Year in Review: 2024

A Note from Neurosurgery Leadership

Dear Colleagues,

As we close another remarkable year, I am proud to reflect on the continued excellence of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery. Our talented faculty and staff have upheld our mission to deliver exceptional patient care, train future neurosurgical leaders, and drive groundbreaking research.

This year, we remained at the forefront of neurosurgical innovation, offering personalized treatments that reflect our commitment to ingenuity and precision. Collaborations within the University of Pittsburgh and our UPMC hospitals have transformed ideas into therapies, advancing care for patients worldwide.

As we look to the future, I am confident that our collective efforts will continue to redefine what is possible in neurosurgery and improve the lives of patients everywhere. I invite you to explore our highlights page to see examples of the outstanding work and dedication of our faculty. Additionally, I encourage you to consider nominating UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” survey. Your support helps us continue to deliver exceptional care and advance the field of neurosurgery.

With gratitude,

Robert M. Friedlander, MD, MA
Chair, Walter E. Dandy Distinguished Professor

Director, Complex Brain Surgery Program

Co-Director, UPMC Neurological Institute

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside Nationally Recognized for Excellence in Neurology and Neurosurgery

Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside is proud to be nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report for excellence in neurology and neurosurgery.

Spinal Nerve Stimulation Reverses Neuromuscular Disease Progression

Marco Capogrosso, PhD, and Robert Friedlander, MD, were co-corresponding authors of a new study published in Nature Medicine that found that early results from a pilot clinical trial in three human volunteers with spinal muscle atrophy show that one month of regular neurostimulation sessions improved motoneuron function, reduced fatigue and improved strength and walking in all participants, regardless of the severity of their symptoms. The study is first to show that a neurotechnology can be engineered to reverse degeneration of neural circuits and rescue cell function in a human neurodegenerative disease.

Dr. Maroon Honored at Chuck Noll Foundation’s Event

Joseph Maroon, MD, Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, along with Mark Lovell, PhD, founding director of the UPMC Sports Concussion Program, received the first-ever Legends of Excellence Award from The Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research at the foundation’s inaugural Legends Unite event, held November 18 at Acrisure Stadium’s Hall of Honor Museum in Pittsburgh. The award honored Drs. Maroon and Lovell for their groundbreaking contributions to concussion and brain injury research.

New Grants for PM&R and Neurological Surgery Department Researchers

One of the first two grants awarded by the Hunter TBI Program, each in the amount of $100,000, went to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine faculty Marco Capogrosso, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Neurological Surgery.

Dr. Capogrosso’s research primarily focuses on developing new neurotechnologies to stimulate electrodes implanted in the brains of individuals who have experienced a spinal cord injury or stroke to allow them to regain control of their hands after paralysis.

Pitt Study is First to Record Signs of Concussion in Slap Fighters

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine experts analyzed visible signs of concussion in individuals participating in professional slap fighting competitions and reported the results in a paper published in JAMA Surgery. As the first academic study to provide a quantifiable assessment of the possible dangers associated with this activity, the findings offer a starting point for conversations around necessary regulations to ensure participants' long-term health and well-being. Raj Swaroop Lavadi, MBBS, postdoctoral research fellow, was the lead author and Nitin Agarwal, MD, associate professor of neurosurgery, was the senior author.

UPMC Part of First Clinical Trial in U.S. for Photodynamic Therapy

Jan Drappatz, MD, and Costas Hadjipanyis, MD, PhD, review a case of a neuro-oncology patient at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and discuss how UPMC Hillman serves as a site for the first clinical trial in the U.S. for photodynamic therapy to treat glioblastoma in this article.

UPMC Pituitary Center of Excellence Spotlight

Our Pituitary Center of Excellence is a UPMC Health Plan recognized center with a team of pituitary tumor experts including neurosurgeons, pediatric neurosurgeons, neuroendocrinologists, otolaryngologists, neuroradiologists and neuro-ophthalmologists. Together this team provides multidisciplinary care for pituitary tumors, offering cutting edge care for these diseases. Together with the UPMC Health Plan, they track specific outcomes to ensure that patients get the best care available in the region and the world. Pituitary Centers of Excellence like this have been proven to provide better outcomes, with long term disease control. Our experts can even work with local doctors to guide care wherever it is needed.

Neurosurgeons:

Paul Gardner, MD - Co-Director, Center for Skull Base Surgery, Department of Neurological Surgery
Georgios Zenonos, MD - Co-Director, Center for Skull Base Surgery, Department of Neurological Surgery
Costas Hadjipanyis, MD, PhD - Director, Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery
L. Dade Lunsford, MD - Pioneer, Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
Ajay Nirajan, MD - Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Potential New Therapeutic Target for Diffuse Midline Glioma

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and several other institutions have identified a potential new therapeutic target for treating diffuse midline gliomas (DMG), highly aggressive pediatric brain tumors, including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, that currently have limited treatment options, dismal prognosis, and have nearly 100% mortality within five years of diagnosis.

The study, titled “An ERK5-PFKFB3 Axis Regulates Glycolysis and Represents a Therapeutic Vulnerability in Pediatric Diffuse Midline Glioma,” was published in Cell Reports.

Sameer Agnihotri, PhD, associate professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh, who directs the Brain Tumor Biology and Therapy Lab at UPMC Children’s was the study’s senior and corresponding author.

Brain Cell Atlas Offers Precision Medicine Framework for TBI Treatment

A multidisciplinary group of investigators at the University of Pittsburgh and Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix created an interactive molecular atlas of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, in mice, which may help doctors use precision medicine to target treatments for TBI patients in the future. This research was published in Neuron.

Gary Kohanbash, PhD, assistant professor of neurological surgery and expert on single-cell RNA sequencing and brain tumor biology in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Pitt was one of the study's co-senior authors.

Case Report on Pediatric Paraspinal Desmoid Tumor

A multidisciplinary team from the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery, the Department of Pathology at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at UPMC Children’s published a case report in the Asian Journal of Neurosurgery on a case of a 9-year-old patient with a paraspinal desmoid tumor with no prior surgical history.

Dr. Friedlander Authors New Review on Chiari Malformation in NEJM

Robert M. Friedlander, MD, has authored a new review article on Chiari malformation in The New England Journal of Medicine. The review, titled “Congenital and Acquired Chiari Syndrome” was published on June 19, 2024.

Bedside Blood Concussion Test Detects Traumatic Brain Injuries

David Okonkwo, MD, PhD, has spent two decades developing technologies and treatments to transform management of concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and complex spinal disorders.

His innovation and commercialization efforts have resulted in several medical devices and tests, including the Abbott i-STAT TBI blood test, which helps clinicians evaluate patients 18 years of age and older who show mild traumatic brain injury symptoms.

UPMC Children’s Cancer Researcher Receives RK Mellon Institute Award

Baoli Hu, PhD, associate professor of Neurological Surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was awarded a 2024 Richard King Mellon Institute for Pediatric Research Award to support his research on pediatric brain cancer.

Novel Clinical Trial – First in United States – to Begin at UPMC and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center to Treat Glioblastoma with Innovative Photodynamic Therapy

A first of its kind clinical trial in the United States to treat glioblastoma launched in early 2024 at UPMC and the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, which combines intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT) with the drug Pentalafen^® and a new laser device Heliance^®, both, developed by the French company, Hemerion ^{Therapeutics®,} sponsor of the clinical trial.

Leading the clinical trial at UPMC is principal investigator Jan Drappatz, MD, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology/Oncology. Dr. Drappatz also serves as director of the Adult Neuro-Oncology Program and holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Neurology. The neurosurgery co-investigator of the trial is Costas G. Hadjipanayis, MD, PhD, executive vice-chairman and L. Dade Lunsford Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh where he also is the director of the Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery.

Precision and Progress: UPMC’s Gamma Knife^®Legacy and the Future of Image-Guided Neurosurgery

UPMC has been a pioneer in image-guided neurosurgery and the use of the Gamma Knife since the early 1980s. In 1981, L. Dade Lunsford, MD, now the Lars Leksell and Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh, orchestrated the world’s first installation of an intraoperative CT scanner at UPMC Presbyterian, kickstarting a revolution in image-guided surgery.

13 UPMC Neurosurgeons Recognized on Top Doctors List

These physicians are part of the Top Doctors® list, which is compiled by Castle Connolly. The Castle Connolly Top Doctor selection process is entirely merit-based with peer-to-peer nominations and a rigorous research process.

View a full list of publications from the Department of Neurological Surgery.

UPMC-Pitt trial offers hope for patients with rare neurodegenerative diseases

(Marco Capogrosso, PhD)
WTAE
February 19, 2025

A spine-zapping implant helped 3 people with a muscle-wasting disease walk better

(Marco Capogrosso, PhD)
AP News
February 5, 2025

Purposeful. Powerful.
(Marco Capogrosso, PhD)
PittMed
Fall 2024

How to Effectively Train Neurosurgery Residents
(D. Kojo Hamilton, MD)
CNS Optimizing Neurosurgical Practice podcast
November 1, 2024

World Rugby uses Prevent Biometrics mouth guards to collect data on head impacts
(Joseph Maroon, MD)
Sports Business Journal
October 28, 2024

Campeonato de Tapa na Cara de dono do UFC resulta em danos cerebrais nos lutadores, aponta estudo
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
Estadão (Brazil)
October 19, 2024

Brain injury patients gain arm, hand strength with deep brain stimulation, Pitt study finds
(Jorge González-Martínez, MD, PhD)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
October 19, 2024

Exclusive: Neurosurgeons React to Power Slap & Respond to Dana White
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
si.com
October 18, 2024

Video Analysis of Concussion Among Slap Fighting Athletes
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
NYU Doctor Radio
Sirius-XM Channel 110
October 10, 2024

30 Years of Cognitive Shifts
(Avniel Ghuman, PhD)
Carnegie Mellon University
October 7, 2024

Instant Improvement: Revolutionary Brain Tech Offers New Hope for Stroke and Injury Recovery
(Jorge A. González-Martínez, MD, PhD)
SciTechDaily
October 7, 2024

Medical Experts Raise Red Flags Over Dana White's Power Slap
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
si.com
October 6, 2024

Deep Brain Stimulation Restores Arm Strength After Stroke
(Jorge A. González-Martínez, MD, PhD)
NeuroscienceNews.com
October 2, 2024

Deep brain stimulation shows immediate improvement in arm and hand function post-brain injury, study finds
(Jorge A. González-Martínez, MD, PhD)
msn.com
October 2, 2024

Deep brain stimulation instantly improves arm and hand function post-brain injury
(Jorge A. González-Martínez, MD, PhD)
ScienceDaily.com
October 1, 2024

'It's barbaric': Pitt study quantifies concussions in slap fighting
(Joseph Maroon, MD; Nitin Agarwal, MD)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
September 27, 2024

Competitive slap fighting exposed: First study finds 78% show signs of brain injuries
(Joseph Maroon, MD; Nitin Agarwal, MD)
StudyFinds.org
September 26, 2024

Study Says Almost 80% of Slap Fighting Contenders at Risk of Brain Damage
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
Men's Health
September 25, 2024

Slap Fighting Study Raises Concerns Over Brain Injuries - Muscle & Fitness
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
Muscle & Fitness
September 25, 2024

Neurosurgeons sound alarm over concerning levels of brain trauma in slap fighting matches
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
ZME Science
September 24, 2024

Slap fighting causes high risk of brain injury, doctors call for safeguards over alarming concussion rates
(Joseph Maroon, MD; Nitin Agarwal, MD)
msn.com
September 23, 2024

Unique new sport, 'slap fighting,' could cause serious brain damage
(Joseph Maroon, MD)
local12.com (WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, Ohio)
September 22, 2024

Medics fear that slap fighting will lead to brain damage
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
Female First
September 20, 2024

'They're soft': Local 'slap fighter' brushes off concerns raised by Pitt neurological researchers
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
WTAE-TV
September 20, 2024

Inside bizarre world of slap fighting: How 'ultimate test of toughness' has gained millions of followers and celebrity fans - as competitors are warned they risk brain damage
(Joseph Maroon, MD; Nitin Agarwal, MD)
dailymail.com (London, England)
September 19, 2024

First academic study on slap fighting highlights risks to participants' neurological health
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
ScienceDaily
September18, 2024

Pittsburgh researchers publish study to record signs of concussion in slap fighters
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
KDKA-TV
September 18, 2024

Face it, slap fighters told, your brains are taking a beating too
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
The Times (London, England)
September 18, 2024

Concussion warning over face-slap fighting
(Joseph Maroon, MD; Nitin Agarwal, MD)
BBC
September 18, 2024

Slap fighting may be fun to watch but it's not great for the participants' brains
(Nitin Agarwal, MD)
consumeraffairs.com
September 18, 2024

Detecting hidden brain injuries
(David Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
Nature
August 29, 2024

Dr. Maroon to Newsmax: Biden Should End Reelection Bid
(Joseph Maroon, MD)
Newsmax
July 12, 2024

Imperial man is 1st in United States to get experimental treatment for brain cancer
(Costas Hadjipanayis, MD, PhD)
WPXI-TV (Pittsburgh)
July 11, 2024

A neurosurgeon explains the dangers of marijuana
(Jospeh Maroon, MD)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
June 27, 2024

New Treatment Options Open Up for Young People With Epilepsy
(Taylor J. Abel, MD)
usnews.com
May 16, 2024

Stroke Awareness
(Bart Thaci, MD)
WHP-580 News Radio (Harrisburg, Pa.)
May 11, 2024

‘I want to die “young” as late as possible,’ says 83-year-old triathlete doctor and professor who reinvented himself after a midlife crisis
(Joseph Maroon, MD)
Dow Jones Market Watch
May 6, 2024

Our view | A better view
(Or Cohen-Inbar, MD, PhD)
Cumberland Times-News
April 29, 2024

Healthbeat: Local neurosurgeon helps develop ‘all-in-one’ instrument set
(Or Cohen-Inbar, MD, PhD)
Cumberland Times-News,
April 28, 2024.

UPMC Western Maryland launches monthly conference
(Or Cohen-Inbar, MD, PhD)
The Garrett County Republican
April 25, 2024

New blood test could diagnose traumatic brain injuries quickly
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
WPXI-TV
April 25, 2024

Ryan Shazier Had Not Expected To Play In Game Where He Suffered Tragic Spinal Injury
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
steelersdepot.com
April 21, 2024

Recovering from a Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
TheAthleteSpine
April 20, 2024

Rapid concussion blood test gets FDA approval, could be used on sidelines in future
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
nbcsports.com
April 18, 2024

FDA approves sideline concussion testing instrument
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
Sports Business Journals
April 18, 2024

FDA approves rapid concussion blood test
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
Football Scoop
April 18, 2024

Pitt Leads Breakthrough in Concussion Research
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
Sports Illustrated
April 18, 2024

Pitt Research Team Makes Breakthrough in Diagnosing Concussions
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD; Ava Puccio, PhD)
Pittsburgh Sports Now
April 18, 2024

A bedside blood concussion test, with Pitt research, finds FDA approval
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD; Ava Puccio, PhD)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
April 18, 2024

Rapid Concussion Blood Test Researched by Steelers' Neurologist Approved by FDA
(David O. Okonkwo, MD, PhD)
Bleacher Report
April 18, 2024

Lower Cranial Nerve Schwannomas: Cohort Study and Systemic Review
(Paul A. Gardner, MD)
CNS Journal Podcast
April 17, 2024

Are smart mouthguards the answer to better concussion protocols?
(Vincent Miele, MD)
The Washington Post
April 2, 2024

Collaborative Research Shapes the Future of Assistive Tech
(Marco Capogrosso, PhD)
U.S. News & World Report
April 2, 2024

UPMC in Central Pa. offers team approach to spine care
(Bryan Bolinger, DO; John Braca, MD; Bart Thaci, MD; Vinayak Narayan, MD)
Central Penn Business Journal
April 1, 2024

UPMC launches new spine care program in Central Pa.
(Bryan Bolinger, DO; John Braca, MD; Bart Thaci, MD; Vinayak Narayan, MD)
WHTM-TV.com (Harrisburg, Pa.)
March 25, 2024

Dr. Maroon, Surgeon to the Stars, Reflects on Career at Martins Ferry Chamber Dinner
(Joseph Maroon, MD)
The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register
March 19, 2024

New Point Park University trustee began a firefighter and became a neurosurgeon
(Daryl Fields II)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
February 29, 2024

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Stroke Victims
(Marco Capogrosso, PhD)
American Medicine Today
March 2, 2024

Dr. Joseph Maroon to Newsmax: Biden's 'Mild Cognitive Impairment' Concerning
(Joseph Maroon, MD)
Newsmax
February 20, 2024

An 83-year-old neurosurgeon who does triathlons has 3 tips for younger people who want to be as fit and healthy as him
(Joseph Maroon, MD)
Business Insider
January 30, 2024

View the full list of news articles featuring faculty from the Department.

UPMC Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery Participated in AES
- The UPMC Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery had a prominent presence at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society (AES), taking place from December 6 to 10 in Los Angeles, California.

2024 EEG and Epilepsy in Clinical Practice Event Review
- Procirca hosted the 2024 EEG and Epilepsy in Clinical Practice course September 27 to 28, 2024.

UPMC Department of Neurosurgery Presentations at AANS 2024
- Department faculty and residents participated in a number of presentations, lectures and clinics at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting in Chicago, May 3-6. The theme of this year's meeting was "What Matters." For a complete list of all presentations at this year's conference, please visit the AANS 2024 Annual Meeting website.

The Role of Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery | UPMC
- In this CME, Taylor Abel, MD, chief of pediatric neurosurgery at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, discusses the importance of increasing knowledge around pediatric epilepsy surgery and reviews when to refer to an epileptologist or Level 4 Epilepsy Center. He also describes the indications and benefits of pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Fluorescence-Guided Surgery for Glioblastoma: An Established Approach | UPMC
- In this CME, Costas G. Hadjipanayis, MD, PhD, discusses the current standard of care for adult gliomas, the unmet needs of glioma surgery, the current technology utilized during glioma surgery, and more.

Comprehensive Endoscopic Endonasal Course
- This four-day course teaches the surgical techniques and anatomy for endoscopic endonasal surgery of the ventral skull base. Experts on the subject will present the anatomical indications and technical aspects of the procedure along with the risks, benefits, and outcomes. This course is sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences, the Department of Neurological Surgery, the Department of Otolaryngology, and the UPMC Center for Cranial Base Surgery.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Course
- The online Gamma Knife^® training course, “Principles and Practice of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery,” is targeted at neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, fellows, and residents interested in stereotactic radiosurgery. Through participation in this Gamma Knife training program, registrants should obtain knowledge about the practical aspects of stereotactic radiosurgery using the Leksell Gamma Knife. Principles of radiation physics and radiobiology, as they apply to single-session, focused, small volume irradiation will be covered. Registrants should be able to create radiosurgery dose plans for brain tumors, vascular malformations and trigeminal neuralgia. The course is presented by the Department of Neurological Surgery and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Center for Continuing Education in the Health Science.

Traumatic Brain Injury Blood Test | UPMC Physician Resources

Traumatic brain injury is a major public health issue, affecting more than 50 million people worldwide each year. Now, a breakthrough rapid blood test has gained FDA approval to help in the earlier diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injuries, which could be difficult to detect until the injury progresses and symptoms become harder to treat. This story features UPMC Director of Neurotrauma David Okonkwo, MD, PhD.

Password Reset

Year in Review: 2024

A Note from Neurosurgery Leadership

UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside Nationally Recognized for Excellence in Neurology and Neurosurgery

View a full list of publications from the Department of Neurological Surgery.

Follow Us