UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery

UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery The Neurosurgery Department at UCSF is home to leading physicians and scientists dedicated to treati

Our mission is to provide the best clinical care to our patients, investigate the most promising advances in neuroscience research, and train tomorrow's leaders in neurosurgery.

We were honored to have Allan Belzberg, MD, from Johns Hopkins Department of Neurosurgery visit UCSF our 9th Annual Peri...
11/19/2025

We were honored to have Allan Belzberg, MD, from Johns Hopkins Department of Neurosurgery visit UCSF our 9th Annual Peripheral Nerve Teaching Day!

Following Belzberg’s insightful lecture focusing on how his ethos as a clinician scientist informs his neurosurgery practice, the residents had the opportunity to practice surgical approaches for treating peripheral nerve disorders in the Anatomy Learning Center.

A big congratulations to PGY4 resident Reilly Kidwell, MD, this year’s winner of the Best Technical Skills Award! 🎉

Thank you to returning guests Andrew Jack, MD, and Kartik Krishnan, MD, PhD, for joining us for the day! We also wish to thank individuals who donate their bodies and tissues for the advancement of education and research.

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jang Won “Jon” Yoon to the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery and UCSF Health Spine...
11/12/2025

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Jang Won “Jon” Yoon to the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery and UCSF Health Spine Center!

Dr. Yoon is a neurosurgeon with expertise in complex and minimally invasive spine surgery and a growing research program focused on using artificial intelligence to improve surgical outcomes.

He is also a passionate educator and recently taught advanced techniques to our neurosurgery residents at their annual spine and peripheral nerve anatomy labs.

Read our Q&A to learn more about his background, research, and philosophy of patient care → https://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/news/qa-dr-jang-won-jon-yoon-brings-minimally-invasive-spine-innovation-to-ucsf

11/07/2025

Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LiTT) is a minimally invasive neurosurgical technique that allows surgeons to precisely target and ablate tumor tissue.

In this video, pediatric neurosurgeon Winson Ho, MD, explains how LiTT was used to treat a 3-year-old with a brain tumor.

In a new study published in Nature, researchers led by UCSF neuroscientist Tomasz Nowakowski, PhD, have generated a map ...
11/05/2025

In a new study published in Nature, researchers led by UCSF neuroscientist Tomasz Nowakowski, PhD, have generated a map of the human brain that traces the origins of different types of cells.

By leveraging a new sequencing-based clonal barcoding technique, the scientists were able to map the relationships between specific populations of neural stem cells and the cells they mature into in a high-throughput way. This approach helped Nowakowksi’s lab identify a previously unappreciated transition during development when some progenitor cells start making a special class of inhibitory neurons — which are more numerous in humans.

These and other findings in the study help researchers better understand the additional processes that make human brain unique.

This research is part of a series of 12 new studies supported by the National Institutes of Health's Brain Initiative Cell Atlas Network.

“Building on the findings from the adult brain and venturing into the developmental stages is profoundly important because it is going to inform our understanding of the vulnerabilities and mutations which can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders,” Nowakowski said.

Learn more about this NIH-funded research: https://alleninstitute.org/news/scientists-complete-first-drafts-of-developing-mammalian-brain-cell-atlases/https://alleninstitute.org/news/scientists-complete-first-drafts-of-developing-mammalian-brain-cell-atlases/

One-third of patients with epilepsy do not become seizure-free with medication. If anti-seizure medications don’t work, ...
11/04/2025

One-third of patients with epilepsy do not become seizure-free with medication. If anti-seizure medications don’t work, surgery is another treatment option. For patients with seizures that occur in a specific region of the brain (known as focal seizures), safely removing that brain tissue can help reduce seizures.

Learn more about the other surgical treatment options for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2025/09/430761/if-anti-seizure-meds-dont-work-epilepsy-can-surgery-help

🎨 Illustration depicting a craniotomy by Morgan Summerlin.

Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back after brain tumor treatment? Join our upcoming Peer Support Volunteer ...
10/28/2025

Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back after brain tumor treatment? Join our upcoming Peer Support Volunteer Training and learn how to use your lived experience and empathy to support others navigating the challenges of a brain tumor diagnosis.

Register now for the virtual training session: https://calendar.ucsf.edu/event/neuro-oncology-peer-support-volunteer-training

10/27/2025

From riding the waves to walking the stage to receive his master’s degree, Jack’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. Diagnosed with spastic diplegia, he underwent selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery with pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Peter Sun at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in Oakland and worked closely with our rehabilitation team on his road to independence.⁠

“Jack’s story is a great example of the incredible progress we see through our advanced SDR techniques and rehabilitation program. His recovery, like so many of our patients, continues to amaze even me." – Dr. Sun

For over 20 years, our clinic has been California's leading multidisciplinary spasticity clinic, offering a comprehensive approach that includes SDR and inpatient rehabilitation.

On the cover of this month’s issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery, UCSF Health neurosurgeon Edward Chang, MD, PGY6 resid...
10/25/2025

On the cover of this month’s issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery, UCSF Health neurosurgeon Edward Chang, MD, PGY6 resident Anthony Lee, MD, PhD, and their colleagues compare different surgical techniques used to treat trigeminal neuralgia. Their analyses show that transposition approaches, which anchor the blood vessel away from the trigeminal nerve, may offer more long-lasting pain control than the interposition approach.

🎨 Cover illustration by Melissa Logies.

Read the full study here: https://thejns.org/view/journals/j-neurosurg/143/4/article-p970.xml

Publication citation: Lee AT, Morshed RA, Kondapavulur S, Caldwell DJ, Nichols N, Smith G, Wang A, Ward M, Waung MW, Winkler E, Chang EF. Outcome comparison between interposition and "contactless" transposition microvascular decompression approaches for trigeminal neuralgia. J Neurosurg. 2025 May 30;143(4):970-981. doi: 10.3171/2025.2.JNS241831.

We had a great time this past weekend at the Head For The Cure 5K - San Francisco gathering in community to raise hope a...
10/21/2025

We had a great time this past weekend at the Head For The Cure 5K - San Francisco gathering in community to raise hope and awareness for brain tumor research! Proceeds from the event will help support the UCSF Neuro-Oncology Gordon Murray Caregiver Program.

10/20/2025

Craniosynostosis is a condition where a baby’s skull bones fuse too early.

In this short video, learn how early diagnosis and surgical treatment can help support healthy brain and skull development.

Illustrations and narration by Melissa Logies

Save the date for an exciting opportunity to learn and network with experts in the field of neurotrauma! Featuring keyno...
10/20/2025

Save the date for an exciting opportunity to learn and network with experts in the field of neurotrauma! Featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions, and breakout sessions, the Neurotrauma Symposium is a comprehensive, full-day educational program designed for a multidisciplinary audience of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and rehabilitation specialists.

Register now to learn the latest research and advancements in the treatment of brain and spinal injuries: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-neurotrauma-symposium-registration-1485349382989?aff=oddtdtcreator

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