2024 at Duke Neurosurgery
Milestones and Innovations: A Message from the Chair
Reflecting on the past year at Duke Neurosurgery, I am filled with gratitude for the achievements and milestones reached this year. It’s been a year of innovation, dedication, and progress, marking significant advancements in patient care, research, and community impact.
We were honored to be among the first sites in the United States to treat patients with interneuron transplantation for epilepsy, a groundbreaking procedure that holds promise for those suffering from this debilitating condition.
Our functional team has made tremendous strides, treating our 100th patient (and counting) with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for essential tremor. This non-invasive treatment option continues to improve the quality of life for many individuals suffering from this condition.
The Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis successfully established Brain and Spine Metastasis Awareness Month. This initiative is a testament of our commitment to advocate for patients and caregivers, raise awareness, and drive forward the national conversation.
The Brain Tumor Center celebrated a significant victory in the fight against low-grade glioma with the FDA approval of a targeted drug that was shown in clinical trials to more than double progression-free survival. This marks the seventh drug with Duke roots to receive FDA approval, underscoring our role in pioneering life-saving treatments.
We established the Duke Pituitary Center, a new approach to pituitary disorders, teaming up with colleagues in the departments of Head and Neck Surgery, Endocrinology, and Ophthalmology to offer patients the one-stop, multidisciplinary care.
These achievements and many more are a testament to the innovation and unwavering dedication of our faculty, staff, and supporters. As we look to the future, we remain committed to pushing the boundaries of neurosurgical care and research, always with a patient-centered approach.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. As chair, I couldn't be more proud of our team. Together, we will continue to make strides to advance the field.
Gerald Grant, MD
The Allan H. Friedman Distinguished Professor
Chair, Department of Neurosurgery at Duke University
2024 by the Numbers
National Institutes of Health Funding
In 2023, the eight NIH-funded principal investigators in the Duke Dept. of Neurosurgery received $9.5 million in NIH funding. This number puts Duke #7 among neurosurgery departments in terms of funding.
9 Divisions and Centers
- Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Division
- Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis
- Functional Division
- Global Neurosurgery and Neurology Division
- Pediatrics Division
- Duke Pituitary Center
- Peripheral Nerve Center
- Spine Division
- The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke
36 Events
Including two symposia, two research retreats, twenty-two visiting professors, and four department-wide celebrations
Philanthropy
- $21.4 million in new commitments of private support, FY24
- $5 million commitment to support glioblastoma clinical research
- $2,580,900 raised through Angels Among Us 5K and Fun Run
2024 Milestones
Duke University celebrates 100 years.
Duke Neurosurgery is one of the first sites in the United States to treat a patient with interneuron transplantation for epilepsy.
A targeted drug for low-grade glioma was approved by the FDA. The drug was shown in clinical trials to more than double progression-free survival. It is the seventh drug with Duke roots approved by the FDA.
A Duke neurosurgeon is celebrated for hitting the 200-case milestone for laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) cases.
An anonymous donor makes a $50 million gift to Duke toward the development of a proton beam therapy center. The donation is the largest philanthropic gift received by Duke University Health System and promises great impact for brain tumor patients.
In a ranking by Newsweek magazine of all neurosurgery programs in the world, Duke Dept. of Neurosurgery is ranked #23.
Among departments of neurosurgery in the US, Duke ranks #7 in National Institutes of Health funding.
Duke Neurosurgery’s functional team treats their 100th patient with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for essential tremor.
Duke Regional Hospital, part of the Duke University Health System, was named the #1 acute care hospital in the United States by the Lown Institute, an independent think tank. The ranking recognizes high scores on measures of equity metrics, such as racial inclusivity and pay equity, alongside more traditional outcomes measures.
Working with Congresswoman Valerie Foushee, the Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis establishes national Brain and Spine Metastasis Awareness Month, on behalf of all patients and caregivers.
Special Honors
MUHAMMAD ABD-EL-BARR, MD, PHD
Promoted to the rank of professor in the Department of Neurosurgery
CLIFFORD CRUTCHER, MD, was accepted into the Emerging Leaders course from the Cervical Spine Research Society as well as the Duke Clinical Leadership Program
PETER FECCI, MD, PHD
Named to the prestigious American Academy of Neurological Surgery
RORY GOODWIN, MD, PHD
Honored by the Duke School of Medicine with the Research Mentoring Award: Mentoring Excellence Award in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
SIMON GREGORY, PHD,
Named the Margaret Harris and David Silverman Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery at Duke University
STEPHEN HARWARD, MD, PHD
Named the Whitehead Scholar by the Duke School of Medicine, in recognition of exceptional potential for research and research training in the biomedical sciences
DAVID HASAN, MD
Recipient of the Golden Neuron Award from the World Academy of Neurosurgery
JORDAN KOMISAROW, MD
Named Vice Chair for Clinical Operations
WONJAE LEE, MD
One of 13 recipients of the New Investigator Award from the Alzheimer’s Association as well as a Borden Scholar award for glioblastoma research.
GISELLE LOPEZ, MD, PHD
Named to the American Society of Clinical Pathology's 40 Under 40, in recognition of achievements and leadership qualities that are making an impact on pathology and laboratory medicine
JUSTIN LOW, PHD
Recipient of the 2024 Physician-Scientist Strong Start Award from Duke University School of Medicine
QUINN OSTROM, PHD
Named to the list of Clarivate’s Most Highly Cited Scientists for the second year in a row
KATHERINE PETERS, MD, PHD
Promoted to professor with tenure in Duke University's Department of Neurosurgery; awarded the WiN Mentorship Award at the SNO annual meeting this month; elected to represent the department on the Clinical Sciences Faculty Council; elected chair of the American Academy of Neurology, to begin in 2025.
DEREK SOUTHWELL, MD, PHD
NIH Director’s New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health: A $1.5 million grant to fund his project, “Exploring cortical inhibitory circuit design in the human brain,” which will investigate the cellular properties and circuit functional roles of human cortical interneurons.
CHRISTOPHER SHAFFREY, MD
Awarded the Harvey Cushing Medal by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at their 2024 annual meeting.
KHOI THAN, MD
Named to the Scoliosis Research Society's leadership program called LEAD (Leadership, Education, and Development); promoted to the rank of professor.
National News Stories
Vorasidenib, a new therapy for glioma, receives FDA approval, August 2024
MSN News, Neurology Live, Targeted Oncology, Cure, AARP Espanol, Survivor, NC State Journal, NC Biotech Center, Triangle Business Journal, City Biz, NC Medical Society, ABC and CBS local TV affiliates
Advancements in metastatic cancer treatments offer new hope to patients / Brain and Spine Metastasis Awareness Month Campaign, June 2024
ABC7 Chicago, ABC11 Raleigh-Durham
Brain and CNS tumors are the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults, May 2024 Quinn Ostrom, PhD, senior author
NCI Connect, Clarivate’s Most Highly Cited Scientists
Study finds link between cannabis use and some childhood cancers Kyle Walsh, PhD, January 2024
ABC7 New York, ABC11 Raleigh-Durham
New advances in deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s, Dennis Turner, MD, January 2024
US News and World Report/HealthDay
Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast, “Revisionist History,” Jordan Komisarow, MD, interviewed regarding gun trauma, Sept. 26, 2023
David Hasan, MD, travels to Gaza to provide health care, 2023-24
NBC News, MSN News, NPR, SBS News, CNN, Good Morning America
Breakthrough procedure eases tremors with ultrasound, Stephen Harward, MD, PhD, and Nandan Lad, MD, PhD, 2023-2024
WRAL, FOX Carolina
New Faculty Hires, 2024
Stephanie Greene, MD, was named chief of pediatric neurosurgery and professor of neurosurgery and pediatrics in the Duke Department of Neurosurgery in April 2024. Greene is an expert in pediatric vascular neurosurgery and congenital neurosurgical disorders.
Kristen Jones, MD, an internationally recognized spinal deformity neurosurgeon, named associate professor in the departments of Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Surgery in June 2024. She specializes in complex spine surgery, including scoliosis and spinal deformity.
David Huie, MD, former Duke Neurosurgery resident, has joined the faculty in the Spine Division in June 2024. Huie has a clinical interest in the management of spine disorders, with a particular interest in endoscopic spine surgery.
Spine surgeon Parastou “Paras” Fatemi Quist, MD, joined the faculty of the Duke Neurosurgery as assistant professor in August 2024. Quist treats patients with a wide range of spinal disorders, with a focus on adult degenerative conditions and deformity. She has a dual appointment in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Amanda Jenson, MD, joined the faculty of the Duke Department of Neurosurgery in the Pediatric Neurosurgery Division in August 2024. Jenson’s clinical practice focuses on brain and spinal cord tumors, tethered cord, spinal dysraphism, hydrocephalus, chiari malformation, craniosynostosis, and epilepsy.
Yi Zhang, PhD, joined the faculty as assistant professor on January 1, 2024. Zhang’s lab focuses on computational biology, bioinformatics, and machine learning in genomics. She is a faculty member in the Brain Tumor Omics Program in the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke, and holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics.