Meet Our Team
Michael T. Longaker, MD, MBA, DSc (hon), FACS
Dr. Michael Longaker is a pediatric craniofacial surgeon, research scientist, and co-director of the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine. He has dedicated years of research to tissue repair, replacement, and regeneration harnessing stem cells—leading to more than 1,200 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Longaker is a global leader and role model for those physicians and scientists who aspire to improve patient care through regenerative medicine.
Ophir Klein, MD, PhD
Dr. Klein serves as the inaugural executive director of Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s and the David and Meredith Kaplan Distinguished Chair in Children’s Health. He is also Adjunct Professor of Orofacial Sciences and Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he was previously the Larry L. Hillblom Distinguished Professor in Craniofacial Anomalies and the Charles J. Epstein Professor of Human Genetics. Until 2022, he served as Director of the Institute for Human Genetics, Chief of the Division of Medical Genetics, Chair of the Division of Craniofacial Anomalies, and Director of the Program in Craniofacial Biology at UCSF. Dr. Klein has received several honors, including a New Innovator Award from the NIH and the E. Mead Johnson Award from the Society for Pediatric Research. Dr. Klein was elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Association of Physicians and the National Academy of Medicine, and he is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Klein’s research focuses on understanding how organs form in the embryo and how they regenerate in the adult, with a particular emphasis on the processes underlying craniofacial and dental development and renewal as well as understanding how stem cells in the intestinal epithelium enable renewal and regeneration.
Agnieszka Czechowicz, MD, PhD
Dr. Czechowicz is a physician-scientist who has done pioneering work in stem cell research and developing new regenerative medicine therapies to treat a variety of pediatric and adult diseases. Her primary clinical interest is in bone marrow failure, aplastic anemia, and other diseases requiring stem cell transplantation. Dr. Czechowicz is passionate about mentoring future generations of physicians and scientists. She is a faculty member within the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford.
Christopher Daniel, DDS, MD, FACS
Dr. Daniel brings over a decade of oral and maxillofacial surgery experience to Stemodontics. His dual degree in medicine and dentistry provides our team with a wealth of expertise in both fields, bridging the gap between the stem cell source and future stem cell applications. As a board-certified oral surgeon and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Daniel is recognized for his exemplary status and ability to meet the highest standards of care. Currently Dr. Daniel is Assistant Professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Director of Undergraduate Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Education and holds the Nguyen-Thang Family Professorship in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry.
Leonard B. Kaban, DMD, MD, FACS
Leonard B. Kaban served as Walter C. Guralnick Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS), Chairman of the Department of OMFS at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) and Chief of the OMFS Service at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) from 1994 through 2015. He is now the Walter C. Guralnick Distinguished Professor and Chief, Emeritus of OMFS at Harvard and MGH. Dr. Kaban is the author or co-author of 5 books and over 360 original papers on such topics as hemifacial microsomia, jaw tumors in children, vascular anomalies, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, trigeminal nerve injuries, facial asymmetry and reconstructive surgery.
Mark Urata, MD, DDS
Dr. Urata is uniquely qualified as a craniofacial surgeon with board certification in both Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as well as Plastic Surgery and holds faculty appointments at both the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC School of Dentistry. Dr. Urata trained for 18 years following his undergraduate education. He received his dental degree from the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC and his medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He completed a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery before matriculating to general surgery and then completing a residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery at USC. He then moved across town where he completed a fellowship in craniofacial surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles. His practice spans from reconstructing the most complex craniofacial anomalies to outpatient oral surgery.
