Dennis Spencer, MD
Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery

Dr. Spencer is the Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery. As Chief of the Section of Epilepsy Surgery, he is an internationally recognized surgeon and investigator who directs an interdisciplinary team of basic and clinical researchers funded by NIH for 20 years and devoted to human investigation into the mechanisms, diagnoses, and therapy of the medically resistant, symptomatic epilepsies. This research moves from basic laboratory investigation of resected human epileptogenic tissue to metabolic spectroscopic imaging, microdialysis of human ECF metabolites, computerized modeling of co-registered electrophysiology and dynamic imaging studies and new therapeutics such as responsive neurostimulation. Dr. Spencer has been a mentor for over 30 medical and postdoctoral students, and over 20 neurosurgical residents and epilepsy surgery fellows.