Pittsburgh, March 19, 2008 -- L. Dade Lunsford, MD, director of the Center for Image-Guide Neurosurgery, was honored with a Physician of the Year Award in Clinical Excellence from Castle Connolly Medical Ltd at its annual National Physician of the Year Awards dinner March 18 in New York.

The prestigious event -- held at the historic grand ballroom at the Manhattan Center -- pays tribute to a select group of physicians who have made notable contributions to the field of medicine. Honorees are selected from more than 600,000 physicians currently practicing medicine in the United States.

In addition to Dr. Lunsford, two other physicians -- Robert W. Carlson, MD, professor of medicine at Stanford University, and Stanley Chang, MD, director of ophthalmology at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University -- were also honored with clinical excellence awards at the black tie, red carpet gala.

Jacqueline A. Noonan, MD, pediatric cardiologist at the University of Kentucky's Children's Hospital, and Robert W. Schrier, MD, professor of medicine at the University of Colorado were honored with lifetime achievement awards at the dinner. Suzanne and Bob Wright , co-founders of Autism Speaks™, were honored with a national health leadership award.

Dr. Lunsford -- the Lars Leksell Professor of Neurosurgery -- has achieved international acclaim as an expert in stereotactic surgery. Through his leadership, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in 1987 became the first hospital in the United States to utilize the Gamma Knife, a device for performing brain surgery without an incision. The institution now has three such devices and has established itself as a world leader in Gamma Knife treatment and education. More than 8,000 patients have undergone Gamma Knife brain surgery at UPMC since 1987.

Dr. Lunsford has authored more than 400 articles and almost 200 book chapters and has served as editor or co-editor of six books. He has lectured locally, nationally and internationally during his career.

He was recently named "Distinguished Professor at the University of Pittsburgh" -- the highest honor the university can accord a faculty member as it marks extraordinary, internationally-recognized scholarly attainment.

Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd is a national healthcare research and information company established in 1991 by a former medical college board chairman and president to help consumers find America's top doctors and top hospitals in their communities. The company publishes the highly regarded annual guide America's Top Doctors.

Past Castle Connolly clinical excellence honorees have included Bart Barlogie, MD, Marilyn J. Bull, MD, Delos M. Cosgrove, MD, Joseph McCarthy, MD, Patrick Walsh, MD, and Michael J. Zinner, MD. Past lifetime achievement honorees have included Michael E. DeBakey, MD, and Maria Delivoria-Papadopoulos, MD.

The award is the second prestigious award presented to Dr. Lunsford recently. In January, he was given the 2007 Ralph C. Wilde Award from the Allegheny County Medical Society. The award -- considered the most prestigious award presented by the ACMS -- is given to a member of the society who demonstrates noteworthy personal and professional characteristics.