Pittsburgh, March 23, 2001 -- In a recent report commissioned by the Pittsburgh Regional Alliance to identify areas of excellence within the life sciences, several department staff members were singled out for their excellent work in neurosurgery. A. Leland Albright, MD (pediatrics), Douglas Kondziolka, MD (cellular transplantation), Donald Marion, MD (head trauma) and L. Dade Lunsford, MD (Gamma Knife) were credited for helping position Pittsburgh as among the elite in neurological care.

The report noted neurosurgeons in other cities cite Pittsburgh as home to some of the top rated neurological activities and specialists in the country. It further stated "that Pittsburgh has shown a leadership position in work related to completely non-invasive procedures such as those in neurological surgery using the gamma knife...this intensity of minimally invasive infrastructure is thought by interviewed physicians to show potential for Pittsburgh becoming a national/international fly-in/fly-out hub for these procedures."

The report also showed the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh as one of the leaders in the number of grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The university as a whole, according to the report, ranks ninth in the country in NIH funding and accounts for more than 85% of total Pittsburgh grants.

Tripp, Umbach & Associates, Inc. produced the report. It was funded by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.