THE LEGACY OF THE JOE NIEKRO FOUNDATION

Gavin W Britz MD, MPH is an Associate Professor, Director of the Cerebrovascular Center and the Senior Cerebrovascular/Endovascular/Skull Base surgeon at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Britz obtained his medical degree from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa in 1987; completing his surgical internship and fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore in June 1993. This was then followed by specialty training in Neurological Surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle from July 1993 – June 2002. During July 1998 – June 1999 he spent a year at Atkinson Morley’s Hospital, St George’s Medical School, The University of London as a Registrar in Neurological Surgery. In addition Dr. Britz obtained his Masters in Public Health with an emphasis on Epidemiology from the University of Washington in 2003, followed by further specialty training in Cerebrovascular Surgery and Interventional Neuroradiology at the University of Washington in Seattle which he completed in January of 2003. Dr. Britz then served on faculty at the University of Washington as Assistant Professor and then later Associate Professor from January 2003 to December 2007 at which time he relocated to Duke University Medical Center where he currently practices.

Dr. Britz's practice largely focuses on the treatment of disorders of the cerebrovascular system and skull base including Brain Aneurysms, Brain AVMs, Carotid Disease, Moya Moya Disease, Skull base tumors and Spinal AVMs/Fistula. Dr Britz is actively involved in brain aneurysm research, both basic science and clinical. His laboratory focuses on understanding the mechanisms involved in the causes of strokes and poor outcomes following ruptured aneurysms and his clinical research is evaluating new and novel tools to treat a wide variety of problems such as brain aneurysms and skull base tumors.

Dr. Brown completed his medical school training at Mayo Medical School, neurology residency at Mayo Clinic and stroke and cerebrovascular disease fellowship at Mayo Clinic. He also has a Masters of Public Health in epidemiology and clinical trial design.   He is a Consultant in the Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN,    Chair, Department of Neurology, and the John T. and Lillian Matthews Professor of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic. He is a previous recipient of the Mayo Distinguished Clinician Award, Mayo School of Continuing Medical Education Outstanding Faculty Award, Mayo Individual Award for Excellence and the American Heart Association Stroke Leadership Award.   Dr. Brown has been elected to membership in the American Neurological Association, and is a fellow in the American Academy of Neurology and the Stroke Council of the American Stroke Association.  

His research interests include cerebrovascular diseases of all types including intracranial aneurysms, stroke prevention, acute ischemic stroke, intracranial vascular malformations, primary central nervous system vasculitis and the epidemiology of cerebrovascular disorders. He has authored or co-authored over 170 peer reviewed manuscripts, 30 book chapters, three textbooks on stroke and cerebrovascular diseases, and served as the editor for a comprehensive monograph on clinical neurology. He has served as principal investigator, and on the executive and/or steering committees for numerous NIH-funded studies, including principal investigator of the International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms. Watch video of Dr. Brown speaking on brain aneurysms.

Orlando Diaz, M.D., is an Interventional Neuroradiologist at The Methodist Hospital in Houston and Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Diaz received his M.D. from the University of Cartagena in Colombia in 1985, graduating Summa Cum Laude. From 1986-1989, Dr. Diaz performed his residency in radiology at Hospital Universitario del Valle in Colombia and was chief resident from 1988-1989. His clinical fellowship continued at Massachusetts General Hospital until 1995. From 1996-2000, Dr. Diaz served as Chief of Neurosurgery at Hospital Universitario Fundacion Santafe and Assistant Professor of Radiology at Universitad El Bosque in Bogota. In 2000, Dr. Diaz made Houston his home where he has served as an Interventional Neuroradiologist at Ben Taub General Hospital, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital and The Methodist Hospital.  Watch video of Dr. Diaz speaking on new aneurysm treatment procedure called Onyx 500.

Dr. Grossman is Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery and Director of the Methodist Hospital Neurological Institute in Houston. A native of New York City, Dr. Grossman received his M.D. in 1957 from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he was awarded the Borden Undergraduate Research Award in Medicine. He took his surgical internship at Strong Memorial Hospital University of Rochester. He served in the United States Army at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in Washington D.C. His post graduate training in neurosurgery was at the Neurological Institute of New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University. Dr. Grossman has held academic appointments at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston where he was chief of the division of neurosurgery, and at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he was professor and chairman of the department of neurosurgery. Dr. Grossman serves on numerous public advisory boards within the United States Public Health Service. He is currently the chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Neurosurgical Research and Educational Foundation, a member of the Editorial Board of Neurosurgery and the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives.

Hani Haykal, M.D. is the Assistant Professor and Director of Neuroradiology at The Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston, Texas. Dr. Haykal received his undergraduate degree in Biology and Chemistry from the American University of Beirut in 1974. His studies continued at the American University of Beirut where he received his M.D. in 1978. Dr. Haykal has held academic appointments at Baylor College of Medicine and Harvard Medical School where he was Assistant Professor of Radiology. From 1983-1989, Dr. Haykal was an Instructor of Radiology at Harvard Medical School. In 1996, Dr. Haykal was named Radiology Physician of the Year and Radiologist of the Year in 2000 from The Methodist Hospital.

Richard Klucznik, M.D., is the Assistant Professor of Radiology and Director of Interventional Neuroradiology at The Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston, Texas. Graduating Summa Cum Laude and receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, Dr. Klucznik went on to receive his M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA. His surgical internship occurred at the University of Massachusetts and residency at David Grant Medical Center in Fairfield, CA. Dr. Klucznik performed fellowship in Neurology at Tufts-New England Medical in Boston and Interventional Neuroradiology at Baylor College of Medicine at The Methodist Hospital in Houston. In 1980, Dr. Klucznik received the George Howard Award for Anatomy. Dr. Klucznik has held clinical appointments at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, The Methodist Hospital, Weill Medical College, Texas Neurovascular Center, Methodist Brain Aneurysm Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. Dr. Klucznik currently serves as the Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Director on Interventional Therapeutic Neuroradiology at The Methodist Hospital in Houston.  Watch video of Dr. Klucznik speaking about a new treatment for brain aneurysms, Onyx 500.

Kristin Mascotti, M.D. specializes in anatomic pathology and clinical pathology for Children’s Hospitals and Clinics in Minnesota.  Dr. Mascotti received her MD from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in 1994 and completed her residency from Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. Dr. Mascotti has performed fellowship for the University of Minnesota Hospitals Blood Bank and is currently the Medical Director of Point of Care and the Co-Medical Director for Transfusion Services.  Dr. Mascotti is board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology.

Italio Linfante, M.D. is the Director of Interventional Neuroradiology and Endovascular Neurosurgery at Baptist Cardiac and Vascular Institute and Baptist Neuroscience Institute. Before joining Radiology Associates of South Florida, Dr. Linfante served as an Associate Professor in Neurology and Radiology in the University of Massachusetts' Section of Neuroendovascular Surgery/Interventional Neuroradiology and was on-staff at Boston Medical Center. A native of Italy, Dr. Linfante earned his medical degree from the University of Rome "La Sapienza," where he also served a resident in neurology. He completed residencies in internal medicine at George Washington University Medical Center and in neurology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He served fellowships in neuroradiology/neuroimaging at the Neuro-Imaging Branch of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland; in cerebrovascular diseases at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School. He was on the Faculty of Neurology in Cerebrovascular Diseases and Neuro Critical Care at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Linfante has been serving on the Editorial Board of Stroke since 2002 and in the Editorial Board of the Journal of Neuro Interventional Surgery.  Dr. Linfante is Founding Member and on the Board of Directors of the Society for Interventional Neurology (SVIN) and is on the Executive Committee of the Society for Neuro Interventional Surgery (SNIS). He has been the Chairman for several sessions and symposiums for the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association (ASA).  He is the author of more than 50 scientific articles published in world renowned peer-reviewed journals such as Stroke, Neurology and Neurosurgery and has published numerous book chapters and books in Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Neurology and Vascular Neurology.  Watch video of Dr. Linfante speaking on brain aneurysm treatments.

Peter Nakaji, MD is the Director of Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery and Director of the Neurosurgery Residency Training Program at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, AZ and Professor of Neurosurgery at Creighton University School of Medicine.  Dr. Nakaji received both his undergraduate and Medical degrees from the University of California in San Diego, where he also performed his residency in Neurosurgery.  Dr. Nakaji did a fellowship in Endoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Prince of Wales Private Hospital in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and a fellowship in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery at Barrow Neurological Institute under the guidance of Dr. Robert Spetzler. Dr. Nakaji is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Institutional Review Board for Human Research at St. Joseph’s Hospital, and is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Dr. Skeik is a Vascular Medicine Specialist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute in Minneapolis, MN. Dr. Skeik received his medical degree at Istanbul University in Istanbul, Turkey, completed his residency at New York Medical College and fellowship in cardiology at Istanbul University. He most recently was at the Mayo Clinic where he completed his vascular medicine fellowship. Previous positions have included serving as a consultant in emergency medicine, internal medicine and cardiology in various hospitals in Istanbul. He also served as a hospitalist at Maine General Hospital in Augusta, Maine, and as an internist at St. Mary’s Health System in Lewiston, Maine. Dr. Skeik also serves as Assistant Professor, Adjunct, at Dartmouth Medical School and is a member of the American College of Physicians(FACP), Society of Vascular Medicine, Mayo Fellow Association and an Associate Member of New York Medical College.

Michael Ulrich, M.D. is a General Practioner for the Mayo Health Clinic in Albert Lea in Minnesota.  Dr. Ulrich graduated from the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine in Vancouver in 1993 and completed his residency at St. Lukes Methodist Hospital.  Dr. Ulrich is the Division Chair for Family Practice and Medical Director of Emergency Medicine for Mayo Health Systems in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Ronald Woosley, M.D. is a neurosurgeon at St. John’s Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr. Woosley received his undergraduate degree from Bellarmine College and M.D. from the University of Kentucky School of Medicine. He served as General Medical Officer in the US Navy from 1969-1971. Dr. Woosley performed his internship at the University of Louisville and residency at Duke University and John Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Woosley has held academic appointments with Cameron University as Professor of Physiological Psychology and is Clinical Professor of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. Dr. Woosley serves on numerous public advisory boards and is currently active in the Southern Neurological Society, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Association of Christian Therapists, and Congress of Neurosurgery. Dr. Woosley is a member of the Medical Executive and Surgery Committees at St. John’s Medical Center and is also a consultant for both Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Southwestern Regional Medical Center and Oklahoma State Medical Center.

Y. Jonathan Zhang, M.D. graduated from Shanghai Medical University and is a neurosurgeon at The Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston, Texas, specializing in neurovascular disorders. Dr. Zhang offers advance diagnostic and therapeutic options for cerebral aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, dural arteriovenous fistulas, carotid-cavernous fistulas, carotid and intracranial stenosis or occlusion, brain and spinal cavernous malformations, acute cerebral infarction, and skull base and deep seated brain and spinal tumors. His technical expertise include 3D high-resolution cerebral and spinal angiograms; embolization using coil, liquid embolic agents (NBCA or Onyx), balloon and stents; minimally invasive craniotomy with intraoperative angiogram; cerebral revascularization with extracranial-intracranial bypass or intracranial stent angioplasty; carotid endarterectomy or stent angioplasty with cerebral protection; tumor or epistaxis embolization; stereotactic radiosurgery; complex skull base surgery for otherwise inoperable tumor or vascular lesions. Dr Zhang is also an expert in advanced endoscopic neurosurgery. Dr. Zhang is committed to educating patients and other physicians and to delivering cutting edge treatments for neurovascular problems with safety and compassion.