in the context of specific, clinically relevant, genetic defects. A physician scientist with formal training in hematology/oncology/stem cell transplantation and never-ending fascination with the immune system, I have always been captivated by inborn errors in immunity and hematopoiesis. Our team focuses on solving the molecular puzzles that underly rare diseases to shed light on fundamental principles governing hematopoiesis and immune system development. Our goal is to find better therapies for patients. We are a young and dynamic group, driven by excitement for scientific discovery. Our lab is home to a mindset of growth and possibility. Curious? Come check us out...

Despite high rates of initial response to frontline treatment in many human cancers, mortality largely results from relapse or metastasis. Diverse clinical responses are considered to be the result of intratumoral diversity: all cells within a given tumor do not possess the same behavior or response to therapy. Understanding tumor heterogeneity is key to improving outcomes for patients with cancer. Although debate remains as to whether cells with treatment resistance exist as part of the initial tumor at presentation versus develop under the pressure of therapy, many studies suggest it to be the former. Further, this intrinsic heterogeneity observed in primary tissues is not accurately represented or studied through genetic animal models or cell lines and does not lend itself to study of bulk tumor cells. Understanding the intrinsic heterogeneity of tumor populations will improve the ability for clinicians to make prognosis and treatment decisions for patients. This requires using single-cell studies to identify risk-associated individual cell populations across patients.

We apply high-dimensional, single-cell approaches to primary patient samples, primarily in the study of childhood leukemia and solid tumors, to identify treatment resistant cell populations. Further, we are developing newer and more accurate models of clinical risk by utilizing machine learning and neural network modeling of single-cell data in combination with patient level data to learn more about risk of treatment failure and relapse. Finally, by identifying cell populations associated or causative of relapse risk, we interrogate mechanisms of resistance and new therapeutic opportunities. 

The Sakamoto lab studies normal and aberrant blood cell development. Her research team is interested in the pathogenesis of acute and chronic leukemia, including acute myeloid leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia. The overall goal of her research is to understand the signaling pathways that lead to leukemia or bone marrow failure. She is also interested in developing new drugs to treat these diseases. Her group experience works with mammalian cells and mouse models of cancer and bone marrow failure syndromes, such as Diamond Blackfan Anemia. There are opportunities to work with physicians, translational researchers, medicinal chemists, and advisors from drug companies with experience in drug development.

Experiments utilize leukemia cell lines, primary mouse and human hematopoietic cells, and mouse models will be used.   Technologies in the lab include standard biochemical techniques (Western blot analysis, real-time PCR, immunoprecipitations), FACs/sorting, colony assays, lentiviral and retroviral transductions, transplantation experiments, xenograft models and bioluminescence, CyTOF, RNA-seq ,ChIP-seq, small molecule and  shRNA/CRISPR library screening. Knowledge in bioinformatics would be helpful for single cell RNA-seq experiments. The intent of these early translational studies is to develop small molecules or peptides into drugs to treat acute leukemia.  Assays to assess toxicity, metabolism, optimization, and mechanism of action of compounds are performed.

Dr. Sakamoto is committed to diversity and has trained many underrepresented high school, undergraduate, medical, graduate students and postdoctoral/MD fellows. She has served on the American Society of Hematology Minority Medical Student Program and was Chair of the Diversity Special Interest Group. She is currently working with SMASH Rising to recruit underrepresented high school graduates and community college students to Stanford to study clinical, translational, and basic hematology. 

The Davis laboratory is looking for post-doctoral scholars interested in the study of cancer. We use single-cell, high-dimensional approaches in primary patient materials to identify cells associated with poor clinical outcomes. We have a focus on childhood leukemia, neuroblastoma and Ewing sarcoma. Once identified, we can further interrogate mechanisms of resistance in candidate cell populations and develop new approaches for treatment. 

We are looking for motivated and talented computational biologists and cancer biologists with interest in joining our active group. In particular, opportunties for data scientists/computational biologists are available. 

The Poston Lab seeks to understand the biological underpinnings of non-motor symptoms in patients with Lewy Body diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body Dementia. While our primary focus is understanding cognition and dementia, we also study other prominent non-motor symptoms such as psychosis/hallucinations, sleep disruption, orthostatic dysregulation, and others.  A major focus is on the role of co-pathologies, such as Alzheimer's and vascular co-pathologies, and the role of neuro-inflammation, in the development of Lewy Body disease associated non-motor symptoms.  We collect clinical, motor, neuropsychological, biological, genetic, and imaging data on patients and healthy older adults to perform our studies. 

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.

The Poston Lab seeks to understand the biological underpinnings of non-motor symptoms in patients with Lewy Body diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body Dementia. While our primary focus is understanding cognition and dementia, we also study other prominent non-motor symptoms such as psychosis/hallucinations, sleep disruption, orthostatic dysregulation, and others.  A major focus is on the role of co-pathologies, such as Alzheimer's and vascular co-pathologies, and the role of neuro-inflammation, in the development of Lewy Body disease associated non-motor symptoms.  We collect clinical, motor, neuropsychological, biological, genetic, and imaging data on patients and healthy older adults to perform our studies. 

Katherine Whittaker Ferrara is a Professor of Radiology and the Division Chief for the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford. She is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the IEEE, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Biomedical Engineering Society, the World Molecular Imaging Society, the Acoustical Society of America and the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. Dr. Ferrara received her Ph.D. in 1989 from the University of California, Davis. Prior to her PhD, Dr. Ferrara was a project engineer for General Electric Medical Systems, involved in the development of early magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound systems. Following an appointment as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Dr. Ferrara served as the founding chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UC Davis. Her laboratory is known for work in molecular imaging and drug delivery.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I study how ecological communities assemble and influence ecosystem processes, focusing on the role of microbial symbioses, which are ubiquitous in plants and animals. My research is driven primarily by intellectual curiosity about the unseen organisms that shape our planet, but is also aimed to provide knowledge that can be used to better manage ecosystem responses to global change, agriculture, and human health.

My lab uses a combination of ecological theory, molecular biology techniques, and field and laboratory experiments to study microbial communities. Our lab works across a large range of systems, both geographically and ecologically. We work on a number of local projects in the SF Bay Area, across North America, and in tropical rainforests of South American and Southeast Asia. We also study a wide range of interactions, from decomposer bacteria and fungi that are key agents of elemental cycling, to pathogenic fungi  and mutualistic fungi. While I am open to working on a variety of systems, a large portion of my work has  focused on root-fungal mutualisms, known  as mycorrhizal symbiosis, because nearly all plants species, including >98% of all trees, use these partnerships to acquire the soil macronutrients that most limit plant growth and ecosystem productivity. While we now know that such microbial mutualisms are common, there has been far less ecological research on mutualisms compared with antagonistic interactions, such as competition and predation. I ask (a) what controls mycorrhizal community assembly across spatial scales, (b) how mycorrhizal symbiosis structures plant communities, and (c) how mycorrhizal symbiosis is linked to ecosystem processes. By integrating these three topics I seek to build a roots-to-biomes understanding of ecological communities and ecosystem function.

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.

Diabetes is a disorder of glucose homeostasis that causes excess hospitalization, morbidity and early mortality among the more than 34.2 million disease-affected Americans. Consequently, developing pharmacologic methods to preserve β-cell function and/or stimulate β-cell mass expansion is of intense interest. Presently, the creation of improved diabetes medications is stymied by a dearth of safe therapeutic targets. In fact, on-target but off-tissue drug effects are slowing progress across multiple diabetes therapeutic domains including β-cell regeneration, β-cell preservation, and immune-protection. In principle, stimulating the regeneration of insulin-producing β-cells could be used to restore or enhance endogenous insulin production capacity. Recently, we developed several new highly potent chemical inducers of human β-cell proliferation. However, the non-selective growth-promoting activity of these molecules prevents further clinical development. Consequently, a “modular” (readily transferable) system for β-cell-targeted drug delivery is needed to realize the next generation of diabetes therapeutics. To address this challenge, we are developing a β-cell-targeted drug delivery module based upon the uniquely high zinc content of β-cells. In this system, a zinc-chelating moiety is covalently integrated into a replication-promoting (cargo) compound to generate a bi-functional compound (βRepZnC) that selectively enhances β-cell drug accumulation and replication-promoting activity (PMID: 30527998).

We are seeking a motivated post-doctoral scholar to join our collaborative research team. This scientist will lead and engage  in developing novel βRepZnCs and uncover the biology of β-cell failure. They will define the chemical “rules” that govern zinc-dependent β-cell drug targeting,  examine the in vivo β-cell selectivity (accumulation and replication-promoting activity) of  newly developed βRepZnCs (work is supported by a synthtic chemist) and use CRISPR technology to genetically dissect the pathways that control β-cell zinc and zinc-binding drug accumulation. These studies will a break-through technology for β-cell-targeted drug delivery and provide fundamental (targetable) insights into β-cell biology. This work has the potential to transform our therapeutic approach to diabetes and provide critical insights into β-cell biology.

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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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. 

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

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