About The Neurosurgical Atlas Foundation
The Neurosurgical Atlas (ATLAS) is the largest nonprofit (501c3) organization for neurosurgical education and research in the world. With 56,000 members and over 1.3 million website users (as of March 2021,) the ATLAS affects the care of many patients daily. A recent survey demonstrated that the ATLAS is considered internationally as the Bible of neurosurgery.
The mission of the ATLAS is to advance the care of patients suffering from neurosurgical disorders via introduction of novel and efficient surgical techniques into practice. Our unwavering commitment to technical excellence through research and education is demonstrated via our goal to remain the most innovative and comprehensive platform for advancement of neurosurgical techniques. The ATLAS has transformed neurosurgical education across the globe.
Aaron Cohen-Gadol,
MD, MSc
See the full detailed dedicated page of Dr. Aaron Cohen-Gadol for more information.
Aaron Cohen-Gadol, MD, MSc is the President of the Board of directors and the founder of the Neurosurgical Atlas. He has extensive experience with surgeries of brain tumors, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and microvascular decompression surgery for hemifacial spasm and trigeminal neuralgia. The Atlas reflects the surgical experience of Dr. Cohen with more than 5,500 complex brain operations.
His surgical philosophy focuses on efficient and minimally invasive surgery based on the fundamental principle that his true passion for technical excellence yields unparalleled surgical results. He has published over 510 publications on the aforementioned topics. He is recognized internationally for his expertise in complex intracranial surgery.
For more information on Dr. Cohen, please see his CV in this PDF and Wikipedia. Please refer to this editorial in the Journal of Neurosurgery on the work related to the Atlas. In addition, please see this Preface Chapter and its associated video introductions by Dr. Cohen to the Atlas.
Cormac Maher, MD
Cormac O. Maher, MD is the vice-president of the board of directors. He is a neurosurgeon specializing in the surgical treatment of children as well as adults with congenital anomalies such as Chiari Malformation and tethered spinal cord. Dr. Maher's major areas of clinical interest include the surgical treatment of Chiari Malformation, arteriovenous malformations, Moyamoya disease, cavernous malformations, pediatric brain tumors, spinal dysraphism, tethered spinal cord, and hydrocephalus.
Dr. Maher is an active clinician-investigator and has made over 150 presentations of his work at national medical meetings. He has published a large number of scientific articles as well as book chapters on a wide variety of neurosurgical topics. His work has appeared in many medical journals including the Journal of Neurosurgery, Stroke, Neurosurgery, and Neurology
Dr. Maher is a diplomat of both the American Board of Neurological Surgery as well as the American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery. He is a member of the American Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery. He currently serves as a director of the Accreditation Council for Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowships.
Eyas Hattab, MD
Eyas Hattab, MD, MBA is an executive member of the Atlas Foundation. He is the Chair of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the A.J. Miller Endowed Chair in Pathology at the University of Louisville. Dr. Hattab completed Neuropathology Fellowship training at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA followed by an Oncological Surgical Pathology Fellowship at the Ackerman Laboratory of Surgical Pathology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University in St. Louis, MO. Dr. Hattab holds a Business of Medicine Master of Business Administration degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.
Dr. Hattab’s research interests are varied but focus mostly on the molecular and immunohistochemical characterization of brain tumors and the applications for immunohistochemistry in the field of surgical pathology in general. He has over 80 peer-reviewed publications, reviews and book chapters to his credit and is a member of the editorial board for Modern Pathology. Dr. Hattab is an active member of the Neuropathology community and serves on several national committees governing the field, including the College of American Pathologists Neuropathology Committee, the CAP Cancer Biomarker Reporting Committee (CBRC) CNS panel and the Lower Grade Gliomas Disease Working Group of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, the National Cancer Institute.
James Rutka, MD, PhD
James Rutka, MD, PhD is an advisor to the Atlas Foundation. He is a Pediatric Neurosurgeon whose clinical practice has been at the Hospital for Sick Children. Dr. Rutka's primary research and clinical interests relate to the science and surgery of human brain tumors and epilepsy. He has over 500 peer reviewed publications.
In 2009, Dr. Rutka served as President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). In 2011, he became President of the World Academy of Neurological Surgery, President of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery, and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. That same year, he was appointed as the RS McLaughlin Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. In 2013, he became the first Canadian to be appointed as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Neurosurgery, and was inducted as a Member of the Order of Ontario. In 2015, he received the Margolese National Brain Disorders Prize from the University of British Columbia, the Robert L. Noble Award from the Canadian Cancer Society, and was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2019, he received the Cushing Medal from the AANS, the highest honour that can be bestowed on one of its members.
Rick Boop, MD
Rick Boop, MD is an advisor to the Atlas Foundation. He serves as the JT Robertson Chairman and Professor and the St Jude endowed chair of pediatric neurosurgery. He is co-director of the LeBonheur Neurosciences Institute. Dr. Boop has served neurosurgery as the chairman of the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS), Congress of Neurological Surgeons representative to the American Medical Association relative value update committee (RUC), member of the Washington Committee, president of the American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons (ASPN), president of the Southern Neurosurgical Society (SNS), and president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).
He is currently the neurosurgical subspecialty governor to the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Board of Governors, a Director and Vice-Chair of the American Board of Neurological Surgeons (ABNS), neurosurgical representative to the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), past-chairman of the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgeons (ABPNS) and President of the International Society of Pediatric Neurosurgery (ISPN). He has over 250 peer-reviewed publications and currently works in the St Jude Global Program.
Daniel Sciubba, MD, MBA
Daniel Sciubba, MD, MBA is an advisor to the Atlas Foundation. He serves as Chair of Neurosurgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, the Senior Vice President of Neurosurgery at Northwell Health, and Co-Director of the Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Northwell Health.
A national leader in spinal neurosurgery, Dr. Sciubba has a particular focus on spine tumors and spinal deformity. He is recognized for his work in complex en bloc surgery for rare tumors such as chordoma. A widely recognized researcher, Dr. Sciubba has authored more than 600 peer-reviewed papers and has edited three medical texts. In 2015, he was inducted into the Miller-Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence, the highest clinical distinction at Johns Hopkins University. He has been consistently recognized by Expertscape as among the top ten spine surgeons and spinal oncology clinicians in the world.
Dr. Sciubba received his Master of Business Administration degree at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. His post-doctoral training included a residency in neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and two complex spine fellowships at Johns Hopkins University and Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia, PA.
Michael Kerschner, JD
Mike Kerschner, JD is the legal counsel and compliance officer for the Atlas. He is driven by the Jewish principle of ‘Tikkun Olam’ — repairing the world. Mike believes that includes using his skills to give back and be active in his community which currently includes serving on the Carmel Clay School Board in Indiana. He recently chaired the district’s superintendent search and is currently serving as board president.
Before attending law school and after studying accounting at the University of Illinois, Mike spent a year preparing individual income tax returns for a large national tax preparation company and a small public accounting firm. Mike credits his year off from studies with giving him a greater appreciation for and enjoyment of law school.
He has lectured on title law in Indiana, choice of entities, homeowners’ associations, and the low-income housing tax credit program.
