Day Lab Team
John W. Day
Principal Investigator
Physical Therapist
Tina Duong, PT, PhD
Director of Clinical Outcomes Research and Development
Dr. Duong is Director of Clinical Outcomes Research and Development at Stanford with over 15 years of clinical experience in evaluating, treating and supporting patients with neuromuscular disease. She is involved in ongoing studies and developments on initiatives in treatments for neuromuscular disease, novel trial designs, and outcomes development. Prior to her arrival at Stanford in 2015, she directed clinical evaluations and training for the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group (CINRG).
Her clinical and research interests is in developing and refining outcome measures in neuromuscular disease as well as understanding the impact of exercise and physical activity on disease physiology and quality of life. She hopes to integrate technology and digital biomarkers into the clinical outcomes toolbox as a complementary tool to performance based measures used in trials and the clinic.
She enjoys working on multi-disciplinary teams and creating patient focused solutions to improve the quality of life for all neuromuscular patients. Her particular interests and hobbies include working with technology and design products to make the world more accessible for individuals with different abilities.
Constance de Monts PT, DPT
Research Physical Therapist
Constance de Monts graduated with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northeastern University in Boston, MA in 2016. She recently joined the Stanford Neuromuscular Division as a research Physical Therapist under the direction of Dr. John Day in February of 2022. She has diverse clinical work experience in Neurorehabilitation treating and evaluating patients across both inpatient and acute rehabilitation centers. Most recently Constance was working in Stanford Hospital’s Trauma and Surgical ICUs.
Sally Dunaway Young, PT, DPT
Research Physical Therapist
Sally is a research physical therapist who recently joined the Neuromuscular Division at Stanford in fall of 2018 under the direction of Dr. John Day. A graduate of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Columbia University, Sally joined the multidisciplinary team at the SMA Clinical Research Center at Columbia University in 2008. She has over 10 years of research experience in single and multi-center clinical research studies in Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and other neuromuscular diseases including therapeutic and observational trials. Additionally, Sally has coordinated the wheelchair and durable medical equipment clinic for a pediatric neuromuscular clinic population as well as worked as a private home care pediatric physical therapist performing evaluations and daily treatment sessions for patients diagnosed with neuromuscular disease. Throughout her career she has participated in regional, national, and international meetings of clinicians and physical therapists where she provides education, training, and advance clinical care and clinical research, focusing on outcome measures, research related to motor function, and exercise.
Richard Gee, PT
Research Physiucal Therapist, Stanford Children’s Health
Richard has been practicing physical therapy since 1991. He has been providing physical therapy services for more than 15 years at Stanford Children’s Health. Richard Gee has experience with the evaluation and treatment of neuromuscular disorders, gait abnormalities, orthotics, and mobility dysfunction. He has worked in settings including acute care, outpatient centers, school based centers, and home care.
Life Science Research Professional
Lisa Ghiglieri
Life Science Research Professional
Lisa joined the neuromuscular team in 2020 as the Day lab manager. She manages the collection and processing of biological samples for neuromuscular research, from blood draw in clinical trials to autopsies from donors. Prior to joining Dr Day's team, Lisa worked at UCSF researching neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma in mice using CRISPR technology, as well as at UC Davis performing 2-photon imaging in the hippocampus.
Rachana Patil
Life Science Research Professional 2
Rachana Patil joined the Pediatric, Stem Cell Transplant and Regenerative Medicine Division at Stanford in 2018. She has over 10 years of research experience in studying immune-modulation biomarkers in pediatric stem cell transplant clinical trial patients and non-human primates as well as mouse models. She has also developed a transgenic mouse model and a CRISPR-Cas9 based humanized mouse model for Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia with Neurofibromin 1 deficiency. Under the direction and mentorship of Dr. John Day at Neuromuscular Division, she aspires to develop novel immunological assays to improve safety and efficacy of adeno associated virus (AAV) vectors in gene therapy for Muscular Dystrophies, Peripheral Neuropathies and other neuromuscular diseases.
Data Analyst
Sanchalee Khonde
Research Data Analyst
Sanchalee graduated with an MPH in Epidemiology & Biostatistics from Boston University. She has a diverse skill set, having previously handled data management responsibilities for the Brain Aging Program at the Framingham Heart Study, coupled with her previous roles as a research assistant at Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative and a practicing physician in India. She joined the Stanford Neuromuscular Division as a Research Data Analyst. She hopes to contribute to a healthier and more equitable world through her work.
Whitney Tang
Clinical Research Data Engineer
Whitney joined Dr. Day's Research team in 2019. Whitney began her research career in Stanford's pediatric psychiatry division, exploring the neural circuitry that affects mood dysfunction throughout adolescence. She transitioned to the neuromuscular division where she now works with both adult and pediatric populations, facilitating the unique intersection of clinical research and standard of care management.
Instructor
Tahereh Kamali, PhD
Instructor
Dr. Tahereh Kamali holds a BS and MS in Computer Science and a PhD in Systems Design Engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada. Specializing in the application of AI in neurology, her research areas include biomarker identification, predictive modelling, neuroimaging analysis, and the integration of AI-driven tools in clinical decision support, assistive technologies, neuromonitoring, drug discovery and personalized medicine. With a dedication to advancing neurological care, Dr. Kamali bridges cutting-edge computational techniques with clinical insights.
Research Scientist
Nathan Hageman
Research Scientist
Dr. Nathan Hageman’s current research interests focus on the development of novel analysis methods and biomarkers in MRI and diffusion imaging in patients with neuromuscular disease. Nathan received his BA from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland and his MD and Ph.D. in neuroscience/neuroengineering from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine. His doctoral research focused on the development, validation, and clinical application of novel analysis methods of diffusion tensor imaging tractography. He did a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the UCLA School of Medicine. In addition to a significant teaching role, his research focused on anatomic and histologic validation of structural MRI and diffusion imaging in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Through his research, he hopes to help to develop better treatments and a better quality of life for patients with neuromuscular disease.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Bradley Hamilton, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Bradley Hamilton, PhD is using sophisticated virology and immunology techniques to help the field understand and address dangerous immune responses to adeno associated virus (AAV) vector gene therapies for devastating genetic diseases. His team is developing new, safe, and transformative treatments for clinical application.
Marwa Zafarullah, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Marwa Zafarullah is a dedicated neuroscientist with extensive interdisciplinary experience spanning over 8 years in clinical and pre-clinical research. She holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Genetics and Genomics (IGG) from the University of California Davis, with a focus on neuroscience, human genetics, and functional genomics. Before joining the Stanford, Dr. Zafarullah harnessed power of molecular biology with an advanced technologies to delve into biomarkers related to the prediction, development, progression, and severity of Fragile X Syndrome and associated disorders.
Dr. Zafarullah's career journey reflects her commitment to advancing scientific knowledge, improving patient care, and creating a positive impact on society through her research and contributions. She thrives in multi-disciplinary teams, aiming to enhance the quality of life for all individuals affected by various neurological conditions. Beyond her professional endeavors, she enjoys communicating complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences. Her continuous pursuit of excellence and her drive to bridge clinical practice and scientific innovation make her a true trailblazer in the field.
Clinical Research
Shirley Paulose, MS
Clinical Research Manager 2
Shirley Paulose is a Senior Clinical Research Manager for the Neuromuscular Division. She has been a member of the team since 2005. She worked as an ophthalmologist in India before she joined Stanford.
Tia Lum
Clinical Research Manager 1
Ms. Tia Lum graduated from U.C. Davis with a BS nutrition science. Before arriving at Stanford Medicine, Ms. Lum spent two years at a retina specialist practice, working on age-related macular degeneration trials.
Veronica Stevens
Clinical Research Manager 1
Veronica joined Dr. John Day's research team as a clinical research coordinator in 2019. Prior to joining the Neuromuscular Division she worked for two years at Oregon Health & Science University in immunology and infectious disease research.
Lesly Welsh, CCRC, CMA
Clinical Research Manager 1
Lesly Welsh is a clinical research coordinator, coordinating clinical trials for both adults and children diagnosed with neuromuscular conditions . She joined the neuromuscular team in April, 2014. Ms. Welsh has been a research coordinator at Stanford since 2009. She has previously worked on clinical trials for liver disease and kidney disease. She is an ACRP certified clinical research coordinator, has an AS degree in medical assisting and 11 years of experience working in pre-clinical toxicology trials.
Susan Thomas
Clinical Research Coordinator 2
Susan joined the neuromuscular research team in 2019, coordinating clinical trials. She had previously done an observership in the neuromuscular division, learning about ALS studies. Before joining Stanford, Susan gained clinical experiences in both family medicine and internal medicine.
Lidia Choniawko
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Lidia joined the neuromuscular research team with a clinical and research background in treatments and vaccines for viral infections. She previously received her BSc in Biotechnology from the University of Wroclaw and Doctor of Medicine from Wroclaw Medical University.
Rabia Farooquee
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Rabia joined Dr. Day's neuromuscular research team in 2020. She has experience conducting clinical research trials of neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's and Huntington's Disease. She previously worked in care coordination at a long-term care facility for patients with neurological conditions including cerebral palsy and down syndrome.
Habib Mofakham Fini
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Habib joined Dr. Day's Research team in 2021, coordinating clinical trials. He began his research career at UC Davis in their neuromuscular research center where he compared nerve conduction study findings with ultrasound findings in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. He has also run other studies in DMD, BMD, FSHD and ALS. Before joining Stanford, Habib gained clinical experience in electrodiagnostic medicine in adults and children.
Emilio “Milo” Gonzalez
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Emilio is a dedicated research professional with a strong background in neuroscience and clinical research, currently contributing to advancing medical science at Stanford University. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Human Biology, he brings a meticulous approach to data collection, analysis, and patient engagement. His experience spans working collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams, where his skills in bilingual communication and his commitment to patient-centric care shine. Emilio hopes to contribute to a publication and further his academic journey by pursuing an MD/PhD program.
Raiye Hailu
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Raiye Hailu started on the team as an assistant clinical research coordinator, consenting and scheduling patients, collecting and processing samples, and assisting in the recruitment of participants for clinical trials. In her new role as CRCA, she now runs a collection of studies and trials. Prior to joining the lab, Raiye had received her B.S. in biochemistry from UCLA. She gained clinical experience from volunteering in clinics and hospitals.
Sarah Ismail
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Sarah received her BSc in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo in Toronto, Canada in 2022, where she was a research apprentice in the Neurocognition and Mobility Lab. She joined the Day Lab to continue exploring her interests in neurological disease and clinical research with the hopes of pursuing an MD in the future.
Lin Karman
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Lin, with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from UC Riverside, began her research journey in UCR's psychology department, delving into cognition, perception, and attention. Transitioning from a medical assistant in a family practice clinic, she pursued preclinical work at Cedars-Sinai, focusing on Alzheimer’s mouse models and cell culture techniques. Committed to researching treatment methods and preventative measures for neurological diseases, she's particularly interested in expanding her clinical experience in neuromuscular research. Aspiring to be a physician-scientist dedicated to enhancing neurological healthcare, she aims to integrate patient care with innovative research methodologies, merging her passion for neuroscience with clinical practice.
Melina Rogers
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Melina Rogers holds B.S. degrees in Computer Science and Neuroscience from The University of Arizona. Prior to joining Stanford, she worked as a machine learning engineer developing predictive algorithms for early seizure detection and automated risk stratification systems for Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Her research interests focus on applying artificial intelligence to neurological diagnostics and multimodal imaging analysis, bridging the gap between computational methods and clinical applications.
Sabrina Salvatore
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Sabrina Salvatore received her MA in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Physiology from California State University, Chico in 2022. As a master’s student, she published a literature review paper titled Age-Related Changes in Skeletal Muscle Oxygen Utilization that incorporated research on the novel device known as Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), used to measure local skeletal muscle oxygen consumption. She has additionally gained experience in physical rehabilitation settings as a physical therapy aide while also developing skills as a lab instructor for exercise physiology lab courses at California State University, Chico. Sabrina joined the Day Lab as a clinical research coordinator associate to assist in furthering research efforts and exercise interventions for individuals with neuromuscular disorders, which include the use of NIRS devices as one of many tools used as a means to track outcome measures. Her goals are to help contribute to the growing body of research within this field in an effort to help find therapeutic interventions for neuromuscular disorders.
Elena Scheibler
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Elena received her BA in Psychology from the University of British Columbia in 2024, where she was involved in both psychological and age-related neurophysiological research. She gained clinical experience as an intern at a large Swiss rehabilitation hospital, where she worked in the neurology unit. Elena joined the neuromuscular team in 2024 as a Clinical Research Coordinator Associate and is excited to continue discovering the intricacies of neuromuscular disorders and clinical research.
Erika Shols
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Erika joined the neuromuscular research team in 2020. She works primarily in clinical trials for Alexander disease with both pediatric and adult patients. Prior to working in Neurology, she was doing research in the Psychiatry department at Stanford and Psychology department at University of Denver. She has a BA in Biology and Psychology with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience from University of Denver.
Shelby Smith
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Shelby earned her BSc in Public Health from San Francisco State University in 2023. She has previously worked in the health field as a CNA, hospital volunteer, and Community Health Navigator. Shelby joined the Day Lab with the goal of obtaining a MS in Public Health in the future and continuing to learn more about how neuromuscular conditions affect patient populations.
Yan Yang
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Yan joined the neuromuscular research team in 2021 as a clinical research coordinator. Yan gained clinical, research, lab, and regulatory compliance experience in her early career. She graduated from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health with Master of Public Health concentrated in Epidemiological and Biostatistical Methods for Public Health and Clinical Research.
Meng Anna Yao
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Meng joined the neuromuscular research team as an MRI research coordinator. She studied cognitive science and biology in college and gained clinical research and MRI experience as a research assistant, coordinating clinical studies on dyslexia, ADHD, Charcot-Marie-Tooth, and Alzheimer's disease.
Libby Yatsu
Clinical Research Coordinator Associate
Libby Yatsu joined Dr. Day's neuromuscular research division in 2018 and again in 2022, now as an assistant clinical research coordinator. Libby brings years of coordinating experience to the team, starting at the Dorothy Schneider Cancer Center, to Sutter Health, and then to Stanford. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College, and her Master of Science in Counseling from the University of Arkansas.
