The Stuart Rowe Society Lectureship and Resident Research Day showcases research activities in the field of neurological surgery and provides a forum for discussion.
During this day, a series of talks are presented by department residents, each spotlighting a topical research issue relevant in the field. These talks are followed by discussion moderated by a special honored guest prominent in the field of neurosurgery. The honored guest will follow this discussion with a special lecture. The honored guest will also select a "Best Presentation" award, presented at a special reception held in their honor later in the evening.
This spotlight on research was a principle first emphasized by Stuart Niles Rowe, MD, the first formally-trained neurosurgeon to practice in Pittsburgh. Rowe is widely considered the founding figure of neurosurgery training in the city, establishing the base of what would later become the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery.
Rowe believed that neurosurgery training should not only teach exceptional technique, but also the critical clinical decision-making skills necessary to succeed. He preached the underlying need for thorough literature review and independent research as a means for broadening clinical knowledge.
A list of past honored guests and resident award winners includes:
2023
Honored Guest:
Issam Awad, MD, John Harper Seeley Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago
Best Presentation Award:
Anthony Schulien, MD, “Targeting Kv2.1 as a Neuroprotective Strategy Against Cerebral Ischemia"
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award Winner:
Hansen Deng, MD, "Time to Follow Commands in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Survivors with Favorable Recovery at 2 Years"
2022
Honored Guest:
Linda Liau, MD, PhD, MBA, Chair and Executive Medical Director, UCLA Department of Neurological Surgery
Best Presentation Award:
Zel Zhang, MD, “B Cells and Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Melanoma and Lung Metastases to the Brain"
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award Winner:
Hussam Abou-Al-Shaar, MD, "Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Vestibular Schwannoma in Neurofibromatosis Type 2: An International Multicenter Study of Treatment Response and Malignant Transformation Risk"
Best Presentation Honorable Mention:
Kamil Nowicki, MD, PhD, "From Small Molecule Inhibitors to Space-Age Alloys - Future Treatments for Cerebral Aneurysms"
2020 & 2021
Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019
Honored Guest:
Mika Niemelä, MD, PhD, Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Hospital
Best Presentation Award:
Kamil Nowicki, MD, PhD, “Blockade of the Platelet-Driven CXCL7-CXCR1/2 Pathway Prevents Cerebral Aneurysm Formation"
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award Winner:
Jeremy Stone, MD, "Transradial Versus Transfemoral Approaches for Diagnostic Cerebral Angiography: A Prospective Comparative Effectiveness Study"
2018
Honored Guest:
Michael Taylor, MD, PhD, Professor, University of Toronto
Best Presentation Award:
Kamil Nowicki, MD, PhD, “Reparixin Prevents Cerebral Aneurysm Formation by Inhibiting the Platelet-driven CXCL7-CXCR1/2 Inflammatory Pathway: Preliminary Results"
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award Winner:
Daryl Fields II, MD, PhD, "Mechanical Ventilator Weaning: Moving Towards a Molecular Solution"
2017
Honored Guest:
Murat Günel, MD, Nixdorff-German Professor, Yale University
Best Presentation Award:
Amir Faraji, MD, PhD, "Selective Mitochondrial Delivery of an Antioxidant Payload Using Nanoparticles."
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award Co-Winners:
Matthew Pease, MD, “Immune Signatures in Glioblastoma.”
Georgios Zenonos, MD, “Molecular Signatures of Atherosclerotic Carotid Plaques."
2016
Honored Guest:
Andres Lozano, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto
Best Presentation Award:
Georgios Zenonos, MD, “The Genetic Landscape of Clival Chordoma”
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award:
Gregory M. Weiner, MD, “Limitations of the 64 Channel Mutlidetector Computerized Tomography Angiography for Diagnosis of Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury”
2015
Honored Guest:
Robert E. Harbaugh, MD, Distinguished Professor and Chair, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Best Presentation Award:
David Salvetti, MD, "Preoperative Prealbumin as an Indicator of Postoperative Infection Risk in Spine Surgery"
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award:
Gregory M. Weiner, MD, "Prophylactic Antiepileptic Medications and Seizure Incidence Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage"
2014
Honored Guest:
Robert L. Martuza, MD, William and Elizabeth Sweet Professor of Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School
Best Presentation Award:
Kimberly A. Foster, MD, "NVP-BKM120 Potentiates Apoptosis in Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand-Resistant Glioma Cell Lines via Upregulation of Noxa and Death Receptor 5."
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award Co-Winners:
W. Christopher Newman, MD, “Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Breakdown Products for the Diagnosis of Intracranial Injury.”
Zachary Tempel, MD, “The Influence of Spinopelvic Alignment on Development of Symptomatic Adjacent Level Disease Following Single Level Lumbar Fusion."
2013
Honored Guest:
Chris Shaffrey, MD, John A. Jane Professor of Neurological Surgery and Spine Division Director at the University of Virginia.
Best Presentation Award:
Kimberly A. Foster, MD, "ABT-737 Synergizes with Vorinostat to Induce Apoptosis, Mediated by Noxa Upregulation, Bax Activation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in PTEN-Intact Malignant Human Glioma Cell Lines."
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award:
David Panczykowski, MD, “Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein Breakdown Products for the Diagnosis of Intracranial Injury.”
2012
Honored Guest:
James Rutka, MD, R.S. McLaughlin Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto.
Best Presentation Award:
Ramesh Grandhi, MD, "The Influence of Suturectomy on Age-Related Peridural Hyperemia in Craniosynostotic Rabbits."
Best Presentation Runner-Up Award:
Kimberly A. Foster, MD, "Factors Associated with Hemispheric Hypodensity after Subdural Hematoma following Abusive Head Trauma in Children."
2011
Honored Guest:
Henry Brem, MD, Harvey Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Oncology and Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Best Presentation Award Co-Winners:
Matthew Tormenti, MD, "The Development of Magnetoencephalography as a Diagnostic Tool for Concussion."
Kimberly A. Foster, MD, "Weight Profile in Children Following Endoscopic Endonasal Approach to Craniopharyngioma."
2010
Honored Guest:
Ralph J. Dacey, Jr. MD, Henry G. and Edith R. Schwartz Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University.
Best Presentation Award:
Richard Singelton, MD, PhD, "Decompressive Hemicraniectomy, Strokectomy, or Both."
2009
Honored Guest:
Edward H. Oldfield, MD, Crutchfield Professor of Neurosurgery, Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Virginia Health System
Best Presentation Award:
Kristen E. Jones, MD, "Functional Imaging Localization as Replacement for Intracranial EEG for Preoperative Planning Modality in Epilepsy Patients: Analysis of Surgical Outcomes."
2008
Honored Guest:
Patrick J. Kelly, MD, former Chairman of Neurosurgery, New York University’s Langone Medical Center
Best Presentation Award:
Ricky Madhok, MD, "The Biomechanical Characteristics of the Occipital Cervical Junction - Evaluation after Clivectomy, Condylectomy and Odontoidectomy"
2007
Honored Guest:
John A. Jane, Sr, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Virginia Health System
Best Presentation Award:
Nestor D. Tomycz, MD, "MRI Fails to Identify Unstable Cervical Spine Injury Misses By CT in Obtunded or Comatose Trauma Patients: The Four-Year Experience of a Level I Trauma Center"
2006
Honored Guest:
M. Sean Grady, MD, Charles Harrison Frazier Professor and Chairman of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania Health System
Best Presentation Award:
Dave Atteberry, MD, "A Comparison of Outcomes Between CyberKnife Radiosurgery and Conventional XRT for Spinal Metastases"
2005
Honored Guest:
Gary Steinberg, MD, PhD, Professor and Chairman of Neurological Surgery at Stanford University
Best Presentation Award:
Costas Hadjipanayis, MD, PhD, "DNA Repair"