Neurosurgery Faculty

 

Harsimran Brara, MD 
Assistant Clinical Professor

 

Manuel M. Buitrago Blanco, MD, PhD, FAANS 
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurology

Dr. Buitrago Blanco holds a doctoral degree in Neurosciences. As a board certified Neurologist, with training in Neurocritical Care, he specializes in the treatment of patients with brain related emergencies that require intensive care such as trauma, brain hemorrhages, seizures and stroke. Dr. Buitrago Blanco has conducted research to understand the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity that occur during recovery after neuronal injury, utilizing electrophysiology, proteomics and genomics techniques.  More >

 

Melvin Cheatham, MD, FAANS 
Clinical Professor in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

Dr. Melvin Cheatham is a Clinical Professor in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, member of the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery Advisory Board, member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Surgical Neurology International, and assistant in Neurosurgical Development Planning at UCLA.

 

Geoffrey P. Colby, MD, PhD, FAANS 
Associate Professor and Director, Residency Training Program

Dr. Geoffrey P. Colby, Director of Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery at UCLA, is a board-certified and fellowship-trained cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgeon who specializes in blood vessel (vascular) disorders of the brain and spine. These include brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs), subarachnoid hemorrhage, acute stroke, carotid artery stenosis, intracerebral hemorrhage, cavernous malformations, and Moyamoya disease. He offers a comprehensive evaluation and a customized treatment plan based on the most advanced and sophisticated techniques available, including “minimally-invasive” endovascular procedures like flow diversion and coiling.  More >

 

Antonio De Salles, MD, PhD 
Emeritus Professor
 
Dr. Antonio DeSalles focuses on noninvasive techniques of surgery in the management and treatment of inoperable brain tumors using Novalis Shaped Beam Radiosurgery System. Dr. DeSalles also does research and surgery for Parkinsons disease and various movement disorders, as well as surgery for pain.

 

Michael Dorsi, MD
Assistant Professor

Dr. Dorsi is a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon who specializes in the surgical treatment of spinal disorders. He is nationally recognized as a leader in spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of chronic pain. He specializes in spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, disc herniation, failed back surgery syndrome and radiculopathy. More >

 

Duc H. Duong, MD, FAANS 
Clinical Professor

Dr. Duc Duongs interests are in Skull Base approaches to complex intracranial pathology, neurotrauma and epilepsy surgery.

 

Fredric L. Edelman, MD, FAANS 
Clinical Professor

Dr. Fredric Edelman treats all peripheral nerve injury and peripheral nerve tumors, with a special interest in brachial plexus injury.

 

Richard Everson, MD 
Assistant Professor 
 
Dr. Richard Everson is fellowship-trained brain and spine tumor neurosurgeon who specializes in the treatment of malignant brain tumors. His research focuses on the development of novel immunotherapy treatment of brain tumors. Dr. Everson is available for consultation at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.  More >

 

 

Aria Fallah, MD, M.Sc., FRCSC 
Assistant Professor

Dr. Aria Fallah is a fellowship trained pediatric neurosurgeon experienced in the surgical management of neurological disorders affecting infants and children. These include medically intractable epilepsy, brain tumors, vascular malformations, spinal dysraphism, neuro-endoscopic management of hydrocephalus and intracranial arachnoid cysts and other congenital malformations of the central nervous system. He has an advanced degree and expertise in Clinical Epidemiology with an active research interest in surgical outcome studies and advanced decision-making models in pediatric neurosurgery. More >

 

John G. Frazee, MD, FAANS  
Professor 
  
Clinical Professor and Director of the Neuroendoscopy Program. Dr. John Frazee specializes in neurovascular and endoscopic procedures, including minimally-invasive spinal surgery, disc replacement, spinal fusion, and the treatment of such diseases as Meniere's, Hemifacial Spasm, Intracranial Tumors, Aneurysms, and Chiari Malformations.

 

Christopher C. Giza, MD
Professor
Dr. Christopher Giza conducts research investigating the pathobiology of and recovery from developmental traumatic brain injury.  More >

 

Itzhak Fried, MD, PhD, FAANS 
Professor

Dr. Itzhak Frieds research and clinical work is dedicated to the treatment of intractable seizure disorders and epilepsy.  More >

 

Langston T. Holly, MD, FAANS 
Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs 
Dr. Langston Holly is Co-Director of the UCLA Spine Center in Santa Monica and focuses on minimally invasive and image-guided techniques in the surgical management of degenerative, traumatic and neoplastic spinal disorders.  More >

 

Won Kim, MD
Assistant Professor and Quality Officer

Dr. Kim completed his neurosurgical residency training at UCLA with a fellowship in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. His clinical interests include the treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors deep within the brain using a wide variety of surgical modalities to best suit each individual patient and tumor type. Using technologies including the laser ablation of tumors (Visualase), white matter preserving corridor surgery (BrainPath), and stereotactic radiosurgery, he is able to treat many tumors traditionally deemed “inoperable.” More >

 

Jean-Philippe Langevin, MD, FAANS
Assistant Professor
Dr. Jean-Philippe Langevin specializes in the use of neuromodulation to treat movement disorders and in laser-assisted neurosurgical ablations. His research is focused on the use of neuromodulation to optimize recovery after traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder.  More >

  

Todd Lanman, MD 
Clinical Associate Professor

Dr. Lanman is a Clinical Professor in the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

 

Jorge A. Lazareff, MD, FAANS 
Emeritus Professor

Professor of the Pediatric Neurosurgery Program. Dr. Jorge Lazareffs primary focus is the treatment of children with neurosurgical disorders. Dr Lazareff is also involved with the UCLA Global Neuro Health Program.

 

Linda M. Liau, MD, PhD, MBA, FAANS 
Professor and Chair 
Dr. Linda Liau's clinical expertise is in intra-operative functional brain mapping and use of intra-operative imaging for resection of brain tumors (gliomas, meningiomas, and metastatic tumors). Her research efforts are focused on the molecular biology of brain tumors, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and brain cancer vaccines. Dr. Liau is the current Editor-in-Chief of the the Journal of Neuro-Oncology.  More >

 

Daniel Lu, MD, PhD, FAANS, FACS
Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Research 
Dr. Daniel Lu is a member of the Comprehensive Spine Center in Santa Monica. Dr. Lus clinical focus is on minimally invasive techniques in the surgical management of degenerative, traumatic, and neoplastic spinal disorders. His research efforts are focused on the molecular biology and regenerative treatment of traumatic spinal cord and brain injury. Dr. Lu has been named to the Southern California Super Doctors® Rising Stars 2016 list. More >

 

Luke Macyszyn, MD, MA 
Assistant Professor and Associate Residency Training Program Director

Dr. Luke Macyszyn is a fellowship trained neurosurgeon that is known for his expertise in the surgical treatment of scoliosis, spinal deformities, and spine tumors in children as well as adults. He has vast experience treating complex spinal disorders using traditional as well as cutting edge minimally invasive techniques. Dr. Macyszyn’s research focus is on the development of imaging markers that predict patient outcome after surgery.  More >

 

Gary W. Mathern, MD, FAANS 
Professor 

Dr. Gary Mathern works in conjunction with the Epilepsy Program to provide research for children with epilepsy.

 

Shayan Rahman MD 
Assistant Clinical Professor

 

Paul M. Vespa, MD, FCCM, FAANS
Professor of Neurosurgery and Neurology

As a neurologist working within Neurosurgery, Dr. Paul Vespa focuses on critical care for the treatment of neurosurgical and stroke patients.  More >

 

Andrew Vivas, MD
Assistant Professor and Associate Residency Training Program Director

Dr. Andrew Vivas is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at UCLA. He is a board-eligible, dual fellowship trained neurosurgeon specializing in the treatment of adult and pediatric spinal deformities such as scoliosis, kyphosis, kyphoscoliosis, and flatback syndrome. He also treats spinal tumors, cervical spine problems, and degenerative conditions of the spine such as stenosis and spondylolisthesis. In addition to neurosurgical training in minimally invasive spine techniques, Dr. Vivas is one of the few surgeons in the country who has also completed an orthopedic spine fellowship, giving him a unique and multidisciplinary perspective in the treatment of spinal conditions. More >

 

Anthony Wang, MD
Assistant Professor and Associate Residency Training Program Director 

Dr. Wang specializes in pediatric, cerebrovascular, and complex cranial base surgeries, having had the unique experience of fellowship training in each of these subspecialties. Dr. Wang's clinical specialties include pediatric brain tumors, moyamoya disease, aneurysms, skull base tumors, and Chiari malformations. He has also received additional training in scoliosis surgery and brachial plexus surgery. His research focuses on refining immunotherapy for pediatric brain tumors. More >

 

Isaac Yang, MD, FAANS 
Associate Professor 
Dr. Isaac Yang is experienced in the surgical treatment for patients with skull base tumors, acoustic neuromas, meningiomas, astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, anaplastic astrocytomas, and glioblastomas. As a principal investigator at the UCLA Brain Tumor Program, his extensive research interests include optimizing brain tumor clinical outcomes, novel nanoparticles against brain tumors, and experimental glioblastoma therapies like brain tumor vaccines.  More >

 

David A. Hovda, PhD 
Emeritus Professor
 
Dr. David Hovda's research is dedicated to the understanding of the pathobiology of traumatic brain injury and the recovery of function after brain injury. More >

 

Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, PhD
Professor and Director of the Neurotrophic Research Laboratory with secondary appointment in Physiological Science

Dr. Fernando Gomez-Pinilla conducts research on mechanisms of repair following traumatic injury to the brain and spinal cord. More >

 

Neil G. Harris, PhD 
Professor

Dr. Neil Harris is co-scientific director of the new 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy facility and his research is focused on recovery of function after traumatic brain injury. More

 

Mayumi Prins, PhD
Professor, Director BIRC Education Program

Dr. Prins’s research interests include understanding the changes in brain metabolism that occur after pediatric traumatic brain injury and how alternative fuels can be used as therapeutic options for the young brain after head injury. In addition to this main focus, she is interested in repeat mild head injuries as they apply to both children and young adult athletes. More >

 

Robert M. Prins, PhD
Professor

Dr. Robert Prins conducts pre-clinical brain tumor immunotherapy research and Phase I clinical trials for malignant brain tumor patients. More >

 

Nanthia Suthana, PhD
Assistant Professor 
 
Dr. Suthana’s research program aims to develop therapeutic cognitive treatments and tools through the characterization of neuronal mechanisms underlying successful human learning and memory.  More >

 

Gary Duckwiler, MD
Professor
Interventional Neuroradiology and Neurosurgery  More >

 

Anthony P. Heaney, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Endocrinology and Neurosurgery  More >

 

Reza Jahan, MD
Associate Professor
Interventional Neuroradiology and Neurosurgery  More >

 

Scott Krahl, PhD
Associate Professor and Neurophysiologist

Department of Neurosurgery

 

Martin M. Monti, PhD
Associate Professor

Primary Area: Cognitive Psychology, Secondary Area: Behavioral Neuroscience. Research and Teaching Interests: My research focuses on two of the most fundamental aspects of being human: (1) The interplay between language and thought (2) Consciousness and cognition in coma, vegetative and minimally conscious state  More >

 

Nick Shamie, MD 
Professor
Department Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurosurgery  More >

 

Fernando Vinuela, MD
Professor

Professor of Interventional Neuroradiology and Neurosurgery