Stanford Neurosurgery News Center
In the news
10Q Podcast Features Stanford Neurosurgeon's DBS Research
Stanford neurosurgeon, Dr. Casey Halpern, answers questions about his latest research on the use of Deep Brain Stimulation to treat impulsive and addictive behavior, on KCBS Radio's 10Q Podcast.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Publishes New Text on Trigeminal Neuralgia
Stanford neurosurgeon, Dr. Steven Chang, and Stanford resident, Dr. Allen Ho, published a new textbook - a critical scholarly resource that examines the monitoring, management, and treatment of trigeminal neuralgia
Stem Cells Against Stroke
Stroke survivor, writer Don C. Reed, shares his story, and talks about the importance of the California Stem Cell Research Program, and the stem cell therapy for stroke work conducted at Stanford.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Honored with UCSD 40 Under 40 Alumni Award
Stanford neurosurgeon, Dr. Melanie Hayden Gephart, will receive UC San Diego's 2018 40 Under 40 Healer Award, a recognition given to outstanding alumni who have brought honor and distinction to the university.
Stanford Neurosurgeons Present and Receive Awards at AANS Annual Meeting
Several Stanford Faculty and Residents presented this April in New Orleans at the Annual AANS Scientific Meeting, where Drs. Donald J. Prolo and John R. Adler received prestigious honors for their pioneering work in neurosurgery.
Stanford Researcher Perfecting Electronic-Brain Communication
The work of Stanford Professor of Neurosurgery, E.J. Chichilnisky, PhD, on rebuilding the retina with electronics, is highlighted in this German Television piece about the future of brain-computer interface.
Medical Team Combines Surgery and Cyberknife to Tackle Brain Tumors
A Stanford medical team, including neurosurgeon Dr. Melanie Hayden Gephart, created an individualized and successful treatment plan for patient who battled both stage-4 lung cancer and subsequent brain tumors.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Uses Robotic Assistant to Detect Seizures
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Gerald Grant, used a robotic assistant to detect seizures, caused by tubers, deep in a 3-year-old girl's brain without the need to open her skull or even shave her head.
Stanford Pediatric Neurosurgeon Performs Innovative Surgery to Eliminate Seizures
Dr. Gerald Grant, Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery, performed a surgery using the ROSA robot to eliminate a 3-year-old's seizures caused by Tuberous Sclerosis Complex.
Stanford Neurosurgeon's Promotion Makes History
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Odette Harris recently made history for becoming America's first black female neurosurgery academic professor.
Stanford Concussion Experts Team Up, Receive New Funding for Research
Foremost concussion experts, pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Gerald Grant and bioengineer Dr. David Camarillo, have teamed up to transform the science and treatment of head injuries.
National MS Society Awards Stanford Researcher Prestigious Scholar Award
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has awarded Brad Zuchero, PhD, the prestigious Harry Weaver Neuroscience Scholar Award. The Award will fund 5 years of work focused on improving our understanding of the role actin cytoskeleton plays in controling myelination and remyelination.
Visit the Zuchero Lab
New Neuroanatomy Lab Bridges Virtual Reality, Operating Room
Stanford’s Department of Neurosurgery has a new anatomy lab next door to its virtual reality center. Together, the labs are a valuable resource for trainees and surgeons alike.
Brain Tumor Lab Tour
Scientists in Dr. Melanie Hayden-Gephart's lab and Dr. Gordon Li's lab, guided guests through interactive stations, showing how research to better understand how brain tumors work, and how to stop them, is conducted.
Recovering from Stroke: Engineers, Biologists and Doctors Focus on a Win
Stanford neurologists are working together to remove barriers between engineering, medicine and basic science researchers to improve long-term stroke recovery.
Latest Stanford Med Magazine Highlights Department Faculty
Stanford Medicine Magazine's Winter 2018 Issue, "Charting Medicine's Unknowns," features recent research by several Department of Neurosurgery faculty on a variety of topics, including stroke and Parkinson's disease.
Defects in Mitochondria Further Linked to Parkinson’s in Stanford Study
New research by Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Xinnan Wang, PhD, finds that mitochondrial malfunctions in certain nerve cells may contribute to certain Parkinson's disease symptoms.
Stanford Study Finds Specific set of Nerve Cells Controls Seizures’ Spread through Brain
The results of a new study identifying a specific set of cells that control temporal lobe epileptic seizures, could lead to more effective therapies for people with this common type of epilepsy.
Tad and Dianne Taube Gift $14.5 Million to Launch Youth Addiction and Children’s Concussion Initiatives
A portion of the Taube's gift will go toward concussion education, care, and research, led by Stanford pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Gerald Grant.
A Look Into the Causes of Epilepsy with a Stanford Neuroscientist
Scope Blog highlights ongoing research on epilepsy emerging from the lab of John Huguenard, PhD, professor of neurology and of neurosurgery.
Stanford-led Clinical Trial Shows Broader Benefits of Acute-Stroke Therapy
In a multicenter study led by Stanford researchers at the Stanford Stroke Center, the number of stroke patients who died or required confinement to nursing homes was nearly cut in half, the biggest improvement seen in any stroke-related trial to date.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Awarded Two Grants for Brain Tumor Research
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Melanie Hayden-Gephart, recently received two grants for her brain tumor research efforts. She is one of several recipients of MetAvivor's 2017 Metastatic Cancer Resarch Award, and most recently received a grant from Meningioma Mommas, for research to improve scanning modalities for meningioma patients.
Brain Zap Saps Destructive Urges
Stanford neurosurgeons hope that a brief electrical pulse to a specific brain region that predicts impulsive actions just before they occur, could prevent those impulsive behaviors from happening.
As Featured on NPR
As Featured in Scientific American
EHR Interconnectivity Challenges Continue to Impact Patient Care
Several Stanford neurosurgeons and neurosurgery residents reflect on how electronic health records are complicating patient care, in this guest blog post.
Stanford Pediatric Neurosurgeon Researching Use of Focused Ultrasound to Shrink Tumors
After a team at Stanford successfully used high-intensity focused ultrasound to shrink a desmoid tumor on a 3-year-old's forearm, pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Gerald Grant, is collaborating with the team to see if the technique can be applied to treating neurological conditions in children.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Seeking People with Brain Injury for New Trial
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Jaimie Henderson, is now recruiting people with traumatic brain injury for a new clinical trial, to test the safety and efficacy of deep brain stimulation to improve the quality of life of those with brain trauma.
Virtual Reality Allows Patients to Preview Their Own Surgery
Voice of America showcases how one Stanford Neurosurgery patient, and her doctors, prepared for her surgery to treat an aneurysm, using Stanford's Neurosurgical Simulation and Virtual Reality Center.
Brain Circuits Thought Long Dead After Stroke Might Just Be Dormant
NPR's Here & Now host, Robin Young, talks with Dr. Gary Steinberg about his work on stem cell therapy for stroke and his recent Smithsonian Ingenuity Award.
Dr. Gary Steinberg Receives 2017 Smithsonian Ingenuity Award
The Smithsonian Institution's 2017 American Ingenuity Award for Life Sciences has been awarded to Stanford Department of Neurosurgery's Chairman, Dr. Gary K. Steinberg.
More from The Smithsonian:
A Neurosurgeon’s Remarkable Plan to Treat Stroke Victims With Stem Cells - Read Article
Smithsonian Ingenuity Video - Watch Video
Smithsonian Magazine Facebook Live Presentation - Watch Video
Dramatic Recovery From Stroke with Adult Stem Cell Treatment at Stanford
Stroke victim, Sonia Coontz, received an adult stem cell transplant as part of a clinical trial at Stanford in 2013. Several years later, her recovery has sustained and she became a mother. Stem Cell Research Facts shares Coontz's story in this video.
Artist Tokimonsta Regains Ability to Make Music After Two Brain Surgeries at Stanford
Music artist, Tokimonsta, underwent two brain surgeries at Stanford to treat Moyamoya. The artist is now sharing her story to shed light about the rare disease.
Stanford Researchers Isolate Individual Glioblastoma Cells
Using single-cell RNA sequencing, researchers in Dr. Melanie Hayden-Gephart's lab have isolated glioblastoma cells migrating within otherwise normal-appearing brain, and determined the genetic mechanisms used for migration.
Stanford Scientists Seek to Speak the Brain’s Language to Heal its Disease
The Stanford News Service takes a look at the latest advances in treating neurological diseases with brain-computer interfaces, highlighting the work of several faculty in Stanford's Department of Neurosurgery.
Testing Temple Massager as Potential Relief from Headaches, Facial Tension
Affiliated Professor of Neurosurgery, Dr. Maheen M. Adamson, will conduct a study at the VAPAHS to test the effectiveness of a new device aimed at relieving pain from chronic headaches and other ailments related to facial tension.
Can Brain Injuries in Football be Avoided?
A woman who's father suffered from CTE after playing for the NFL, is now allowing her son to play high-school football. Experts, including Stanford neurosurgeon Dr. Jamshid Ghajar, weigh in on the safety of kids playing sports and the risks of concussion.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Publishes Updated Text on Chordomas
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Griffith Harsh, published a second edition of "Chordomas and Chondrosarcomas of the Skull Base and Spine." The new text is considered the most comprehensive reference detailing the current state of the art of diagnosis and treatment for these tumors.
Stanford Professor of Neurosurgery Creating Wireless Cyborg Eyes for the Blind
E.J. Chichilnisky, professor of neurosurgery, is working to help blind people see again by creating implantable devices that revolutionize the way electronic devices interface with the brain.
After Two Brain Surgeries at Stanford, Artist Shares Her Moyamoya Story
Musical Artist, Jennifer Lee a.k.a. TOKiMONSTA, had two brain surgeries at Stanford to treat Moyamoya. She shares her story now to help spread awareness about Moyamoya Disease.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Performs Unique Moyamoya Pediatric Surgery
When all else failed, Stanford neurosurgeon, Dr. Gary K. Steinberg, performed a unique surgery to treat Moyamoya; stretching blood vessels from the abdomen to the brain.
Parkinson's Disease Seed Grant-
Call for Applications
The Stanford Departments of Neurosurgery and Pathology are requesting applications for a Seed Grant Program to foster novel research in the areas of basic, translational or clinical research related to Parkinson's Disease. Submission deadline is October 9, 2017.
Cureus Journal of Medical Science Allows Doctors to Share Medical Mysteries
Wired Magazine takes a look at the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, a publishing platform created by Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. John Adler, that allows doctors to publish and peer-review articles more easily and in less time.
Neurogenetics Program Celebrates 5th Anniversary
The Stanford Department of Neurosurgery's Clinical Neurogenetic Oncology Program is celebrating its 5th Anniversary. Launched in 2012, the unique program is designed to provide expert care to patients with rare and difficult neurogenetic disorders, in one location.
Stanford Professor of Neurosurgery Explains Biology of Behavior on TED
Primatologist and Professor of Neuroscience and of Neurosurgery, Dr. Robert Sapolsky, examines how human behavior is tied to biology as part of NPR's TEDRadio Hour.
Stanford Professor of Neurosurgery Working to Create Bionic Eye
Dr. E.J. Chichilnisky, Professor of Neurosurgery and Opthalmology is working to create an implantable device, similar to a cochlear implant for deaf people, that would help restore vision for the blind.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Performs 1st Procedure Using Renaissance Robot to Treat Epilepsy
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Casey Halpern, has completed the first procedure using Mazor Robotics Renaissance guidance to treat epilepsy.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Creates Compassion Training Program to Combat Physician Burnout
In an effort to combat physician burnout, medical centers around the country, including Stanford, have begun offering compassion and meditation training for doctors, and patients.
Stanford Neurosurgery Ranked Among Top in the U.S.
In the latest U.S. News & World Report, Stanford Hospital ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the country, and nationally ranked in 13 adult specialties including Neurology & Neurosurgery.
Stanford Neurosurgery Resident Develops New Model for Personalized Glioblastoma Therapy
Resident Dr. Jonathon J. Parker, in collaboration with researchers at the Inova Neuroscience Institute, has developed a new model system that has potential to provide a new platform to personlize therapy and predict which medications glioblastoma tumors will respond to.
Stanford Neurosurgeon Believes There's Hope for McCain and Other GBM Patients
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Anand Veeravagu, discusses his experiences treating patients diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme, and why he believes Senator John McCain can outlast the worst of the prognoses.
Virtual Reality Helps Surgeons, Reassures Patients
Stanford Neurosurgery is using a new virtual reality system to help surgeons prepare for complex surgeries and improve patients experience.
New Text To Guide Surgeons Through Advanced Endonasal Endoscopic Surgery
Stanford neurosurgeon, Dr. Harminder Singh, recently partnered with doctors at Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center, to create a new text that will guide surgeons through endoscopic removal of skull base tumors in children. The advanced, minimally-invasive surgery has been shown to improve patient outcomes and decrease length of post-surgery hospital stay.
CIRM Invests Millions in Treatments for Stroke
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine will award Stanford University’s Dr. Gary Steinberg $5.3 million to complete the pre-clinical studies needed to test his neural cell therapy. CIRM will also award the team at SanBio, led by Dr. Steinberg, almost $20 million to carry out a Phase 2 clinical trial using stem cells to help people suffering from chronic disability following a stroke.
Stanford's Eye-Sync Technology Helping Diagnose Concussions on the Football Field
Eye-Sync, a new virtual reality technology, is the brainchild of Stanford neurosurgeon, Dr. Jamshid Ghajar. The technology can help sports medicine professionals determine whether an athlete needs to be removed from play within a minute.
Optogenetic Stimulation Promotes Persistent Recovery After Stroke
Work is currently being done in our Steinberg Lab aimed at improving stroke recovery, by using an optogenetic technique to specifically stimulate a brain region in the cerebellum after stroke. Results of our recent study were published earlier this month in Scientific Reports.
Stanford Joins Multi-Center SLATE Trial
Stanford Neurosurgery is now enrolling patients for the SLATE (Stereotactic Laser Ablation for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy) study. The SLATE study is designed to evaluate the use of Visualase™ MRI-Guided Laser Ablation System for treatment of patients with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), the most common form of partial or localization-related epilepsy.
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery Receives Stanford School of Medicine Outstanding Honor
Dr. Marion Buckwalter, associate professor of neurosurgery and of neurology and neurological sciences, received the Stanford School of Medicine's 2017 Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Service.
Stanford Neurosurgeons Using Virtual Reality for Training, Teaching, and Preparing for Surgery
The Wall Street Journal explores how doctors at Stanford Health Care are using virtual reality technology as a sophisticated visual tool when preparing patients, during brain surgery, and to train future neurosurgeons.
Stanford Neurosurgeons Use Virtual Reality to Show Patients Their Own Anatomy in 3D
ABC 7 Bay Area News highlights how Stanford neurosurgeons are using virtual reality to help prepare patients for brain surgery.
Team Celebrates Stanford Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center
In 1989, Drs. Greg W. Albers, Gary K. Steinberg, and Michael P. Marks joined forces at Stanford, and set out to achieve the country's first Comprehensive Stroke Center designation. Today, the Stanford team shows off their Center and talks about why they're so proud to work for Stanford's Stroke Center.
Pursuing Parity
In latest issue of Stanford Medicine Magazine, Stanford neurosurgeon, Dr. Odette Harris, and a group of female faculty, discuss how they are using data to make the case for gender equality in academic medicine.
Dr. Gary K. Steinberg Receives Society of Neurological Surgeons' Top Honor
The Society of Neurological Surgeons named Dr. Gary K. Steinberg the 2017 recipient of the international and prestigious WINN Prize, for his outstanding and longstanding commitment and contributions to the field of neurosurgery.
Stanford Neurosurgery's Women Surgeons Join the New Yorker OR Cover Challenge
Joining women surgeons from around the world, Stanford Neurosurgery's women surgeons joined a challenge launched by The New Yorker to replicate the cover art of their 2017 Health, Medicine & the Body issue. The aim of the challenge is to bring visibility to the women and other minority groups working in a traditionally white, male-dominated field. The challenge took the social media world by storm using the hashtags #NYerORCoverChallenge and #ILookLikeASurgeon.
California Declares May 6 Moyamoya Disease Awareness Day
The California Assembly and Senate passed ACR-73, a resolution declaring May 6, 2017 the first Moyamoya Disease Awareness Day in California.
Stanford Stroke Center Re-Certified by The Joint Commission with Prestigious Designation
For the third time in a row, the Stanford Stroke Center was re-certified by The Joint Commission as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center.
PBS News Hour reports on how new technology is allowing people with paralysis to type, just by thinking about it.
Stanford Neurosurgeon, Dr. Jaimie Henderson, tells PBS News Hour about new brain-computing interface technology that is allowing people who are paralyzed to communicate.
Dissolving the Mysteries of the Cytoskeleton
Stanford Neurosurgery’s Brad Zuchero, PhD, led research that resulted in the creation of a new tool, allowing researchers to study the cytoskeleton with greater precision than ever before.
Antibody shown to be safe and effective against five kinds of pediatric brain tumors
Stanford researchers have developed antibodies shown to safely and effectively target five aggressive pediatric brain tumors in new study.
Stem Cell Research Holds the Promise of a Sea Change in Medicine
With the opening of the new Stanford Laboratory for Cell and Gene Medicine, the vast promise of stem cell research grows closer to finding novel treatments for a wide range of maladies, including neurodegenerative disorders.
New Brain-Computer Interface Enables People with Paralysis to Communicate Fast and Accurately
A new clinical research publication led by Stanford’s Jaimie Henderson, MD, demonstrates efficacy of using brain-computer interface to enable people with paralysis to type at fastest most accurate levels ever reported.
Neural Circuit Revealed- Clarifies How Certain Stimuli Affect Pain
Stanford neurosurgeon Gregory Scherrer, PhD, recently published a study revealing a neural circuit in the brain that helps explain how the body uses enkephalins to manage pain in response to certain stimuli, such as stress or meditation.
Breakthrough Treatment for Essential Tremor Now Offered at Stanford
A new, non-invasive treatment using MRI-guided ultrasound is now offered at Stanford to reduce severity of tremors caused by Essential Tremor, a common but little-known brain disorder.
The Rest of America Should Get Concussion Care Like NFL Players
Dr. Jamshid Ghajar, Director of Stanford’s Concussion and Brain Performance Center, comments on how the NFL has advantages over the rest of the nation when it comes to concussion care, and how his research is helping to standardize care for all Americans.
Researchers identify source of opioids’ side effects
Stanford researchers said they have identified the receptors to which opioid drugs bind to produce tolerance and increased sensitivity to pain, as well as a commercially available drug that limited those side effects in mice.
Too Many Medical Trials Are Moonshots In the Dark
In this brilliant Washington Post op-ed, Stanford professor and 2013 Nobel Prize winner Thomas Südhof says that too many clinical trials fail without a fundamental understanding of underlying disease biology. He’s right. The path to cures begins in our basic science laboratories — to find out what goes wrong when someone gets sick, we need to know everything we can about how that illness works.
