Arka N. Mallela, MD, joined the University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery residency program in July 2018 after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, earning his MD and MS in translational research. He received his undergraduate degrees from the Vagelos Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania, completing a BA in biophysics, biochemistry, and philosophy and an MS in biological chemistry.
Dr. Mallela’s research lies at the intersection of neurophysiology, neuroimaging, network theory and deep learning. He is currently interested in utilizing these tools to study a variety of neurological diseases, including expressive language, fetal brain folding, epilepsy, and brain tumors. For his work, Dr. Mallela has received the 2023 CNS Stryker Tumor Award and was selected for the 2022 AES Fellows program. He was previously selected for the Burroughs Wellcome Foundation Physician Scientist Incubator Program as well as the Department of Neurological Surgery’s inaugural NIH R25 scholar as part of the N3-PREP program. He is additionally funded via the NIH NRSA F32 grant and Loan Repayment Program to study the role of the supplementary motor area and associated areas in the generation of complex speech and motor movements using intracranial electrophysiology.
In his free time, Dr. Mallela enjoys hiking, movie making, and spending time with his family, wife, and friends.
Specialized Areas of Interest
Professional Organization Membership
Education & Training
- BS, Biophysics, Biochemistry, Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania, 2013
- MS, Biological Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, 2013
- MS, Translational Research, University of Pennsylvania, 2018
- MD, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 2018
Honors & Awards
- Top Presentation Award, Stuart Niles Rowe Research Day, University of Pittsburgh Department of Neurological Surgery, 2024
- N3-PREP Award, NIH R25 Program, 2024-25
- First Place, Resident Presentation, Neurosurgical Society of Pittsburgh, 2024
- Stryker CNS Tumor Award, AANS, 2023
- American Epilepsy Society Fellow, 2022
- F32 Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award, 2022
- Highest ABNS Score Award, UPMC Department of Neurosurgery, 2021
- Physician Scientist Incubator Program, Burroughs Wellcome Foundation, 2021
- Walter L. Copeland Grant, Copeland Foundation, 2020
- American Brain Tumor Association Young Investigator Award, 2017
- ITMAT Prize for Clinical/Translational Research, University of Pennsylvania, 2015
- Vagelos Scholars Program in Molecular Life Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, 2009-2013
Selected Publications
Bin Alamer O, Palmisciano P, Mallela AN, Labib MA, Gardner PA, Couldwell WT, Lunsford LD, Abou-Al-Shaar H. Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Management of Petroclival Meningiomas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Treatment Outcomes of Primary and Adjuvant Radiosurgery. J Neuro-oncology [in press], 2021.
Mallela AN, Hect JL, Abou-Al-Shaar H, Akwayena E, Abel TJ. Stereotactic laser interstitial thermal therapy corpus callosotomy for the treatment of pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy. Epilepsia Open [in press], 2021.
Mallela AN, Abou-Al-Shaar H, Nayar GM, Luy DD, Jorge A González-Martínez. Stereotactic Electroencephalography Implantation Through Nonautologous Cranioplasty. Operative Neurosurgery 21(4):258-264, 2021.
Shalom DE, Trevisan MA, Mallela A, Nuñez M, Goldschmidt E. Brain folding shapes the branching pattern of the middle cerebral artery. PLOS ONE 16(1):e0245167, 2021.
Mallela AN, Deng H, Brisbin AK, Bush A, Goldschmidt EG. Sylvian fissure development is linked to differential genetic expression in the pre-folded brain. Sci Rep 10(1):14489, 2020.
Mallela AN, Deng H, Bush A, Goldschmidt EG. Different principles govern different scales of brain folding. Cerebral Cortex 30(9):4938-4948, 2020.
Mallela AN, Agarwal P, Goel N, Durgin J, Jayaram M, O’Rourke DO, Brem S, Abdullah KG. An additive score optimized by a genetic learning algorithm predicts readmission risk after glioblastoma resection. J Clin Neurosci 80:1-5, 2020.
Lou W, Peck KK, Petrovich-Brennan NM, Mallela A, Holodny AI. Left-Lateralization of Resting State Functional Connectivity Between the pre-SMA and Primary Language Areas. NeuroReport 28(10):545-550, 2017.
Mallela AN, Peck KK, Petrovich-Brennan NM, Zhang Z, Lou W, Holodny AI. Altered resting state functional connectivity in the hand motor network of glioma patients. Brain Connectivity 6(8):587-595, 2016.
Dr. Mallela’s publications can be reviewed through the National Library of Medicine’s publication database.
Research Activities
Dr. Mallela’s research focuses broadly on bridging the gap between human behavior, in particular language, and structural and electrophysiological mechanisms to improve both our understanding of cognitive processes and to better treat patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, movement disorders, psychiatric disorders, and brain tumors. To address these key questions, this research marries intracranial electrophysiological exploration during stereo EEG, deep brain stimulation, and awake craniotomy with detailed neuropsychological testing, and advanced neuroimaging, At present, he is utilizing this approach to explore the role of the supplementary motor area in fluent expressive speech and motor production. Other work focuses on the role of functional brain mapping in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy and in virtual and augmented reality.