Intersectional Health Promotion and Prevention of Sexual and Gender Diverse Youth
Dr. Sanders work focuses on building intersectional health promotion and prevention interventions for sexual and gender diverse youth, with a particular focus on expanding access to gender affirming care and optimizing adolescent and young adult sexual health, HIV/AIDS, and substance treatment and prevention interventions.
Psychosocial Functioning in Children with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
My research focuses on the psychosocial functioning of children and teens with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). I am particularly interested in parental stress, treatment adherence, and child psychosocial outcomes for children with very early-onset IBD. I am also actively involved in depression and anxiety screening integrated within standard GI clinical care.
Studying cell migration in confined microenvironments
When cells grow or move within dense microenvironments their nuclei are subjected to different degrees of deformation. We investigate the mechanisms underlying migratory strategies, cell function and cell fate in scenarios where cells experience mechanical stress.
Advanced Imaging in Pediatric Brain Tumors
Imaging of pediatric brain tumors with advanced MRI techniques.
Behavioral Economics and Rehabilitation
I study how to use insights from behavioral economics to improve physical activity for adults after a stroke or with Parkinson's disease. This includes the use of wearable devices and remote technologies. Additionally, I use electronic health record data to understand care patterns for adults post-stroke, specifically linked to rehabilitation access and services.
Health Outcomes Research in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
My research is in acute leukemia and myeloid malignancies, specifically looking at health outcomes for older patients and TP53 mutations. I also have a new project that will be gathering data on sexual heath/function and fertility in leukemia patients. Research would be based in chart review, submitting retrospective studies to the IRB and/or patient interactions focusing on patient reported outcomes. Please reach out if interested.
Optical Functional Neuroimaging in Pediatric Disease Models
We use optical functional neuroimaging techniques (e.g., widefield optical imaging, diffuse optical tomography) to study biomarkers of neuronal injury in mouse and pig models. These techniques are similar to fMRI, but more portable to allow bedside imaging in acute injury.
Moderate to Severe Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury- Abusive and Accidental
I am the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgical Neurocritical Care and Pediatric Critical Care Attending in the PICU at CHOP who has research interest in moderate to severe pediatric traumatic brain injury
Epigenetic Regulation of Innate Immunity
Our lab’s overarching research interest is in understanding the development of our innate immune system and how loss of its regulation leads to disease, particularly in the context of an ever-changing environment. Epigenetic processes lie at the nexus of gene-environment interaction. The epigenome, encompassing higher order chromatin organization, covalent modifications of the DNA or histone proteins packaging the DNA, collectively enables precise regulation of accessibility and usage of genetic material. Epigenetic “writers” and “erasers” modify histones which serve as docking platforms for epigenetic “readers” to interpret and recruit appropriate transcriptional machinery to facilitate or prevent gene expression. Dysregulated epigenetic enzymes and aberrant chromatin landscapes are sentinel events appreciated in cancer and therapeutic interventions targeting these proteins have recently received a lot of attention; however, our understanding of their contribution in immune-mediated disorders (such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, systemic lupus erythematosus) remains fairly limited and the potential for therapeutic intervention remains untapped. Our lab uses primary immune cells and in vivo mouse models to study how disruption of epigenetic regulators lead to loss of proper immune function and homeostasis.
Orthopedic retrospective chart review
Chart review of patients that have undergone minimally invasive foot and ankle fusion procedures and looking at the different fusion rates with different surgical biologic augments