James Cushing Bayley, MD

James Cushing Bayley, MD joined the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery in 2023 as an assistant professor specializing in spinal oncology and peripheral nerve disorders. A native of Boston, he attended Harvard College, earning a degree in applied mathematics, and received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Dr. Bayley completed his residency in neurological surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in 2023. During residency, he completed subspecialty training in neurosurgical oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center with a focus on spinal oncology. Based on his experiences at MD Anderson, Dr. Bayley is building a multidisciplinary center at UPMC, including practitioners from orthopaedic oncology, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and pain management, dedicated to providing comprehensive care for patients with spinal tumors. Additionally, he received specialized training on peripheral nerve tumors and surgical techniques for nerve reconstruction in cases of injury by trauma or tumors. As with spine tumors, Dr. Bayley will provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary care for peripheral nerve disorders at UPMC with his colleagues from neurology, neurophysiology and rehab medicine.

During residency, Dr. Bayley performed NIH-funded research in meningiomas, the most common primary tumor of the brain and spine. Utilizing next-generation sequencing techniques, he identified molecular groups to advance our knowledge of the behavior and biology of these tumors. His research interest include using computational techniques to advance our understanding of spinal tumors (particularly chordoma), clinical outcomes in the treatment of spine and peripheral nerve tumors, as well as utilization of novel techniques in the treatment of challenging spinal tumors, including laser ablation.

Outside of neurosurgery, Dr. Bayley is an accomplished oarsman, earning second-team All-Ivy honors during college and subsequently winning a U.S. Rowing Club National Championship in the single scull. His wife, Erin Bayley, MD, is a breast surgical oncologist at UPMC and together they have three young children.