Lab Members

Dr. K.J.S. (“Sunny”) Anand received his medical degree from India and D.Phil. from University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, followed by post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School.  His research on pain and stress in children has been recognized with many professional awards including the highest international award in the field of Pediatrics: the Nils Rosén von Rosenstein Award from Swedish Academy of Medicine (2009).  His community service activities included founding the Harmony Health Clinic in Little Rock (AR) – providing free medical and dental care since 2008.  He received the Father Joseph Biltz Award from National Conference for Community & Justice (2007) and the Dr. Martin Luther King “Salute to Greatness” Individual Award (2008) from the Governor of Arkansas.  He has authored >300 peer-reviewed articles and other monographs, 9 books/journal issues, and 60+ book chapters.  He is currently Professor of Pediatrics, Anesthesiology Perioperative & Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, Editor of Pediatric Research – a leading medical journal, and Co-Chair of the Ideal Village Conferences at Stanford University.

Cynthia's roles have changed over three decades, first as an Executive Director of an emergency placement facility serving youth in crisis in rural Arkansas providing hands-on service to children and their families under the venues of child protective services, court advocacy, professional counseling, and emergency placement and then as a scientist to investigate, develop, and publish novel methodologies advancing neurology. Cynthia’s specialty was in treating children exposed to maltreatment, sexual abuse, sexual and physical assault, and neglect.  Her technological skills and expertise in evaluating environmental, biological, physiological, psychosocial, and socioeconomic factors influencing brain development through the life-course has enabled Cynthia to develop methodologies measuring markers of brain function under conditions of typical development compared to adverse/traumatic brain injury/dysregulation, neurodegeneration, risk-taking behavior, and factors promoting resiliency.  A deep passion for understanding these conditions and faith based underpinnings of healing and restoration in survivors of abuse and neglect and of children in poverty drove her to participate in legislation establishing governmental policies concerning poverty, social and welfare reform, family and domestic violence interventions, and restructuring of child protective services.

Monica earned her degree in Neurobiology from The University of Texas at Austin. While in college she participated in global health trips, which prompted her interest in public health, specifically in examining the social determinants of health. She went on to receive her MD/MPH from The University of Texas at San Antonio, where she continued to participate in global health trips and started to explore community health research. During her pediatric residency in San Antonio, she was awarded a public health grant that aimed to develop novel community health clubs that provided health educational classes to lower socioeconomic neighborhoods, mostly composed of immigrants, in South Texas.  After completing her pediatric residency at San Antonio, she relocated to California to complete her fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine at Stanford. Her interest in the social determinants of health and passion for the medically complex patient merge in the intensive care unit, where she is able to immerse herself in the extreme presentation of preventable disease.  As a mentee of Dr. Anand, she serves as a researcher in the Pain/Stress Neurobiology lab, where she hopes to improve her understanding of psychosocial factors and how they impact health down to the molecular level.

Kimberly graduated from the University of California, Irvine where she studied political science and public health. As an undergraduate, she conducted research focused on sustainability through landfill diversion and behavioral change. Prior to working in the Pain/Stress Neurobiology lab, she was a research coordinator for Stanford’s Division of Sleep Medicine where she worked on various studies aimed to improve the detection, treatment, and prevention of sleep disorders while obtaining a better understanding of the genetic architecture of sleep. In addition to being a clinical research coordinator, Kimberly has also been a part of the Stanford community as a volunteer at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. She is excited to contribute to the advancement of pediatric medicine and understanding of childhood stress and pain through the hair biomarkers study.

Sarah deLanda has a degree in English from Sonoma State University. She previously worked as a case manager at Genentech where she developed a passion for working with patients. She has also worked as a research coordinator for three years at Stanford’s Department of Sleep Medicine. While in Sleep Medicine, Sarah worked on both device and drug studies for sleep disorders ranging from sleep apnea to narcolepsy. She is now working in the Pain and Stress Neurobiology lab as a clinical research coordinator. She is extremely interested in helping to advance research that will improve patients’ quality of care and their access to it.

Leni Truong graduated with a BS in Neuroscience from University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and completed post-baccalaureate studies in Health & Nutrition from Cornell University. As an undergraduate student, she volunteered at various US clinics as well as hospitals in Mexico and Korea.  She has previous experience in bench research on neuronal regeneration and clinical research in Plastic Surgery. She has served as a Clinic Coordinator in ENT and Neurosurgical Clinics and was a Project Manager for transitioning between different EHR systems in her previous position. She is determined to improve the lives of immigrant and/or marginalized families, particularly through their young children who participate in the Hair Biomarkers Study. She is proficient in speaking Vietnamese and she also has limited proficiency in Spanish.

Andrew Jung graduated from Case Western Reserve University with a BA in Psychology. As an undergraduate he worked as a Child Life volunteer and summer camp counselor, together with internships at New York University, Johns Hopkins University, as well as the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center. He worked as a Health Screener at Stanford Health Care and recently served as a Research Coordinator at the Institute of Health & Aging, University of California San Francisco. Andrew is fluent in Korean and deeply moved by the experiences of underserved or socially disadvantaged populations. Through the Hair Biomarkers Study, he seeks to understand the consequences of adverse childhood experiences and their lasting impact on childhood development and behaviors.

Mina Michel is a Clinical Research Coordinator Associate and she is excited to join as the newest member of the Child Wellness Lab. She graduated from UC Berkeley and majored in Molecular Environmental Biology with Honors.  Her past experience includes completing and presenting scientific research diabetes and obesity from Stanford University School of Medicine and UCSF.  While at UC Berkeley, she gained clinical experience from volunteering as a Spanish medical interpreter for patients, their families, and healthcare providers through UC Berkeley’s Volunteer Health Interpreters Organization (VHIO).  Most of her work has been bench research and she wants to expand her skills to the beside and interact with patients. At Stanford, she has found an extraordinary clinical research community that’s deeply committed, innovative, and creative – providing her an excellent environment to reach her career goals. Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the Bay Area trails.