Leuthardt is also Chief of the Division of Neurotechnology and Director of both the Center for Neuroscience in Innovation and Technology and the Brain Laser Center.
Eric C. Leuthardt, MD (center) is congratulated by David H. Perlmutter, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs (left) and Chancellor Andrew D. Martin (right). 
Left to right: Dean Perlmutter, Gregory J. Zipfel, MD, the Ralph G. Dacey distinguished professor of Neurological Surgery and head of the Department of Neurosurgery, Dr. Leuthardt and Chancellor Martin. 
Dr. Leuthardt pays homage to Dr. Shi Hui Huang and his numerous contributions to Washington University. 
Dr. Leuthardt’s remarks were entitled: “A Neurosurgeon’s Reflections on Creativity and Innovation.” 
Dr. Leuthardt with his mentor Dr. Ralph G. Dacey, Jr., MD, former Chair of Neurosurgery.
Eric C. Leuthardt, MD, professor of neurosurgery, neuroscience, biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering & materials science, was installed as the Shi Hui Huang Professor of Neurological Surgery. A celebration to mark the event took place Monday, Oct. 30, 2023 in the Eric P. Newman Education Center. You can watch the Installation Ceremony on the WashU Neurosurgery YouTube Channel.
Leuthardt is a highly accomplished leader in the field of neurotechnology. As the head of the Division of Neurotechnology, he has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and has made significant contributions to the advancement of the field. Leuthardt’s leadership style is characterized by his visionary thinking and innovative approach. He is known for his ability to identify emerging trends and technologies in neurotechnology and leverage them to drive progress. Under his leadership, the Division of Neurotechnology has been at the forefront of groundbreaking research and development, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the field.
Leuthardt has created and translated numerous high-impact medical innovations. These include the first FDA-approved brain-computer interface for stroke, the use of resting-state fMRI for advanced brain mapping, the neurosurgical application of laser ablation, and the use of ultrasound to non-invasively “sonobiopsy” the brain.
His work in the field of neuroprosthetics, neurotechnologies, advanced brain imaging, and neurosurgical devices has yielded him numerous accolades as a pioneer in applied neuroscience. In addition to over 150 peer-reviewed publications, Leuthardt has over 1,600 patents on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a myriad of medical devices and neuro-technologies. Two of his technologies have received FDA Breakthrough Designation, and his company Neurolutions was awarded the 2021 Pantheon Product of the Year Award from California Life Sciences. In addition to Neurolutions, he is the founder of eight startup companies, a partner of the venture fund E15, an Emmy Award-winning playwright, and the author of two fiction novels, Red Devil 4 and Limbo.
With Leuthardt leading the way, neurosurgeons and engineers in the Division are transforming care through the creation of novel therapies to treat patients suffering from ailments such as stroke, depression, PTSD, brain tumors, epilepsy, and chronic pain.
About Shi Hui Huang, MD
The generosity of Shi Hui Huang, MD, made it possible to establish the Huang Professorship in 1993. An internationally known industrialist, professor of neurosurgery at Taipei Medical College in Taiwan, and Washington University’s first international trustee and the first chairman of its International Advisory Council for Asia.
After earning his medical degree from National Taiwan University, Huang became one of the first from Taiwan to train as a neurosurgeon under Henry Schwartz, MD. Returning to Asia, he developed neurosurgery in Japan by establishing a neurosurgery center at Yodogawa Christian Hospital in Osaka, Japan and by training neurosurgery residents. In 1975, Huang returned to Washington University, serving at St. Louis Veterans Administration Hospital and City Hospital.
When his father died in 1979, Huang returned to Taiwan to direct the family business, the Sanyang Industry Company, Ltd., which his father had built into a leading manufacturer of automobiles and motorcylces. He expanded the business into one of Taiwan’s largest industrial and investment groups, the Chinfon Group, which also includes Chinfon Commercial Bank, construction and trading companies, and a cement plant.
Huang also endowed the Herbert Lourie Professorship in Neurological Surgery in honor of his close friend , who also trained neurosurgery at Washington University. In addition, he established a fund to support the academic functions of the Department of Neurosurgery and generously supports the Danforth Scholars Program. Washington University honored Dr. Huang with a Distinguished Alumni Award at Founders Day 1990 and the Robert S. Brookings Award in 1996. The School of Medicine presented him with a 2nd Century Award in 1993.