From the Directors

Date: November 11, 2014

Advances in neurology and neurosurgery are unfolding here at Johns Hopkins at a breathtaking pace, and we’re excited to share some of our most significant breakthroughs in patient care and translational research in the pages that follow.

Neurosurgeon Chetan Bettegowda, for example, is at the forefront of developing a DNA-based “liquid biopsy” for brain cancer, using cerebrospinal fluid and blood, which could spare patients from undergoing surgical biopsy. Meanwhile, researchers such as neurosurgeon Daniele Rigamonti are pushing to dramatically improve quality of life for their patients. He has developed a tool to better ascertain which patients exhibiting dementia symptoms could have their condition reversed through surgery for normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Ever aware of the daunting complexity of the nervous system and its often-devastating disorders, our researchers are serious and single-minded in their quest for answers. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for fun. Just ask Tom Crawford, who makes sure his young patients with spinal muscular atrophy have a blast when they come to have their muscle strength tested. Or visit the lab of John Krakauer, where he and his team have developed an immersive new video game, starring Bandit the dolphin, which could change the model for rehabilitation after stroke.

Thanks to imaginative researchers like these and the others you’ll learn more about here, we’ve never been more optimistic about the future for our patients with neuro-related disorders. We hope you’ll share our optimism—and excitement.

 

Henry Brem, M.D.
Director of Neurosurgery
Harvey Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery
Professor of Oncology, Ophthalmology and Biomedical Engineering

Justin C. McArthur, M.B.B.S., M.P.H.
Director of Neurology
Professor of Neurology, Pathology, Medicine and Epidemology

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