UC Davis Health
Department of Neurological Surgery

Research and Scholarly Activities | Neurological Surgery Residency

Research and Scholarly Activities

At UC Davis, all residents are strongly encouraged and supported to pursue scholarly activities. The Department of Neurological Surgery leads groundbreaking research, offering residents opportunities to make fundamental discoveries at the bench through to evaluating the efficacy of treatments at the bedside.

Scholarship activities allow residents to nurture intellectual curiosity for lifelong learning skills, become critical evaluators of medical literature and develop skills for fellowship and academic practice. Residents receive extensive training and support to engage in research during their junior resident years, to help them decide on a career pathway that best fits their interests and skills.

The residency program provides time and funding for residents to attend and present at regional and national scientific meetings, such as the Society of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and other subspecialty meetings, where they can interact with experts in the field and present their scholarly work.

  • Research Stream

    The residency program provides protected time to all junior residents (PGY1 to PGY3) to gain training and experience in basic science, translational, and clinical research in a wide variety of laboratories. As a PGY 4, residents may choose to enter our formal Research Stream, which provides 1-2 years of dedicated research time and robust support for those seeking careers in academic neurological surgery.

    Residents choosing this pathway have the opportunity to compete for the prestigious UE5 training grant that offers additional support, training, and national recognition. The Research Stream offers the opportunity to complete up to 2 years of full-time research during residency, or 1 year of full-time research and an enfolded PGY7 Clinical Fellowship.

    Residents that complete the Research Stream are expected to present frequently at national/international conferences, publish numerous scientific manuscripts, and be well trained in all aspects of academic Neurosurgery.

    We expect that graduates from this program will be excellent candidates for highly competitive academic positions.

    The directors of the UE5 program are Kia Shahlaie, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Neurological Surgery, and Michael A. Rogawski, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neurology. Candidates for Neurological Surgery with questions about the program may contact Kia Shahlaie at krshahlaie@health.ucdavis.edu. The program is funded by a grant from NINDS (R25NS124520).

  • Clinical Stream

    Residents that prefer to focus on clinical excellence are encouraged to enter the Clinical Stream, which focuses training on subspecialty clinical skills through elective rotations. This stream also provides resources and support to engage in scholarly activities such as quality improvement or education. Graduates from this stream are expected to be excellent candidates for a wide range of positions, which may include academic neurosurgery (e.g. education focus), hospital-based practice, or private practice.

Recent Resident Publications

Functional

Utility of Sodium Fluorescein During Peripheral Nerve Tumor Surgery: A Scoping Review of Indications, Techniques, and Outcomes. Asfour MZ, Venero C Jr, Mo J, et al. (Gerndt C, Palmisciano P). World Neurosurg. 2024;191:267-277.e1. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2024.08.101 

Partial Rhombencephalosynapsis Presenting in an Adult with Cerebello-Trigeminal-Dermal Dysplasia. Tiffany Cava Morden F, Xin Liang B, Nguyen L, Carrazana E, Ghaffari-Rafi A, Kai Liow K. Epilepsy Behav Rep. 2024;27:100688. Published 2024 Jun 22. doi:10.1016/j.ebr.2024.100688 

Improvements in Sleep Quality in Patients With Major Depressive and Generalized Anxiety Disorders Treated With Individualized, Parcel-Guided Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Tang SJ, Holle J, Mor S, et al. Brain Behav. 2024;14(10):e70088. doi:10.1002/brb3.70088 

Tumor and skull base 

Correlation Between Pituitary Adenoma Surgery and Anxiety Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sabahi M, Yousefi O, Kehoe L, et al. (Gerndt C, Palmisciano P). World Neurosurg. 2024;187:184-193.e6. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2024.04.154 

Paget’s disease with tumefactive soft tissue extension mimicking a chronic subdural hematoma. Soufi K, Ortuno O, Urreola G, Castillo J. Radiol Case Rep. 2024;19(8):3205-3210. Published 2024 May 17. doi:10.1016/j.radcr.2024.04.076 

Anatomical Study of the Supratentorial Extension for the Retrolabyrinthine Presigmoid Approaches. Hoz SS, Palmisciano P, Ismail M, et al. World Neurosurg. 2024;188:e120-e127. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2024.05.054 

Current status of artificial intelligence technologies in pituitary adenoma surgery: a scoping review. Maroufi SF, Doğruel Y, Pour-Rashidi A, et al. (Palmisciano P). Pituitary. 2024;27(2):91-128. doi:10.1007/s11102-023-01369-6 

A systematic review of extraneural meningioma metastasis: timing, evolution and outlook. Watanabe G, Young K, Rauber E, et al. (Riestenberg R, Palmisciano P). J Neurooncol. 2024;168(2):187-196. doi:10.1007/s11060-024-04659-6 

“Recurrent Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma Presenting with Diffuse Leptomeningeal Spread”. Zagardo V, Viola A, Scalia G, Palmisciano P, Umana GE, Ferini G. Neurohospitalist. 2024;14(4):468-470. doi:10.1177/19418744241273267 

Comparative Analysis of Recurrent Glioblastoma Target Contours via 11C-Methionine, 68Ga-Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Implications for Precision Radiotherapy Planning. Ferini G, Scalia G, Harikar M, et al. (Palmisciano P). Adv Radiat Oncol. 2024;9(9):101548. Published 2024 Jun 4. doi:10.1016/j.adro.2024.101548 

Perioperative blood transfusion management in surgical resection of intracranial meningiomas: A meta-analysis. Ismail M, Al-Shalchy A, Al-Khazaali YM, et al. (Palmisciano P). Surg Neurol Int. 2024;15:256. Published 2024 Jul 26. doi:10.25259/SNI_427_2024  

Cortical incisions and transcortical approaches for intra-axial and intraventricular lesions: A scoping review. Hoz SS, Ismail M, Palmisciano P, et al. Surg Neurol Int. 2024;15:82. Published 2024 Mar 8. doi:10.25259/SNI_58_2024 

Three-Stage Surgical Resection in Semisitting Position of Sphenocavernopetroclival-Foramen Magnum Meningioma: 3-Dimensional Operative Video. Abdala-Vargas NJ, Palmisciano P, Baldoncini M, Villalonga JF, Campero Á. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2024;27(4):515. doi:10.1227/ons.0000000000001163 

Leiomyogenic Tumor of the Spine: A Systematic Review. Kharbat AF, Balasubramanian K, Sankarappan K, et al. (Palmisciano P). Cancers (Basel). 2024;16(4):748. Published 2024 Feb 10. doi:10.3390/cancers16040748 

The M-Point A Novel Landmark in Middle Fossa Surgery: A Cadaveric Morphometric Study. Méndez Rosito D, Borrayo-Dorado S, Zorrilla-Madera E, et al. (Palmisciano P). World Neurosurg. 2024;181:e67-e74. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2023.06.098 

Pediatrics 

Intraventricular Glioma in Pediatric Patients: A Systematic Review of Demographics, Clinical Characteristics, and Outcomes. Watanabe G, Conching A, Fry L, et al. (Rodriguez-Beato FY, Palmisciano P). World Neurosurg. 2024;186:252-262.e10. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2024.04.026 

Validating the Brain Injury Guidelines in a Pediatric Population with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Intracranial Injury at a Level I Trauma Center.Yu N, Castillo J, Kohler JE, et al.  J Neurotrauma. Published online November 7, 2024. doi:10.1089/neu.2024.0130 

Minimally Invasive Techniques in the Surgical Management of Traumatic Pediatric Thoracolumbar Fractures. Castillo J, Soufi K, Zhou J, Kulubya E, Javidan Y, Ebinu JO. World Neurosurg. 2024;182:e292-e300. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2023.11.102 

Post-traumatic hyperoxia after pediatric TBI. Tang SJ, Mor S, Fine JR, Zwienenberg M, Shahlaie K. Brain Inj. 2024;38(11):889-895. doi:10.1080/02699052.2024.2354851 

“Dangling choroid” with contralateral glomus displacement and ischemic torsion in congenital hydrocephalus: illustrative case. Jones JK, Moyer QJ, Sudhof LS, et al. (Soufi K). J Neurosurg Case Lessons. 2024;8(23):CASE24505. Published 2024 Dec 2. doi:10.3171/CASE24505 

Vascular Retrograde Middle Meningeal Artery Embolization through Mini Craniotomy for Subdural Hematoma Evacuation: A Technical Note. Liang B, Moskalik AD, Yu N, et al. (Goodrich D, Lee G). Neurointervention. 2024;19(3):174-179. doi:10.5469/neuroint.2024.00297  

Transvenous embolization of a carotid-cavernous fistula via the inferior ophthalmic vein: illustrative case. Liang B, Moskalik AD, Taylor MN, Waldau B. J Neurosurg Case Lessons. 2024;8(7):CASE24183. Published 2024 Aug 12. doi:10.3171/CASE24183  

A technical guide to robotic-assisted carotid angioplasty and stenting with the Corindus CorPath GRX system. Moskalik AD, Liang B, Cord BJ, Waldau B. Interv Neuroradiol. Published online January 17, 2024. doi:10.1177/15910199241226856  

Minimally invasive presigmoid retrolabyrinthine suprameatal approach (PRSA): A cadaveric study for accessing premeatal anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysms. Hoz SS, Palmisciano P, Ismail M, et al. Surg Neurol Int. 2024;15:364. Published 2024 Oct 4. doi:10.25259/SNI_585_2024  

Dural arteriovenous fistulas at the craniocervical junction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Qedair J, Sankarappan K, Mirahmadi Eraghi M, et al. (Palmisciano P). Neurosurg Rev. 2024;47(1):812. Published 2024 Oct 23. doi:10.1007/s10143-024-03018-3  

Indications, operative techniques, and outcomes of occipital artery-vertebral artery bypass: an institutional series. Palmisciano P, Street S, Hoz SS, Choutka O, Andaluz N, Zuccarello M. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2024;166(1):329. Published 2024 Aug 7. doi:10.1007/s00701-024-06210-y  

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 3-Dimensional Morphometric Parameters for Cerebral Aneurysms. Johnson MD, Palmisciano P, Yamani AS, Hoz SS, Prestigiacomo CJ. World Neurosurg. 2024;183:214-226.e5. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2023.12.131 

Traumatic brain injury 

Worsening orbital roof “blow-in” fractures following traumatic brain injury: A report of two cases. Rao V, Gerndt CH, Ong V, Strong EB, Shahlaie K. Surg Neurol Int. 2024;15:316. Published 2024 Sep 6. doi:10.25259/SNI_461_2024 

Spine 

Systematic Review of Peptide CAQK: Properties, Applications, and Outcomes. Castillo JA Jr, Le MN, Ratcliff A, et al. (Soufi K, Ghaffari-Rafi A). Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25(20):10990. Published 2024 Oct 12. doi:10.3390/ijms252010990 

Validation of a Precise Impactor in a Rodent Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Hemi-Contusion Model. Castillo JA Jr., Le MN, Pivetti C, et al. (Soufi K, Ghaffari-Rafi A). BioMed. 2024; 4(4):524-540. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomed4040039 

Diffuse Midline H3K27-Altered Gliomas in the Spinal Cord: A Systematic Review. Watanabe G, Wong JM, Estes B, et al. (Palmisciano P). J Neurooncol. 2024;166(3):379-394. doi:10.1007/s11060-024-04584-8 

Spontaneous Spinal Hematoma in Patients Using Antiplatelets and Anticoagulants: A Systematic Review. Kumar N, Palmisciano P, Dhawan S, Boakye M, Drazin D, Sharma M. World Neurosurg. 2024;184:e185-e194. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2024.01.082 

Miscellaneous 

Risk Factors Associated with Post-Cholecystectomy Syndrome and Insights into Post-Surgical Follow-Up: Retrospective Cohort Study. Castillo J, Narayan S, Urreola G, et al. (Soufi K) J Surgery. 2024; 4(2): 1174. 

Dissecting Diversity: A Comprehensive Look at the Present Landscape and Future Challenges in Surgical Specialties. Dejenie R, Fannon EE, Persky J, et al. (Soufi K) J Surg Educ. 2024;81(7):1004-1011. doi:10.1016/j.jsurg.2024.04.003