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Clinical/Translational Research
There is some overlap between research classifications and sometimes the definitions of the different categories can vary. NIH defines human clinical research as research that is patient-oriented, involves mechanisms of human disease, therapeutic interventions, clinical trials, or development of new technologies. Translational research involves the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public.
Ehsan Adeli, PhD
Dr. Ehsan Adeli is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, by courtesy, of Biomedical Data Science, and of Computer Science. He leads the Stanford Translational Artificial Intelligence (STAI) in Medicine and Mental Health Lab, where his research focuses on leveraging AI to advance clinical care and understanding in the context of aging and neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Adeli also serves as Co-Director of both the Stanford AI for Mental Health Initiative and the Stanford AGILE Consortium (Advancing technoloGy for fraIlty & LongEvity). He and Stanford geriatrics and VA GRECC faculty (Drs. Christine Gould, Deborah Kado, Silvia Tee) have active ongoing research collaborations. For example Dr. Tee is working on his project entitled, "Assessing Cognitive Decline at Home."
Steve Collins, PhD
Dr. Steve Collins is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University, where he directs the Stanford Biomechatronics Laboratory. His primary research focus is to speed and systematize the design and prescription of prostheses and exoskeletons using versatile device emulator hardware and human-in-the-loop optimization algorithms (Zhang et al. 2017, Science). Another interest is efficient autonomous devices, such as highly energy-efficient walking robots (Collins et al. 2005, Science) and exoskeletons that use no energy yet reduce the metabolic energy cost of human walking (Collins et al. 2015, Nature). He and Dr. Kado have collaborated on applying and testing some of his ankle exoskeleton technology to improve gait speed in older persons (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38167151/).
Learn more about Professor Collins
Christine Gould, PhD, ABPP
GRECC Associate Director of Education
Dr. Christine Gould is a board-certified geropsychologist and Associate Director of Education and Evaluation at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC). She also is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Her research focuses on helping older adults use technology-delivered interventions including video interventions, internet interventions, and mobile apps. She also is evaluating models of increasing access to geriatric psychiatry expertise including using tele-consultation across health care systems. She has received funding from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Service, VA Office of Rural Health, VHA Geriatrics and Extended Care Services, and Meru Health.
Ngan Huang, PhD
GRECC Affiliated Researcher
Dr. Ngan F. Huang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Stanford University and Research Career Scientist at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System. Dr. Huang completed her BS in Chemical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, followed by a PhD in bioengineering from the University of California Berkeley & University of California San Francisco Joint Program in Bioengineering. Prior to joining the faculty, she was a postdoctoral scholar in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Stanford University. Her laboratory investigates the interactions between stem cells and extracellular matrix microenvironment for engineering cardiovascular tissues to treat cardiovascular and musculoskeletal diseases. Recent research focuses on the role of microgravity for drug screening of engineered muscle tissue for reversing aging and atrophy. Website: http://huanglab.stanford.edu
Feng Vankee Lin, PhD
Dr. F. Vankee Lin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. She has been devoted to understanding the neural mechanisms involved in brain aging and brain plasticity, with a special focus on early detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Her research approach integrates principles and findings from cognitive theory, clinical neuroscience, and computational neuroscience. This approach is complemented by her extensive research experience involving multi-modality neuroimaging (PET, sMRI, dMRI, and fMRI), psychophysiology, neuropsychology, and quantitative research methods. She and geriatrics faculty Drs. Can Chen and Silvia Tee have collaborated on applying a person-centered approach to enhance cognitive training in Senior Living Community Residents with Mild Cognitive Impairment and she also works closely with GRECC Associate Director Dr. Christine Gould.
Christine Liu, MD, MS
GRECC Researcher
Dr. Chris Liu is an Assistant Professor who holds a dual appointment in the Geriatric Section of Primary Care and Population Health and the VA Palo Alto GRECC. Her research program is dedicated to improving the lives of older adults with kidney disease. Currently her research focuses on mobility, which is the ability to move safely and reliably from one place to another. In older adults, poor mobility strongly predicts future disability and death. Retaining mobility has been cited by older adults as fundamental to quality to life; yet many older persons with kidney disease, especially those with late-stage chronic kidney disease or outright kidney failure, have trouble just walking across the room or transferring to a chair. Dually trained in geriatric medicine and epidemiology, Dr. Liu also has significant expertise in older adult clinical trials, including safety trials of novel agents as well as intervention studies to reduce infections in older populations. She and her research team are currently conducting a NIDDK R01 funded randomized clinical trial of virtually supervised exercise for kidney transplant recipients.