UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery

10/10/2026

Living with a brain tumor often brings uncertainty about what lies ahead.

In honor of , we're sharing tips from UCSF Health neuropsychologist Melissa Brie, PsyD, for managing uncertainty to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Learn more about how to build your emotional wellness toolkit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUrOclb6xVU

10/09/2026

We were honored to have Vincent Traynelis, MD, visit us recently from Rush University System for Health for Spine Day!

After sharing his insights on how to optimize cervical spinal deformity surgery during Grand Rounds, he joined our trainees and faculty at our annual spine lab. This year’s hands-on course, directed by UCSF Health neurosurgeons Jang Won Yoon, MD, and Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, focused on teaching our residents advanced spinal instrumentation as well as how to perform decompression, osteotomy, reconstruction, and deformity-correction techniques.

We wish to thank individuals who donate their bodies and tissues for the advancement of education and research.

📸: Todd Dubnicoff
1. The group of medical students, residents, and faculty who participated in the Spine Lab.
2. Jang Won Yoon, MD, and PGY4 resident Mahmoud Elguindy, MD, PhD, smile at the camera while Elguindy holds a surgical tool.
3. PGY4 resident Sravani Kondapavulur, MD, PhD (center), practices her surgical skills while two medical students watch.
4. Traynelis (center left) and UCSF spine neurosurgeon Lee Tan, MD (center right), instruct neurosurgery residents Joseph Chen, MD (left), and Jennifer Guidera, MD, PhD (right).

10/09/2026

Join us next month at our annual Caregiver Social to celebrate National Family Caregivers Month! This event, hosted by UCSF Neuro-Oncology Gordon Murray Caregiver Program, is a chance to relax, enjoy appetizers and beverages, and connect with fellow brain tumor caregivers and our staff in a warm, supportive space.

Register now for this free caregiver event: https://calendar.ucsf.edu/event/ucsf-neuro-oncology-gordon-murray-caregiver-social

10/07/2026

Researchers led by UCSF postdoctoral Sanjeev Herr, MD, UCSF Health neurosurgeon Shawn Hervey-Jumper, MD, and Michigan Medicine's Todd Hollon, MD, demonstrate that a new AI-based model accurately predicts where regrowth is most likely to occur.

The new study, published in Science Advances, builds on the team’s previous work with FastGlioma, an AI tool that analyzes stimulated Raman histology images and generates a tumor infiltration score for the tissue specimens during surgery.

By integrating this information about the level of tumor infiltration in a sample with clinical, imaging, and molecular data into machine learning models, the scientists could identify sites of recurrence with a high degree of accuracy.

The approach could potentially enable physicians to intervene earlier to help prevent recurrence.

“Patients with disease in parts of the brain that cannot be removed may undergo other treatments targeted at the predicted sites of progression,” said Hervey-Jumper said. “Options may include higher-dose focal radiation or drugs infused directly into the tumor, via a catheter placed through the skull.”

Read the study: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec8202

10/06/2026

Get ready to apply for an exciting summer research opportunity!

The EXPANSE program places first- or second-year U.S. medical students who don’t have a neurosurgery residency program at their home institution at one of eight neurosurgery centers across the country, including UCSF. Students will then have the chance to learn core neuroscience techniques and essential research skills under the guidance of both a research mentor and a neurosurgery career mentor.

Learn more: https://neurosurgery.ucsf.edu/expanse-program

10/03/2026

Last October, when 10-year-old Lilly Heater of Fresno suddenly collapsed on the playground, she was rushed to Valley Children's, where doctors discovered bleeding in her brain caused by an arteriovenous malformation ( ).

She was airlifted to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals for brain surgery with our team. After months of rehabilitation to relearn how to use her hands and walk, these days, she’s doing great and back at school.

Her family is now using their experience to help support others navigating similar medical crises though a foundation they created called Lilly’s Journey.

10-year-old Lilly Heater of Fresno went to school healthy. Before classes began, she told a friend her head hurt and collapsed on the playground.

09/30/2026

Are you looking for a meaningful way to give back after brain tumor treatment? Register for this year's peer support volunteer training session to learn how to use your lived experience to help support others navigating the challenges of a brain tumor diagnosis.

This two-hour training is required for all new peer volunteers and will introduce you to our Thriver program. You must be a patient at our UCSF Health neuro-oncology clinic and at least one year post-diagnosis.

Sign up now for the virtual session: https://calendar.ucsf.edu/event/2026-peer-support-volunteer-training

09/30/2026

A of UCSF Health spine neurosurgeon Jang Won Yoon, MD. He is pictured here performing an endoscopic far lateral discectomy at L1-2 and L2-3 to treat foraminal stenosis due to a far lateral disc herniation.

Yoon is an expert in minimally invasive procedures and was recently named a top endoscopic spine surgeon by Becker's Spine Review: https://www.beckersspine.com/spine/20-endoscopic-surgeons-to-watch/

📸: Todd Dubnicoff

09/25/2026

Join us next month at the 11th Annual Head For The Cure 5K - San Francisco as we raise funds, awareness, and hope for the Bay Area brain tumor community! Funds raised through this event will locally benefit research at the UCSF Brain Tumor Center as well as other national brain tumor programs and initiatives.

Register for the walk or donate: https://impact.headforthecure.org/event/head-for-the-cure-5k-san-francisco-2026/e746567

And watch UCSF Health neuro-oncologist Thomas Nelson, MD, explain how precision medicine is reshaping brain tumor care: https://youtu.be/fLwXncw8MUA?si=gf9997R_SWdFg4V_

09/23/2026

We were honored to have Carlos Alberto Rodriguez Aceves, MD, visit us from Centro Médico ABC for our 10th Annual Peripheral Nerve Day!

After his great Kline Lectureship talk focusing on the importance of education and international collaboration in advancing neurosurgical care, Rodriguez Aceves demonstrated brachial plexus surgical approaches for our residents. They could then practice their skills with feedback from Line Jacques, MD, a UCSF Health neurosurgeon and the course director, as well as returning guest instructors Andrew Jack, MD, and Kartik Krishan, MD, PhD.

We wish to thank individuals who donate their bodies and tissues for the advancement of education and research.