Moossy Symposium Reunites Alumni and Trainees

Pittsburgh, September 18, 2026 — The University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery hosted the John J. Moossy Symposium on September 9, 2026, at Scaife Hall, where the two newest recipients of the John J. Moossy Medical Student Research Award in Neurosurgery presented their summer research to faculty, residents, and alumni.

The symposium celebrates the department's medical student researchers and brings alumni back to Pittsburgh to reconnect with the program that trained them. The morning program featured the award recipients' research presentations, followed by a keynote address from a distinguished alumnus.

The award honors John J. Moossy, MD, who joined the department faculty in 1986 and served as long-time director of its Center for Pain Management, mentoring generations of residents. Department alumni established the award in 2025, with principal funding from Matthew J. Tormenti, MD, a 2013 graduate of the residency program, in recognition of Dr. Moossy's impact on his career. The award is given annually to University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine students who have shown a strong commitment to neurosurgery and plan to pursue careers in the field. Recipients complete a summer research internship in the department, conducting translational research under faculty mentorship.

Ajay Pathakamuri, mentored by Jorge González-Martínez, MD, PhD, presented "Investigating the Pulvinar as a Potential Neuromodulatory Target for Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy."

Daniel Silliman, mentored by Taylor Abel, MD, presented "Brief interictal recordings identify seizure onset zones and predict seizure freedom in pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy."

Alumnus Mark McLaughlin, MD, author of Cognitive Dominance: A Brain Surgeon's Quest to Outthink Fear, delivered the keynote address. Drawing on experiences from his own career, Dr. McLaughlin spoke about fear as an obstacle to surgical performance, the difference between taking responsibility for outcomes and carrying blame for them, and the role of service in bringing meaning to neurosurgical practice. He closed by challenging residents to write down their own rules and rituals as a foundation for steady improvement.

Following the program, visiting alumni met with Pitt Neurosurgery residents for networking and mentorship.