Pediatric Neurosurgery Research

Faculty & Areas of Focus  

Research within the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is led by a multidisciplinary team of surgeon-scientists and clinician-investigators advancing care across a wide range of pediatric neurological conditions.  

Faculty members specialize in diverse areas of research:  

• Dr. Sandi Lam, MD, MBA: Epilepsy surgery, pediatric neurovascular disease, global neurosurgery, and health services/outcomes research. 
• Dr. Robin M. Bowman, MD: Spina bifida, fetal neurosurgery (open and fetoscopic closures), and longitudinal clinical registries. 
• Dr. Tord D. Alden, MD: Skull base surgery, complex spine (Chiari/syringomyelia), peripheral nerve and brachial plexus, and rare metabolic diseases (MPS). 
• Dr. Michael G. DeCuypere, MD, PhD: Neuro-oncology, translational research (brain tumor immunotherapy), minimally invasive neurosurgery, and skull base endoscopy. 
• Dr. Jeffrey S. Raskin, MD: Functional neurosurgery, stereotactic laser ablation, stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG), and neuromodulation.  

Collaborations & Research Networks  

ATPC (Advancing Treatment for Pediatric Craniopharyngioma) Consortium: A multi-institutional network utilizing a clinical registry to study tumor biology and improve long-term outcomes for children with craniopharyngioma.   

CPRN (Cerebral Palsy Research Network): A clinician-reported registry aggregating multicenter data to identify practice variations and implement quality improvement protocols for cerebral palsy.  

HCRN (Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network): A quality improvement network dedicated to standardizing perioperative care and reducing CSF shunt infection rates through the implementation of evidence-based protocols.  

LGSF (Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome Foundation): A non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals impacted by LGS through research, education, and family support  

NSBPR (National Spina Bifida Patient Registry): A CDC-funded registry that tracks longitudinal outcomes to develop national standards of care and clinical benchmarks for patients with spina bifida.   

Park-Reeves Consortium: A North American network of experts focused on improving medical and surgical care for children with syringomyelia and Chiari I malformation.  

PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute): This institute funds comparative effectiveness research to help patients and caregivers make better-informed healthcare decisions.  

PERC (Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium): A national collaboration that provides the infrastructure for practice-changing research and standardized treatment guidelines for rare childhood epilepsies.        

TROPHY (Treatment of Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus in neonates): An international prospective registry that compares surgical techniques for managing hydrocephalus caused by neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). 

Research & Training Pipeline  

The Division of Neurosurgery is committed to educating the next generation of pediatric neurosurgical researchers and clinician-scientists. 

• Research Fellowship: Structured mentorship and hands-on research experience across clinical, outcomes, and translational domains.   
• Trainee Involvement: Opportunities for medical students, residents, and clinical fellows to participate in high-impact research projects.   

Why It Matters  

Our research is guided by a single goal: improving the lives of children with neurological conditions. Through innovative surgical techniques, rigorous clinical investigation, and multidisciplinary collaboration, we aim to deliver safer procedures, more effective therapies, and equitable access to care - locally and globally.  

See a list of over 700 publications from the pediatric neurosurgery group!