Our mission – Make a difference by delivering responsive and expert neurosurgical patient care, performing transformative research, training the next generation of neurosurgical and scientific leaders, and prioritizing respect, collaboration, and growth amongst our people.

Gregory J. Zipfel, MD
Chair, Department of Neurosurgery

We do this by:

  • Developing new knowledge to enhance the treatment of diseases of the spine and nervous system.
  • Teaching tomorrow’s leaders in neurosurgical patient care and research.

Our skilled neurosurgeons provide comprehensive patient care services, from initial diagnosis through treatment. Patients benefit from our team approach to care, in which highly experienced physicians and nurses from a variety of subspecialties collaborate to develop and provide the most appropriate treatment for each patient. 

We treat both pediatric and adult patients. Our adult services are offered at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, on the campus of Washington University Medical Center. Young patients are seen at the adjacent St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Both hospitals are nationally recognized for excellence and are the most technologically advanced in the region, offering patients the latest in diagnosis and treatment.

Clinical Faculty

The Washington University School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery is proud of its efforts to advance the field of neurosurgery by providing premier patient care and access to advanced procedures and clinical trials. Many of our neurosurgeons are ranked among the Best Doctors in America.

Research Faculty

Many of our clinicians are actively involved in ongoing neurological research. We also have several nationally recognized neurosurgery researchers who are dedicated full-time to identifying the underlying causes of neurological disease with an eye toward translating that research into clinical trials to test the next generation of treatments.

The Department of Neurosurgery conducts both basic and clinical research. Faculty members are committed to gaining a better understanding of the underlying causes of neurological diseases and to applying this knowledge toward developing better approaches for diagnosis and patient care.

Faculty dedicated to the field of neurological research include:

David Bundy, PhD
Peter Brunner, PhD
Hong Chen, PhD
Gabriel Haller, PhD
Caroline H. Ko, PhD
Yang (Eric) Li, PhD
James “Pat” McAllister, PhD
Ismael Seáñez, PhD
Alexander Stegh, PhD
Rui Tang, PhD
Hiroko Yano, PhD

Our surgeons also continually contribute major advances in surgical techniques and conduct research to assess the efficacy of current therapies and outcomes. Patients benefit from access to investigational treatments through a variety of clinical trials.

We are privileged to work in an environment of discovery alongside neurosurgeon-scientists seeking solutions to debilitating human conditions. We encourage you to take a close look at what we have to offer as we strive to make a difference every day in our patients’ lives.

Sincerely,

Gregory J. Zipfel, MD
Ralph G. Dacey Distinguished Professor of Neurological Surgery
Chairman, Department of Neurological Surgery
Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Co-Director of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center, Barnes-Jewish Hospital