Current Residents
Chiefs
Garrett Banks, MD
Education
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, 2015
- Boston University College of Engineering, BS in Biomedical Engineering, 2008
Honors/Awards
- World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery Travel Grant
- New York State Psychiatric Institute MRI Pilot Grant
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons 2013 Neurocritical Care Top Poster
- Columbia University Department of Neurosurgery Fellowship
- NIH Summer Medical Research Fellowship (T35)
- Boston University Engineering Scholar Award
Research Interests
- Functional Neurosurgery
- Psychiatric Neurosurgery
- Epilepsy Surgery
- Image-guided Neurosurgical Navigation
- Diffusion Imaging and Tractography
- Cognitive Neuroscience
Professional Memberships
- American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ASSFN)
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)
- Biomedical Engineering Honor Society (AEMB)
Justin Neira, MD
Education
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, 2015
- Cornell University, BA, 2010
Honors/Awards
- Alfred M. Markowitz Endowment for Scholars in Surgery, Columbia University, 2015
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, Columbia University, 2014
- Phi Beta Kappa, Cornell University, 2010
- Tanner Dean’s Scholar, Cornell University, 2006
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology: convection-enhanced delivery
- Drug delivery systems
- Intraoperative fluorescence guidance
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
PGY-6
Matei Banu, MD
Education
- Carol Davila University, Bucharest, Romania, MD, 2011
Honors/Awards
- Summa Cum Laude and Valedictorian, Carol Davila University 2011
- GlaxoSmithKlein Award for Excellence, Carol Davila University 2011
- National Merit Scholarship, Carol Davila University 2011
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Brain Tumor and Stem Cell Laboratory, Weill Cornell Medical Center 2012-2014
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Bartoli Brain Tumor Laboratory, Columbia University Medical Center 2014-2016
Research Interests
- Cellular and molecular heterogeneity in glioma
- Glioma microenvironment
- Immunotherapy in glioma
- Systems biology approach to cancer
- Precision medicine based clinical trials
- Drug delivery techniques: convection-enhanced delivery and intra-arterial therapy
- Open and endoscopic approaches for skull base lesions
- Surgical approaches for pineal tumors
- History of neurosurgery
Professional Memberships
- Fellow American Association Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Resident Member
- Fellow Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), Resident Member
- Fellow Society for Immunotherapy in Cancer
Jonathan Sisti, MD
Education
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, 2017
- Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science, B.Sc., 2012
Honors/Awards
- NIH Summer Research Presentation Award; August 2014; Columbia University Medical Center
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
- American Medical Association
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
PGY-5
Eleonora Spinazzi, MD
Education
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, MD, 2017
- Columbia University in the City of New York, BA, Biological Sciences, 2010
Honors/Awards
- Peter W. Carmel, M.D. Award in Neurological Surgery, 2017
- Alpha Omega Alpha, 2016
- Columbian Foundation Scholarship, 2013
- President’s Volunteer Service Award, Bronze, 2012
Research Interests
- Neuroregeneration
- Neuronal Stem Cells
- Olfaction
Professional Memberships
- Alpha Omega Alpha
- The European Association of Neurosurgical Societies
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
Evan Joiner, MD
Education
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, May 2018
- Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program: Columbia University, May 2014
- Yale University, BA, American Studies and Theater Studies, May 2007
Honors/Awards
- Norman Holmes Pearson Prize, Yale University, 2007
- Cum Laude, Yale University, 2007
- NIH Summer Medical Research Fellowship (T35), 2015
- Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society, 2016
- Knapp Award for the Highest Academic Achievement at the End of the Major Clinical Year, 2018
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons Tumor Section Top Tumor E-Poster, 2018
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology
- Tumor-Associated Epilepsy
- Patient Reported Outcomes
- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics
- Health Policy
Professional Memberships
- Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Resident Member
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), Resident Member
PGY-4
Zachary Englander, MD
Education
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, May 2018
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, MS Biomedical Sciences, 2018
- Yeshiva University, BA Biology, 2013
Honors/Awards
- Dean’s Research Fellowship, Columbia P&S, 2016-2017
- NIH T35 Summer Research Fellowship, 2014
- Magna Cum Laude, Yeshiva University 2013
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology
- Functional MRI
- Radiogenomics
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Resident Member
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), Resident Member
Anna Filley, MD
Education
- Indiana University School of Medicine, MD, 2018
- Purdue University, BS, Biomedical Engineering, 2014
Honors/Awards
- Julius M. Goodman Scholarship, 2018
- William J. Wright Scholarship for Cancer Research, 2017
- Class of 1967 Glenn W Irwin Jr, M.D., Scholarship, 2014
- Haselby Oustanding Biomedical Engineering Senior Scholarship, 2014
- Mortar Board Graduate Fellowship, 2014
- Biomedical Engineering Senior Design Award, 2014
- Phi Beta Kappa, Purdue University, 2014
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology
- Immunotherapy
Professional Memberships
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Resident Member
PGY-3
Travis CreveCoeur, MD
Education
- Indiana University School of Medicine, MD, 2018
- Purdue University, BS, Biomedical Engineering, 2014
Honors/Awards
- Julius M. Goodman Scholarship, 2018
- William J. Wright Scholarship for Cancer Research, 2017
- Class of 1967 Glenn W Irwin Jr, M.D., Scholarship, 2014
- Haselby Oustanding Biomedical Engineering Senior Scholarship, 2014
- Mortar Board Graduate Fellowship, 2014
- Biomedical Engineering Senior Design Award, 2014
- Phi Beta Kappa, Purdue University, 2014
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology
- Immunotherapy
Professional Memberships
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Resident Member
Nina Yoh, MD
Education
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, 2019
- Columbia University, Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program, 2014
- Pace University, MST, Secondary Mathematics, 2007
- Bard College, BA, Photography, 2005
Honors/Awards
- Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society, 2019
- Gold Humanism Honor Society (GHHS), 2019
- Glasgow-Rubin Achievement Award for Women Graduating in the Top 10 Percent of Their Class, 2019
- Albert B. Knapp Award for Highest Academic Achievement at the End of the Major Clinical Year, 2018
- NIH Summer Medical Research Fellowship (T35), 2016
- Alan & Ruth Borenstein Medical Scholarship, 2016
- Columbia University GS Student Leadership Service Award, 2015
- Columbia University GS Postbac Premed Scholarship, 2014
- Americorps Education Award, 2006
Research Interests
- Cerebrovascular
- Immunotherapy
- Neurocritical care
- Neuro-oncology
- Epidemiology
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)
- Neurocritical Care Society (NCS)
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY)
PGY-2
Deborah Boyett, MD, MS
Education
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, 2020
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, MS Biomedical Sciences, 2020
- Bryn Mawr College, Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program, 2015
- Stanford University, BA, Human Biology, 2014
Honors/Awards
- Donald O. Quest Award for Best Basic Science Abstract by a Medical Student, Young Neurosurgeons Research Forum, American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2019
- Dean’s Research Fellowship, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, 2018-2019
- Honors in Human Biology, Stanford University, 2014
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology
- Radiogenomics/Radiopathomics
- Skull Base Neuro-anatomy
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Resident Member
Nathan Winans, MD
Education
- Stony Brook University School of Medicine, MD, 2020
- Cornell University, BS, Biological Sciences, 2015
Honors/Awards
- Scholarly Concentration Award - Stony Brook University, 2016-2020
Research Interests
- Functional neurosurgery
- Disorders of consciousness
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons - Resident Member
PGY-1 Interns
Pavan S. Upadhyayula, MD
Education
- University of California, San Diego, MD 2021
- University of California, Berkeley, BA, Molecular and Cell Biology: Neurobiology, 2015
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology
- Functional brain connectivity
Professional Memberships
- American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Resident Member
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Resident Member
Linda Wang, MD
Education
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, MD, 2021
- Cornell University, BA, Biological Sciences, 2016
Honors/Awards
- Phi Beta Kappa, 2016
- College of Arts and Sciences Degree Marshal, 2016
- Pauline and Irving Tanner Dean’s Scholar, 2012
Research Interests
- Neuro-oncology
- Fluorescence-guided surgery
- Functional neurosurgery
Professional Memberships
- Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
