Pittsburgh, January 26, 2024 -- Costas G. Hadjipanayis, MD, PhD, director of the UPMC Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery and co-director of the UPMC Brain Tumor Center at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, has been conferred as the inaugural incumbent of the L. Dade Lunsford Endowed Chair at the University of Pittsburgh. The chair is named after the world-renowned expert in stereotactic radiosurgery, L. Dade Lunsford, MD, who brought the first Gamma Knife in North America to the University of Pittsburgh in 1987 and established the university as an international leader for stereotactic radiosurgery treatment, education and research for over 40 years.
In announcing the conferral, University of Pittsburgh chair of neurosurgery Robert Friedlander, MD, said, "Dr. Hadjipanayis is an influential figure in neurosurgery where he serves in multiple leadership positions for our national neurosurgery societies. He is the incoming chair of the AANS/CNS Joint Tumor Section, beginning his two-year term this spring leading the largest group of neurosurgical oncologists globally. He is also the chair of the Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS) Research Subcommittee where he has established the Neurosurgeon Scientist Training Program (NSTP). One of Dr. Hadjipanayis’s most impactful accomplishments was leading the FDA approval of 5-ALA in the United States, which is now commonly used for fluorescence-guided surgery of malignant brain tumors.
"Dr. Hadjipanayis completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh and simultaneously obtained a PhD, with Dr. Lunsford as his most influential mentor. He has been a successful neurosurgeon-scientist with almost continuous NIH funding since his residency and leads the Brain Tumor Nanotechnology Laboratory at the Hillman Cancer Center. He currently serves as executive vice-chair in our department and co-director of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Brain Tumor Center.
"Dr. L. Dade Lunsford, prior chair of our Department of Neurological Surgery, is without question one of the most transformative neurosurgeons of our era. Among Dr. Lunsford's many contributions to neurosurgery are the integration of advanced imaging techniques into the operating room and the implementation of the of broad use and applications of the Gamma Knife. He has led the entire field of stereotactic radiosurgery to become key components of our specialty. Dr. Lunsford led the Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery for 42 years and has now passed on the leadership of this important center to Dr. Hadjipanayis.
"The funding of the L. Dade Lunsford Chair in neurosurgery was accomplished by genreous donations from many of Dr. Lunsford's friends, former residents and grateful patients."
With the establishment of the Lunsford chair, the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery now has eight endowed chair holders.