Center for Adolescent Health Research

Physicians at Stanford Medicine Children's Health Center for Adolescent Health are also members of the Division of Adolescent Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Their roles as faculty members include research activities in a number of areas, including:

  • Health outcomes and quality of life in adolescents with eating disorders and obesity.
  • Rates of refeeding, the use of diffusion tensor imaging and treatment of reduced bone mass in anorexia nervosa.
  • Amenorrhea and bone health in athletes.
  • Understanding and reducing adolescent tobacco use, alcohol and marijuana use, and risky sexual behavior in adolescents.
  • Access to confidential services.
  • Gender-based violence in teens.
  • Adolescent health risk decision making.
  • Morbidity and morbidity among high risk youth.
  • Reproductive health care in teens.

Center for Adolescent Health physicians and their research interests are listed below.


Jennifer Carlson, MD, is board certified in Adolescent Medicine and Pediatrics. Her research interests include: female athlete triad, eating disorders, homeless youth, and health service access.

Learn more about Dr. Carlson's research

Neville Golden, MD, is the division chief of Adolescent Medicine. He is board certified in Adolescent Medicine and Pediatrics. His research interests include: medical complications of eating disorders in adolescents, amenorrhea and menstrual disorders, the female athlete triad, gender-based violence in adolescents, and Bone health in adolescents.

Learn more about Dr. Golden's research

Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD, is the director of research at Stanford School of Medicine's Division of Adolescent Medicine. Her research interests include: cognitive and psychosocial factors involved in health-related decision-making and understanding and reducing adolescent tobacco use, alcohol and marijuana use, and risky sexual behavior.

Learn more about Dr. Halpern-Felsher's research

Cynthia Kapphahn, MD, MPH, is board certified in Adolescent Medicine and Pediatrics. Her research interests include: access to health care services for adolescents, gender-based violence in adolescents, eating disorders, and confidentiality.

Learn more about Dr. Kapphahn's research

James Lock, MD, PhD, is the director of the Child and Adolescent Eating Disorder Program. His research interests include: eating disorders in children and adolescents and family-based treatment.

Learn more about Dr. Lock's research

Sophia Yen, MD, MPH, is board certified in Adolescent Medicine and Pediatrics. Her research interests include: emergency contraception access, availability and knowledge, pediatric obesity and its treatment with videogames and pedometers, adolescent use and access to contraception, using computers to educate patients during waiting time, tampon use/initiation.

Learn more about Dr. Yen's research