While much of the success individual surgeons achieve is attributed to the dedication to their patients and to the art and practice of neurosurgery, many of the techniques, ideas, approaches, protocols and technical advances are attributable at some point, to a basis in the research and development in the specialty area. Each question that arises or hurdles to be surmounted with regards to patient treatment or care in the past has benefited by an investigator seeking to answer that question and improve patient outcomes.

Despite the many advances achieved to date, there continues to be a great need for continued research efforts, particularly to elucidate the mechanisms of neurological disease and treatment. Many questions still exist, everything from basic physiology to the macro world of technologic and operative advances. The goal of the research division of the department remains and will continue to be to improve the care and treatment of patients with neurosurgical disease.

With over 40 faculty and investigators, the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh has sought to be at and is at the forefront of involvement in different aspects of neurosurgical research and development. It is (ranked) #2 in the country in National Institute of Health funding, a benchmark of the success and quality of the research being investigated in the Department. It is through this translation of research to practice that we hope to continue to define and understand the basic questions related to the cause and cure of neurosurgical disease. The two basic approaches to research and the ones that have been strengths within the department have included both “basic science research” which is laboratory based and “clinical research” through the care and interaction of patients.

The basic science research division of the department is based at the Walter L. Copeland Neurosurgical Research Laboratories. Housed on the ninth floor of Scaife Hall, this lab and all the other research facilities dedicated to neurosurgical disease encompasses upwards of 10,000 square feet of laboratory and office space, serving as the center for the research programs of the department. The research ongoing within this laboratory and by neurosurgical investigators throughout the University is quite varied and includes the disciplines of molecular biology, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, neuro-anatomy and other basic neuroscience arenas. Specific questions include research into the acute and chronic care following neurotrauma, neural recovery and plasticity, the neurobiologic and therapeutic response in neuro-oncology, the underlying mechanisms and treatment of movement disorders and epilepsy, cell death and radiation injury and cerebrovascular physiology and modeling.

While the Copeland Laboratories are the core basis for the basic science research within the department, other faculty members and investigators are collaboratively involved with a multitude of investigators and research centers throughout the university. These include the Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, the Hillman Cancer Center and many other basic and neuroscience departments throughout the university.

Although the concept of “bench-to-bedside” research is a term freely utilized by many, our department carries this idea at the core of its mission. Although many different areas of basic science research are integral to defining basic processes, clinical neuroscience and research is necessary for changing clinical practice. Efforts by investigators are in basic science areas that will likely soon come to clinical trial in the near future. A variety of critical laboratory investigations will hopefully soon be translated into technologic and therapeutic advances and integrated into clinical trials. These types of fundamental approaches and integration into the clinical arena will continue to facilitate and improve the care of neurosurgical patients.

Clinical trials and other prospective studies and investigations continue to be a major area of research by the faculty and investigators within the department in order to improve the lives and care of patients. Our investigators are often the leaders of major national and international clinical trials for the treatment of neurosurgical disease which continue to be and remain the gold standard for answering clinical questions. New technologies, particularly in the areas of minimally invasive surgery and radiosurgery provide the potential for treatment and cure with the minimization of morbidity.

Particular strengths of the Department of Neurosurgery have included clinical research in traumatic brain injury, both adult and pediatric, stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, neuro-oncology both adult and pediatric, cerebrovascular and skull base neurosurgery, pain, brachial plexus and peripheral nerve disorders, and spine and spinal disorders to name but a few. Utilizing the University of Pittsburgh’s leadership in such areas as neuroimaging, neurointensive care, neuropsychology, engineering, and clinical care, patients are treated with innovative and start-of-the-art therapeutic protocols and technologies. Additionally, state-of-the-art Neuroscience Data Centers house the data collection, analysis, and reporting important to develop meaningful conclusions for clinical work, both within the Department and in support of National and International Clinical trials. Clinical research of these types allows for the advancement of our understanding of the human physiology response to disease and potential for treatment and cure.

Whether in stereotactic radiosurgery, epilepsy, or in brain trauma, randomized control trials provide the Class I data necessary for evidence based medicine to define standards of care. As a result, the investigators of the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Neurosurgery are at the forefront of developing the standards of care for patients with neurosurgical disorders today and in the future. Our involvement in research and development will not only continue to provide the answers to the questions that remain in neurosurgical treatment and care but also define the questions that need to be answered in the future. This rich environment will continue to move the field forward and improve the care of the patient.