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New York Weill Cornell Medical Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital has greatly expanded its neurosurgery program by creating a new Department of Neurosurgery and appointing a leading neurosurgeon, Dr. Philip E. Stieg, as Chairman of the Department and Neurosurgeon-in-Chief.

Dr. Stieg, who until now has been Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and Associate Chief of Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, will also hold the position of Professor of Neurosurgery at Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

Dr. Stieg's appointment will mean a new multi-faceted approach to the management of neurosurgical disorders such as stroke, brain tumors, spinal cord disorders, and functional diseases like Parkinson's and movement disorders. He will collaborate with the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience and the Division of Radiation-Oncology in the management of nervous system diseases. Under his leadership, the medical center will use advanced magnetic resonance imaging to precisely locate and treat brain tumors and vascular malformations. With his arrival, New York Weill Cornell bids fair to become a world leader in the surgical management of brain disorders, establishing disease-focused groups to deliver treatment in collaboration with other departments of the medical center.

The Neurosurgery Department is the latest in a series of divisions to have been promoted to departmental status at Weill Cornell Medical College. In 1993, the Departments of Urology, Dermatology, and Cardiothoracic Surgery were established. The Neurosurgery Department is being established only after an extensive search for a nationally renowned figure to head this key area.

Dr. Antonio M. Gotto, Jr., Dean of Weill Medical College of Cornell University, said, "We are indeed fortunate to have found Philip Stieg to lead our Neurosurgery Department. His expertise and experience are most distinguished, and I am sure his achievements here will be remarkable."

Dr. Herbert Pardes, President and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, said, "Dr. Philip Stieg's stature in the field of neurosurgery is top-notch. I welcome this exciting appointment for New York Weill Cornell Medical Center."

Dr. Stieg received his B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1974. He earned a Ph.D. in anatomy/neuroscience from Union University and an M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin. He trained at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (Parkland Memorial Hospital) with Drs. Duke Samson and Hunt Batjer. He had a fellowship in cell transplantation for restorative neurological function at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, before joining Harvard.

Dr. Stieg's research interests include cerebral protection and restorative function. He is also interested in neural transplantation and neuronal regeneration after stroke. His initial studies focused on understanding the mechanisms of injury in the central nervous system after trauma. His laboratory was one of the first to develop and characterize primary cultures of astroglial cells. Subsequently, he studied the mechanisms of membrane transport and its implications after traumatic brain injury.

A recipient of several awards and honors, including citations in "Who's Who in Health and Medical Services" and "The Best Doctors in America," Dr. Stieg has played a major role in developing and enhancing the neurosurgical programs at Harvard, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Boston.