The Department of Neurosurgery is a world leader in the fast-paced environment of innovative research translation. The rich intellectual environment at Stanford, paired with our accessibility to the most advanced technology, is unmatched and ensures the rapid translation of pioneering laboratory research into life-saving clinical therapies for our patients.

From anti-cancer therapies and stem cell transplantation therapies for spinal cord injury to the elucidation of retinal neural circuitry and gene-environment interactions in fetal development, our research scientists are making quick progress tackling some of the most complex neurological disease questions in the neurodegenerative and neuroregenerative fields today.

Our Department supports over 30 active labs investigating everything from brain injury, deep brain stimulation, brain tumors, epilepsy, pathophysiology and treatment of acute stroke, to the effects of stress and aging on the nervous system. And, although our research themes vary from lab to lab, they are all focused on aspects of disease and injury that can be investigated at the bench – and they all have clear implications for practices in the clinic and operating room.