About Us
The Department of Neurological Surgery is devoted to the evaluation and treatment of both pediatric and adult neurosurgical disorders. Our programs in neurovascular surgery, neuro-oncology, epilepsy, spinal surgery, pediatric neurosurgery, functional and stereotactic neurosurgery are world renowned. Navigate our website to learn more about the Department and our exciting programs.
News
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Dr. Javad Hekmatpanah
New articleDr. Hekmatpanah dives into the correlation of cerebral microvascular circulation and vital signs in cerebral compression. Click here to read the full article.
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Amanda Johnson
DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC/ACprovided a comprehensive overview of pediatric neuroimaging during her presentation at The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.
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Dr. Seif Gholampour
published a paper titled, "Optimization of Number and Range of Shunt Valve Performance Levels in Infant Hydrocephalus: A Machine Learning Analysis,". With a Q1 rating and an impressive Impact Factor of 5.7, this achievement highlights Seif's valuable contribution to the field. Congratulations! (Read)
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Dr. Bakhtiar Yamini
New articleDiving into the groundbreaking world of cancer research! Excited to share the interim results of our multi-institutional Phase I study on Acetazolamide with Temozolomide in adults with newly diagnosed MGMT-methylated Malignant Glioma.
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The Neurovascular Research Team
including faculty (Awad, Polster and Girard), visiting scholar (Koskimaki), postdoctoral trainees (Alcazar and Hage) and predoctoral trainees (Bennett, Bindall, and Srinath) and Research Managers (Stadnick and Lightle) presented 5 papers at International Stroke Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, February 7-9, 2024.
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Dr. Peter Warnke
CongratulationsThe joint paper between Neurosurgery, Neurology and Pediatric Neurology, "Manifestation of Hippocampal Interictal Discharges on Clinical Scalp EEG Recordings" has been awarded the prestigious Cosimo Ajmone-Marsan Award by the Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology!
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Clinical Trial
NRTX-1001 Neural Cell Therapyis seeking participants with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. This study investigates the safety and efficacy of inhibitory nerve cells. If you or someone you know is aged 18-65, experiencing uncontrolled focal seizures, and on a stable anti-seizure drug, contact Agnieszka Stadnik at astadnik@bsd.uchicago.edu. Let's make a difference together!
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Dr. Peter Warnke
New ArticleCongratulations Dr. Warnke on your new article titled: Paradigm found: Paradigm found: Epileptogenic zone identified by fMRI in ictal fixation off sensitivity
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Dr. Eric Thompson
$100,000 grantfor groundbreaking research in pediatric brain cancer, specifically focusing on Medulloblastoma and its leptomeningeal dissemination (LD). Their mission is to understand and target ABL1 and ABL2 as potential drivers of LD, with promising results showing improved overall survival in mouse models.
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New Position
Nurse Navigator - Full Time, DayBe a part of a world-class academic healthcare system at UChicago Medicine as an Epilepsy Nurse Navigator with our Neurosciences team in Hyde Park.
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Dr. Isaam Awad
Two New papersCongratulations for groundbreaking articles on cerebral cavernous malformations in the January 2024 issue of STROKE. The studies, part of an NIH-funded project, focused on trial readiness for rare cases of cavernous angiomas with symptomatic hemorrhage.
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Dr. Sean Polster
secured a $330,000 NIH K grant from the Neurosurgeon Research Career Development Program (NRCDP) at NIH. The grant supports research on the brain-gut-axis and endothelial biology, exploring how the gut microbiome influences brain microvasculature in conditions like radiation damage and brain bleeding.
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Dr. Peter Warnke
and team have enrolled the first patient into an innovative epilepsy study: A First-in-human, Multicenter, Open Label, Single Arm, Dose Escalation Study of Inhibitory Interneurons (NRTX-1001) in Drug-Resistant Unilateral Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (MTLE).
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Dr. Peter Warnke
and team have opened the NIH-funded Placebo-controlled Effectiveness of Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus Shunting Study as well as the REMASTER Trial in brain metastasis.
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Dr. Isaam Awad
New ArticleRoberto Alcazar and Robert Shenkar and other members from the Awad Lab helped team at U Penn assess the effect of mTOR inhibitor Rapamycin on CCM development in adult mice, published in the journal Stroke.
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Issam A. Awad
MD, MSc, FACS, MA (hon)co-wrote an invited commentary in JAMA Open, on safety questions raised with computer assisted management of external ventricular drain for intraventricular hemorrhage, and the continued need of human supervision of complex care paradigms.
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Dr. Issam Awad
New ArticleYing Li and others from the Awad Lab published a review article in Brain Sciences, on inflammatory mechanisms in cerebral cavernous malformations and implications on pathobiology, biomarkers and therapeutic targeting.
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Dr. Issam Awad
New ArticleRomuald Girard and others from the Awad Lab worked closely with the Duke team on demonstrating hidden loss of heterozygocity in cerebral cavernous malformations human lesion specimens collected at U Chicago, using advanced single nucleus sequencing. The paper was published in the prestigious journal, Nature Communications
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Issam A. Awad, MD, MSc, FACS, MA (hon)
The John Harper Seeley Professor of Neurological Surgery and Director of Neurovascular Surgerywill serve as part of the Trial Innovation Network, funded by the National Institutes of Health/ National Center for Advancing Translational Research (NIH/NCATS).
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$3.999 Million NIH Grant
Congratulations on the R01 grant achievement! Dr. John Downey, in collaboration with Dr. Peter Warnke and Dr. Nicho Hatsopoulos, has successfully secured a noteworthy NIH grant amounting to $3.999 million.
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Amanda Johnson
DNP APRN, CPNP-PC/ACCongratulations Amanda for being a 2023 Distinguished APP Award Winner!
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Dr. Isaam Awad
received an NIH grantof $201,800 for research on Multiomic Biomarkers of Cavernous Angiomas with Symptomatic Hemorrhage [CASH], optimizing data for Machine Learning [ML] analyses. Exciting advances in brain bleeding diagnosis and prediction!
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Dr. Peter Warnke
New ArticleCongrats Dr. Warnke for your new article titled: " Ambulatory Local Field Potential Recordings from the Thalamus in Epilepsy: A Feasibility Study"
Read the full article here!
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Dr. Issam Awad
has been appointed to the Board of University PublicationsThe appointment begins on July 1st, 2023, and be for a three-year term.
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Chief Resident Announcement for 2023-2024
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ahmadpour, who is the incoming Neurosurgery Chief Resident for 2023-2024!
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Dr. Javad Hekmat-Panah Award
We are delighted to announce Je Yeong (Jae) Sone, MD, a distinguished medical student, as the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Javad Hekmat-Panah.
Read more here!
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Martin Herman, MD
New ArticleCongratulations Dr. Herman for your new article titled: "In-vivo testing of a novel wireless intraspinal microstimulation interface for restoration of motor function following spinal cord injury"
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Peter Warnke, MD
New ArticleCongrats Dr. Warnke for your new article titled: "Seizure onset patterns predict outcome after stereo-electroencephalography-guided laser amygdalohippocampotomy."
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Romuald Girard, PhD
New GrantDr. Girard from Awad's Lab was awarded a Pilot Grant entitled “Circulating miRNA’s as distinct and common biomarkers brain vascular malformations”, through the Brain Vascular Malformation Consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health.
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Dr. Peter Warnke
A New NIH GrantTitle: “Development of an EMG-controlled BCI for biomimetic control of hand movement in humans”, in collaboration with Northwestern University and Department of Anatomy and Organismal Biology at the University of Chicago.
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Dr. Stephanie Hage
New ArticleCongratulations Dr. Stephanie Hage (from Dr. Awad's lab) for your new article: "Impact of Socioeconomics and Race on Clinical Follow-up and Trial Enrollment and Adherence" in Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases.
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Dr. Eric Thompson
New ArticleCongratulations Dr. Thompson for publishing a new article titled: "Recombinant polio-rhinovirus immunotherapy for recurrent paediatric high-grade glioma: a phase 1b trial."
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Available APPs Positions
We have two positions available! Click here to apply!
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Executive Administrator
Please join us to welcome Iliana Rodriguez, our new Executive Administrator.
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2023 Matches
We are excited to announce our 2023 Matches
Carmen Pons Torres &
Je Yeong (Jae) Sone
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New Article
Congratulations to Dr. Satzer and Dr. Warnke!
Enhancing cortical feedback for bionic hands - see the new preprint here!
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New Article
Many congratulations to Yasmine Alkhalid, MD and Zeena Darji, MSN, RN for publishing a new article in Vascular Medicine.
See the full article here!
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New Article
Breakthrough discovery of plasma metabolites reflecting the transcriptome and gut microbiome of cavernous angiomas. Published in the Nature journal Communications Medicine on 3/3/23!
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New Grant
Congratulations to Dr. Polster for receiving a grant entitled "the influence of the gut microbiome on radiation necrosis".
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New Article
Congratulations to Dr. Mendoza-Elias, Dr. Satzer and Dr. Warnke for their new published article titled: Tailored Hemispherotomy Using Tractography-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy.
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Comer Children's Hospital Annual Review
Novel laser hemispherotomy ends debilitating seizures and restores lives! Dr. Peter Warnke is featured in Comer Children's Hospital Annual Review.
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RNS System NAUTILUS Study
Do you know anyone who has generalized seizure? NAUTILUS Study could help them!
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CCM Grant Award
The Neurovascular Surgery Research team received an award of grant CCM
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International Stroke Conference 2023
Dr. Awad's team presented 13 original papers at the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference in Dallas, Texas.
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MHFP Translational Research Grant Program
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Dr. Peleg Horowitz
did a complex brain tumor surgery at Silver Cross helps New Lenox grandmother resume active life!
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The American Epilepsy Society
Dr. Warnke and Epilepsy surgery group at the UChicago runs a workshop at the American Epilepsy Society on Dec 2-6, 2022!
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Safadi Pilot Grants 2023
This application is closed! Application due December 1, 2023 for Pilot Awards commencing January 1, 2024. Stay tuned for the application.
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New Articles
Congratulations to Dr. Ghomalpour for publishing two articles, including an article in Journal of Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine and another one in Communications Biology.
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Eric C. Leuthardt, M.D., FNAI
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Lawrence Lenke, MD
Vertebral Column Resection (VCR) for the Treatment of Severe Spinal Deformity
Wednesday October 19 @ 7:30 am
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Postdoc Appreciation Week
September 19-23, 2022
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Grand Rounds Series
Douglas L. Brockmeyer, M.D., F.A.A.P.Wednesday, September 21 @ 7:30 am
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Neurosurgery team performs laser hemispherectomy on child with epilepsy
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Brain Cancer: What to watch out for and other FAQs
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Predicting brain bleeds with smart blood tests
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After semitrailer crash, a trucker receives life-changing brain tumor diagnosis and 'awake' operation
Programs
The history of neuroscience here at the University is one that we pride ourselves on. The Department of Neurological Surgery is committed to excellence in patient care, research, and teaching.
We are devoted to the evaluation and treatment of both pediatric and adult neurosurgical disorders. The Department of Neurological Surgery has been divided into subspecialty programs to better identify our expertise within neurosurgery. We invite you to take a deeper look at our surgical specialties, including our clinical specialty programs, esteemed faculty, and neurosurgical research.
Education
Our faculty and staff are committed to providing the most comprehensive training to the brightest minds in medicine.
Our goal is to educate future physician-scientists who will advance the future of academic neurosurgery and make a lasting contribution to the care of neurosurgical patients. Our training programs offer the opportunity to obtain both outstanding clinical and basic science research experience in one of the top academic medical centers located in the city of Chicago.
Quick Links
Research
The Department of Neurological Surgery is leading the way in neurosurgical research and development.
Currently, the Department supports ongoing investigations into treatments for brain tumors, epilepsy, CNS congenital anomalies, and neurovascular disease. Use the links below to learn more about our research programs and faculty-led research.
Quick Links
Patient Care
Our patients are seen by a team of interdisciplinary specialists who are dedicated to the finest tradition of care.
The Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine is devoted to the evaluation and treatment of pediatric and adult diseases of the central nervous system. We use a full range of neuro-medical and neurosurgical technologies to provide the most up-to-date and effective treatments for the entire spectrum of neurological disease.