University of Pittsburgh Neurosurgery

12/04/2025

Congratulations to Hansen Deng for his selection as a 2025 AO Spine North America Davos Fellow at the recent AO Spine Advanced Course—Cervical Spine: Dealing with Complex, Revision and Deformity Problems—in Davos, Switzerland.

This program brings together emerging spine surgeons from around the world for advanced education, case-based learning, and direct interaction with experienced AO faculty. Participants engage in expert-led discussions, hands-on sessions, and a dedicated social and educational program designed specifically for AO SNA fellows. The Davos courses offer a valuable opportunity to learn alongside international peers and deepen involvement in the AO community.

https://www.neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/deng-selected-ao-spine-na-davos-fellow

12/02/2025

University of Cambridge/Fang-Cheng Yeh study shows that our neural wiring evolves through five major stages from birth to late old age—shaping how we learn, think, and age. These phases are separated by sudden turning points that mark big shifts in how the brain is organized. The most surprising discovery is that adolescent-style development lasts into our early thirties. The work helps explain changing abilities and risks at different points in life.

A large study of brain scans shows that our neural wiring evolves through five major stages from birth to late old age. These phases are separated by sudden turning points that mark big shifts in how the brain is organized. The most surprising discovery is that adolescent-style development lasts int...

11/24/2025

The neurosurgery team of Nitin Agarwal, Shaunak Patil, Janam Patel and Ayesha Waheed was one of three teams selected for runner-up awards at the recent University of Pittsburgh’s Sustainability in Healthcare Challenge competition for their project “Closing the Loop: A Multi-Layer Mask System to Capture, Convert, and Neutralize Anesthetic Gases.” https://www.neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/neurosurgery-team-runner-pitt-challenge

11/21/2025

Abigail Crum and Nitin Agarwal have published a new book, Neurosurgery Fundamentals for Advanced Practice Providers, that provides a strategic, practical, and a complete guide for building high-performing neurosurgical teams. https://www.neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/agarwal-co-edits-book-building-neurosurgical-teams

11/14/2025

David Okonkwo receives high praise in Post-Gazette article for Asante Samuel's spinal fusion surgery and star cornerback's clearance to play football again.

Asante Samuel Jr. checked into a Pittsburgh hospital in April for the first surgery of his life, so naturally, there were some nerves. But Samuel actually...

11/13/2025

84-year-old, neurosurgeon, author, and eight-time Ironman athlete Dr. Joseph Maroon joins Assisted Living Magazine to share how simple habits, purpose, and perspective can transform the aging process.

At 84 years old, neurosurgeon, author, and eight-time Ironman athlete Dr. Joseph Maroon embodies what it means to age with vitality. After four decades with the Pittsburgh Steelers and a lifetime dedicated to brain and longevity research, Dr. Maroon joined Assisted Living Magazine to share how simpl...

11/13/2025

Congratulations to Joseph Garcia for taking the top presentation award at the 20th Anniversary Stuart Rowe Society Lectureship and Research Day. Prateek Agarwal and Hansen Deng shared runner-up awards.

Honored guest Edward Chang—professor and chair of neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco—gave a great talk on "Discovering the Source Code of the Human Mind" at evening reception at Pittsburgh's Duquesne Club.

https://www.neurosurgery.pitt.edu/news/garcia-takes-top-rowe-presentation-award

11/13/2025

Stuart Niles Rowe Professor Jorge González-Martínez and department chair Robert Friedlander welcome Edward Chang as the 2025 Stuart Rowe Society guest lecturer. It was an honor to host Dr. Chang at our 20th anniversary event, honoring the founding father of neurosurgery in Pittsburgh.

11/12/2025

Samuel Adida accepts first place award for BioForce Spine in the University of Pittsburgh 2025 Wells Student HealthTech Challenge. The award recognizes the start-up company's innovative work to immobilize bone morphogenetic protein directly onto interbody fusion devices.

The project was developed by Sam, Joseph Hudson, Joseph Maroon, and Nitin Agarwal, along with collaborators in the Department of Chemistry.

The Wells Student HealthTech Challenge is sponsored by the Michael G. Wells Entrepreneurial Scholars Fund and is for University of Pittsburgh students who are developing innovations related to the healthcare field.

11/10/2025

SPOTLIGHT: Costas G. Hadjipanayis—director of the University of Pittsburgh Brain Tumor Nanotechnology Lab and executive vice chair of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery—highlights some exciting new brain tumor research and treatment projects—such as photo dynamic therapy—underway at UPMC and Pitt. Learn more about the Brain Tumor Nanotechnology Lab at https://www.neurosurgery.pitt.edu/research/labs/brain-tumor-nanotechnology

11/08/2025

Another fantastic turnout for this week's UPMC Center for Cranial Base Surgery's Comprehensive Endoscopic Endonasal Course. Learn more about this four-day course at https://neurosurgery.pitt.edu/training/comprehensive-endoscopic-skull-base-surgery-course

11/05/2025

Doppler ultrasound is the standard for mapping the superficial temporal artery (STA) during extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery. Mixed reality (MR) offers a novel alternative by providing patient-specific anatomic overlays to better visualize the STA.

Mixed reality can map the superficial temporal artery in EC–IC bypass surgery with comparable accuracy to Doppler ultrasonography, but in a fraction of the time, demonstrating its potential to optimize cerebrovascular neurosurgical workflows.

Read the proof-of-concept study undertaken by the University of Pittsburgh Surreality Lab in World Neurosurgery at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878875025009209