Our team's expertise allows for early detection and treatment of aneurysms, often before rupture, using advanced endovascular techniques (embolization) or microsurgery (aneurysm clipping) to prevent potentially fatal outcomes. Current research projects focus on the efficacy of using advanced imaging such as vessel wall imaging MRI for aneurysm monitoring after treatment, and application of new endovascular devices for aneurysm closure.

Our department has established strategic partnerships with leading medical device companies to advance aneurysm treatment. We collaborate with Cerenovus on device registries for endovascular aneurysm treatment and the pivotal IDE trial MEMBRANE for MMA embolization. Additional partnerships with MicroVention, Kaneka, Penumbra, and Rapid Medical have strengthened our device registries for endovascular aneurysm treatment. Our work with Stryker Neurovascular focuses on a pivotal IDE trial for aneurysm treatment, while our collaboration with Medtronic centers on MMA embolization. Most recently, we launched the SEAL-IT trial with Galaxy Therapeutics, a pivotal IDE study investigating a novel endovascular treatment device for both unruptured and ruptured wide-neck aneurysms.

Beyond clinical trials, we are actively investigating racial, gender, and economic disparities in brain aneurysm outcomes. Public awareness and community outreach remain priorities for our team as we work to expand public knowledge about brain aneurysms and ensure equitable access to treatment.

Aneurysm and embolization researchers include:

• J Mocco, MD, MS
• Johanna T. Fifi, MD
• Alejandro Berenstein, MD
• Reade A. De Leacy, MD
• Christopher P. Kellner, MD
• M. Travis Caton, MD
• Shahram Majidi, MD
• Thomas J. Oxley, MD, PhD
• Tomoyoshi Shigematsu, MD, PhD
• Hazem Shoriah, MD 

Brain-computer interfaces are neuroprosthesis devices that capture electrophysiologic brain activities, and decode and translate them into commands to control a computer or other external device. Examples include detecting and decoding the motor intentions in the brain of a paralyzed patient and using them to operate a computer mouse or robotic arm or decoding the words and phrases from the speech center of the brain in patients with lost speech output (aphasia).

The safety and feasibility of brain-computer interface devices to restore the lost function and to regain some level of functional independence is being tested in multiple independent clinical trials on patients with ALS, stroke, and spinal cord injury. Our researchers are collaborating with tech start-ups in this field to gain early experience with their clinical use, define best practices, and the standard of care. As clinical practice matures, researchers will work with “brain-computer interface monitoring units” (analogous to epilepsy monitoring units and neurocritical care units, with specialty equipment and fellowship-trained personnel), in which patients undergo advanced electrophysiologic monitoring and behavioral studies, with integrated machine learning-enabled interface optimization.

Brain-computer interface researchers include:

• Thomas J. Oxley, MD, PhD
• Benjamin I. Rapoport, MD, PhD
• Joshua B. Bederson, MD
• Shahram Majidi, MD
• J Mocco, MD, MS

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) has recently been recognized as a major source of symptoms including headache, brain fog, fatigue, tinnitus, and others, often occurring with change in posture. SIH is frequently caused by leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the spine. SIH can be challenging to diagnose, but recent techniques have greatly improved our ability to find and treat spinal CSF leak. Our team of researchers identify risk factors through brain imaging findings which may predict the diagnosis of SIH due to spinal CSF leak or identify other causes which can mimic this condition. We work to optimize diagnostic studies (such as CT myelography) to detect CSF leaks, including dynamic repositioning and procedural techniques to improve visibility and localization of leaks. Researchers are also studying the clinical and radiographic outcomes of various approaches to spinal CSF leak treatment, and collaborating with leading institutions across the United States to identify best practices for CSF leak diagnosis and treatment.

Cerebrospinal fluid leak researchers include:

• Travis Caton, MD

Our research teams at Mount Sinai are studying the tumor biology and evolutionary dynamics of WHO grade IV glioma-glioblastoma, the most malignant and complex primary brain tumors. Our goal is to identify mechanisms that drive the malignant growth and treatment resistance of glioblastoma, which will serve as the basis for the development of future paradigm-shifting treatment strategies. Through this research, surgeons at The Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai West have been able to improve the extent of surgical resection of brain tumors and brain cancer using computer-guided navigation and intra-operative technology including 5-ALA fluorescence guidance. We are also harnessing artificial intelligence to enable early detection of glioma and glioblastoma progression, developing new predictive models and surgical technologies for maximal safe resection, analyzing big data to identify and address gaps in patient care, and conducting translational research to better understand genomic and molecular profiles.

Additional glioma research focuses on understanding the disparities in care in the metropolitan area to identify areas of potential amelioration of patients’ outcome. Our researchers are the first to show that glioblastoma is not a disease predominantly affecting only the white population. This finding allows for a refinement of understanding and improvements in barriers to care delivery.

Translational efforts are exploring the molecular mechanisms that drive the invasive spread of brain tumors through functional genetic analyses of glioma stem cells, using 3D bioengineered migration assays and in vivo transplantation assays. The research focuses on axon guidance receptors and their downstream signaling components, as well as new insights into how these receptors alter the biomechanical dynamics of glioma cells, facilitating their penetration through confined spaces.

Our researchers are developing new molecular reporters that allow the detailed analysis of the physiology and molecular features of brain tumor cells in the context of the brain microenvironment. Recent studies established a cell division reporter, H2B-GFP, to investigate brain tumor cells in quiescent state, and a hypoxia reporter, HRE-UnaG, to label tumor cells that are under low oxygenation. Quiescence and hypoxia provide brain tumor cells with high treatment resistance and understanding the cellular and molecular changes occurring in these states will allow us to develop new improved targeted therapies. 

By developing methods for the immune profiling of brain tumors, researchers have demonstrated that glioblastoma-specific genetic driver mutations can define the composition and function of the tumor immune microenvironment and can modify tumor response of glioblastoma therapy. Based on of these discoveries, researchers at Mount Sinai are currently developing novel combinatorically therapies for treating glioblastoma by targeting neoplastic and non-neoplastic compartments of pediatric and adult gliomas.

Gliomas and glioblastomas researchers include:

• Isabelle M. Germano, MD, MBA 
• Raymund L. Yong, MD
• Hongyan Zou, MD, PhD
• Dolores Hambardzumyan, PhD, MBA 
• Roland Friedel, PhD 

Our researchers are using novel responsive neurostimulation (RNS) strategies to treat refractory seizures in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a difficult to treat epilepsy that affects children and adults. We are testing the use of bilateral RNS devices to better understand the thalamocortical circuits in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome while simultaneously applying an effective neuromodulatory strategy to treat this daunting syndrome.

We are also analyzing intracranial recordings made from our unparalleled clinical experience with the use of responsive RNS to treat refractory epilepsy, particularly in children and young adults. Finding faster and more effective therapeutic neuromodulatory strategies is critical for patients whose seizure severity and lack of available alternatives puts them at risk of losing developmental potential. We are scrubbing the chronic daily recordings and applying machine learning, neurostatistics, and data science to accelerate the effectiveness of this neuromodulatory paradigm to treat epilepsy in children and adults who would otherwise not be considered surgical candidates.

At Icahn Mount Sinai, we seek to understand how human cognition arises from the interaction of multiple brain areas and neurotransmitter systems, particularly in decision-making behavior. These research efforts involve studying prefrontal cortical and subcortical areas directly in the human brain by conducting intracranial electrophysiology recordings in patients undergoing neurosurgical treatment. The goal of these research projects is to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the neurobiological basis of human cognition and behavior, with the ultimate goal of developing novel neurotherapeutic approaches for psychiatric conditions, such as epilepsy and depression. Ongoing research projects include investigating the neural basis of human decision-making under uncertainty using distributed intracranial EEG recordings in epilepsy patients; decoding overt subject behavior from preceding, distributed brain activity in reward-related brain regions; and studying reward and mood processing across multiple brain areas in epilepsy patients with and without comorbid depression.

Epilepsy researchers include:

• Saadi Ghatan, MD
• Fedor E. Panov, MD

The Mount Sinai Health System has developed one of the first intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) centers in the world and remains at the forefront of new treatments for ICH. As such, researchers at Icahn Mount Sinai are continually involved in the latest ICH research efforts. We are currently investigating the safety, technical, and clinical outcomes for minimally invasive endoscopic surgery to treat ICH with the Apollo/Artemis evacuation devices. We are also gathering real-world evidence on the outcomes of minimally invasive supratentorial ICH surgery using the Aurora® Surgiscope for access and visualization of the bleed. Recent research is also exploring how AI can be used to detect, characterize, and triage ICH.

Intracerebral hemorrhage researchers include:

• Christopher P. Kellner, MD

Mount Sinai increasingly is turning to embolization to help remove meningiomas more completely, selectively, and safely. The Skull Base Surgery Center at Mount Sinai is one of a few multidisciplinary centers worldwide dedicated to evaluating and treating benign and malignant skull base tumors, including meningiomas. Using a strategy devised by Mount Sinai BioDesign, surgeons can now assess and quantify the extent of embolization through an analysis of an additional MRI sequence following embolization and preceding surgical resection. Our researchers are collecting data on those patient outcomes to more deeply understand how embolization may benefit patients and for whom it is likely to be most helpful. We are also researching blood flow to tumors and the use of artificial intelligence to analyze patient angiograms before and after embolization. The goal is to find techniques to better quantify devascularization of tumors because of embolization.

Meningioma researchers include:

• Joshua B. Bederson, MD
• Raj Shrivastava, MD
• Benjamin I. Rapoport, MD, PD
• Kalmon D. Post, MD 

Mount Sinai BioDesign serves as Mount Sinai’s center for medical technology innovation, facilitating the development of novel medical devices and healthcare solutions across the health system. We connect, train, and empower innovators to translate ideas into transformative technologies that improve patient care and clinical outcomes.

Located on The Mount Sinai Hospital campus, BioDesign integrates advanced manufacturing capabilities, rapid prototyping resources, and clinical expertise, enabling researchers and clinicians to efficiently design, fabricate, and evaluate early-stage prototypes. By combining these unique capabilities with Mount Sinai's strong cadaveric and preclinical research facilities, BioDesign accelerates the medtech development process through human factors studies, design-for-manufacturing analysis, and clinical validation.

Aside from device testing and research, current and published research initiatives in Mount Sinai BioDesign include advancing surgical science through studies such as the development of an angiographic grading system to standardize preoperative embolization for meningiomas, a review of FDA-cleared surgical robots highlighting the need for updated autonomy-based regulatory frameworks, and a synthesis of innovative techniques for chronic subdural hematoma evacuation, including endoscopic and embolization approaches. 

Additionally, the Vascular Malformation Research Center, part of Mount Sinai BioDesign, supports clinical registries, trials, and translational research to enhance the understanding and treatment of vascular malformations. The center's ongoing work includes clinical studies, animal models, and the development of novel treatments and devices for vascular anomalies.

Mount Sinai BioDesign researchers include:

• Benjamin I. Rapoport, MD, PhD
• Joshua B. Bederson, MD
• Thomas J. Oxley, MD, PhD
• Joseph Borrello, PhD
• Iden Kurtaliaj, PhD
• Turner Baker, PhD

Our researchers have a robust portfolio of federally and industry-funded clinical trials that are evaluating novel strategies for the management of patients with severe acute brain injuries such as acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and status epilepticus. We are conducting trials that will change how stroke patients are managed throughout the continuum of care. Leveraging innovative technologies to provide compassionate care from triage to recovery, our neurocritical researchers have launched trials to evaluate smart ambulances to make transfers for stroke patients safer and more efficient. We are also studying a novel, non-invasive monitor to assess delirium and depth of sedation objectively.

In close collaboration with researchers from the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance and Mount Sinai Stroke Centers, our researchers have launched a unique program to screen and manage multi-domain impairments in the physical, cognitive, and mental health domains for the stroke-patient caregiver dyad leveraging digital health tools such as remote patient monitoring, remote therapeutic monitoring, and multidisciplinary telehealth clinic follow-up. We have also launched "Recharged ICU Rooms," which create bio experiential environments in the ICU to reduce pain, anxiety, and depression among patients. We have also collaborated with the Windreich Department of Artificial Intelligence and Human Health to develop and validate an AI-based algorithm for predicting raised intracranial pressure using various physiological waveforms.

Neurocritical care researchers include:

• Neha S. Dangayach, MD
• John W. Liang, MD
• Alexandra Reynolds, MD

Neuromodulation research at Mount Sinai Health System integrates its efforts across neurosurgery, neurology, psychiatry, and neurosciences. Through the Center for Neuromodulation, the Nash Family Center for Advanced Circuit Therapeutics, the Bonnie and Tom Strauss Movement Disorders Center, and the Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai has made significant advancements in both ethical considerations and clinical applications. Recent discoveries have shown that psychiatric disorders like major depressive disorder share similarities with other neurological conditions, displaying identifiable structural and functional changes in the brain.

Researchers at Mount Sinai focus on developing cutting-edge technologies for patient implants and improving imaging techniques for more precise device placement. Device development includes neurostimulation technologies like deep brain stimulation (DBS), which have been pivotal in managing conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. Research in this area aims to enhance the functionality and safety of these devices, enabling better outcomes for patients.

Advanced imaging techniques are crucial for refining implant procedures. Initially, DBS procedures were guided by physiologic recordings, which were time-consuming and required the patient to be awake. Today, innovations in intra-operative imaging and tractography have revolutionized this process, allowing for more accurate targeting of brain areas. These technical advancements enable neuromodulation devices to be placed with greater precision, minimizing risks and improving therapeutic outcomes.

The focus on clinical applications of neuromodulation extends to psychiatric disorders, with early research involving OCD cases in the U.S. Neuromodulation offers the potential to alter brain circuits and behaviors, providing hope for curing psychiatric diseases like depression. This is distinct from neurodegenerative diseases, which involve progressive degeneration of brain circuits. The gratifying aspect of neuromodulation research lies in its promise to restore mental health by reconfiguring brain circuitry, making a profound impact on the treatment landscape for psychiatric disorders.

A notable project contributing to this field is the Living Brain Project (LBP), a multiscale investigation uses a comprehensive neuroscience toolkit—including clinical observation, neuropharmacology, neuroimaging, neuromodulation, and molecular-cellular neuroscience—to explore the complexities of neuropsychiatric functioning. 

Research is also being conducted looking at signals (local field potentials) being recorded by current generation of neurostimulator implants. Such signals can be used to guide new methodologies that can reduce side effects and improve outcomes for our movement disorder and psychiatric disorder patients.

Neuromodulation researchers include:

• Brian H. Kopell, MD
• Helen S. Mayberg, MD
• Fedor E. Panov, MD 
• Alexander W. Charney, MD, PhD
• Igancio Saez, PhD
• Martijn Figee, MD, PhD

Our neurotrauma research focuses primarily on clinical outcomes and acute interventions for patients with head and spine trauma treated at Mount Sinai Morningside and NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst. Current areas of interest include examining the effect of coagulopathy and platelet dysfunction on outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI); studying the impact of acute alcohol intoxication in patients with head injuries; investigating the benefits of “ultra-early” surgical decompression for acute traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI); and exploring potential healthcare disparities in the treatment of neurotrauma patients. We have been actively involved in several multi-center prospective observational and clinical treatment trials for both TBI and SCI, including the Global Neurotrauma Outcome Studies (GNOS) for head and spine trauma; a Phase II device trial investigating the safety of a spinal cord scaffold implant in patients with acute traumatic thoracic SCI; and recently, a Phase 2a study investigating the efficacy and safety of a novel humanized immunoglobulin monoclonal antibody for the treatment of acute traumatic cervical SCI in adults.  

Neurotrauma researchers include:

• Zachary L. Hickman, MD

At Icahn Mount Sinai, our researchers are dedicated to advancing pediatric neurosurgical care across various domains. Our team is at the forefront of neuromodulation research in pediatric epilepsy, including the first clinical trial of neuromodulation for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. We also study innovative applications of neuromodulation and invasive monitoring for other forms of generalized and focal epilepsy, aiming to improve outcomes and quality of life for our patients.

In the field of pediatric neurovascular surgery, we maintain an active clinical research program focused on brain arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and vein of Galen malformations (VOGM). Our research encompasses outcome studies, treatment technique innovations, and expanding our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of brain AVMs, striving to provide the best possible care for children with these complex conditions.

In collaboration with our pediatric neuro-oncology division, we focus on molecular diagnosis and targeted therapies for pediatric brain and spine tumors. Our multidisciplinary approach aims to improve survival and quality of life for children facing these challenging diagnoses. In addition, we have initiated studies aimed at improving neuro-imaging and diagnostic techniques for different types of pediatric hydrocephalus. Additionally, we are researching ways to enhance the durability of surgical treatment and long-term outcomes for patients with this condition.

Researchers also study pre-operative planning and techniques of craniofacial reconstruction for craniosynostosis, as well as examining outcomes of minimally invasive and open reconstructive procedures. Our goal is to optimize surgical outcomes and minimize complications for children with craniofacial anomalies.

Pediatric neurosurgery researchers include:

• Peter F. Morgenstern, MD
• Saadi Ghatan, MD 
• Margaret E. Pain, MD
• Johanna T. Fifi, MD 
• Alejandro Berenstein, MD
• Tomoyoshi Shigematsu, MD, PhD

Researchers have been using ultra-high field 7-Tesla MRI to study the neuroanatomical anatomy of pituitary tumors and their effect on the hypothalamic/endocrine pathway, as well as the visual pathway. We are leading an NIH-funded trial on tumor patients to delineate the complex relationship of structural compression by the pituitary tumors on downstream optic pathways extending up to the visual cortex. We have also studied the molecular causes of pituitary endocrine disorders, specifically prolactinomas. Researchers are studying the changes in the dopamine receptor that regulates the medical response to prolactin treatment and non-responders. Through our research, we have created improved patient treatment algorithms to better identify and serve patients with limited access to health care and help eliminate racial and economic barriers to treatment.

Pituitary tumor researchers include:

• Joshua B. Bederson, MD 
• Raj Shrivastava, MD
• Benjamin I. Rapoport, MD, PhD
• Kalmon D. Post, MD

Pulsatile tinnitus, or “PT”, is the perception of pulse-synchronous sound in one or both ears. Patients with PT may hear “whooshing,” “whistling,” or a “heartbeat” sound in a quiet setting. In many cases, PT is caused by an abnormality of blood flow, which the body perceives as sound. Pulsatile tinnitus is often under- or mis-diagnosed and can be a major source of disability, adverse mental health, or even a warning sign of a potentially dangerous abnormality of blood flow. Our researchers are attempting to characterize venous structural abnormalities and flow patterns which commonly cause PT. This includes styloid venous compression, venous sinus diverticulum, and venous sinus stenosis. We are also working to develop and refine non-invasive imaging protocols (using MRI or CT scans) to accurately identify the source of PT and any associated high-risk abnormality, such as dural arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous malformations. By optimizing angiography and venography techniques, including 3D and 4D cerebral angiography and position-variant angiography, researchers are working to capture dynamic changes in blood flow which exacerbate or alleviate PT symptoms. Researchers are also elucidating the relationship of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) pressure abnormalities, PT, and craniocervical venous flow. This includes high-pressure conditions such as idiopathic intracranial hypertension, and low-pressure conditions, including spinal CSF leak. We participate in ongoing and future multi-institutional clinical trials and registries for PT and related conditions, including intracranial hypertension, CSF leak, and other vascular disorders.

Pulstile tinnitus researchers include:

• Travis Caton, MD

We are spearheading cutting-edge radiosurgery research through several key multicenter clinical trials and translational studies. By consolidating surgical resection approaches, our researchers are establishing optimal radiosurgery treatment strategies for brain metastases and are assessing the efficacy of neoadjuvant radiosurgery before surgery for these metastases. Our other work includes expanding indications for single fraction radiosurgery to treat spinal metastases using data-driven approaches. Additionally, researchers are identifying biologic subtypes as predictors of local control of breast cancer brain metastases after radiosurgery and conducting translational work targeting cancer stem cells in triple-negative breast cancer brain metastases to inform future radiosurgical treatments.

Radiosurgery researchers include:

• Isabelle M. Germano, MD, MBA

NIH-funded research will study the pathological mechanisms of posterior fossa tumors and Chiari malformations. We have studied the unique morphometric characteristics that lead to secondary obstruction and hydrocephalus. Our researchers are leading trials in treatment programs for trigeminal neuralgia patients, in which we help identify the white matter and brainstem pathways involved in pain distribution. We have also studied vascular pulsatility in detailed dynamic flow MRI imaging in trigeminal neuralgia patients and their involvement in quantifying compressive symptoms. Our research is used to guide optimal treatment and outcomes.

Skull base tumor researchers include:

• Joshua B. Bederson, MD
• Raj Shrivastava, MD
• Benjamin I. Rapoport, MD, PhD
• Kalmon D. Post, MD 

The Department of Neurosurgery is conducting cutting-edge research in spine surgery, utilizing advanced techniques in machine learning, causal inference, genomics, and robotic technology. By applying machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and make data-driven predictions, researchers aim to derive more accurate insights into the complex outcomes of spine surgery, tumors, and spinal cord cancer. They have developed interpretable machine learning models to predict survival outcomes in patients with spinal cord gliomas and spinal and sacropelvic chordoma for enhanced prognostication.

The Department is also leveraging state-of-the-art robotic technology, including augmented reality (AR) and robotic-assisted surgery, to improve spine surgery outcomes. AR provides surgeons with real-time, 3D visualizations of the spine, enhancing precision and reducing the risk of errors. Robotic surgery systems enable highly controlled and minimally invasive procedures, leading to faster recovery times and better patient outcomes. Researchers are focusing on integrating these advanced technologies to refine surgical techniques and gather detailed data, with the goal of continuously improving the effectiveness and safety of spine surgeries.

Researchers have also conducted a systematic review on the use of cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) in the management of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), concluding that CDA is a safe and effective surgical option for this condition.

Spine researchers include:

• Jeremy Steinberger, MD
• Konstantinos Margetis, MD, PhD
• John Houten, MD
• Arianne Boylan, MD
• Tanvir Choudhri, MD

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the nation. The Cerebrovascular Center at Mount Sinai has played a major role in advancing stroke therapeutics and improving patients outcome by leading numerous national and international clinical trials in recent years. Translations and clinical research studies at Icahn Mount Sinai has led to improve the safety and efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion stroke and to develop new hope to improve the outcome in patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage by advancing minimally invasive clot evacuation. The Mobile Interventional Stroke Team at Mount Sinai has been demonstrated to improve the patient outcome and expand the thrombectomy care to a larger group of patients by streamlining the door to angio-suite time. Our researchers are currently involved in multiple stroke related national and international studies including evaluating the safety and efficacy of thrombectomy in distal vessel occlusion and endovascular therapy for those with an existing disability, and efficacy of minimally invasive clot evacuation in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Stroke researchers include:

• J Mocco, MD, MS
• Johanna T. Fifi, MD
• Alejandro Berenstein, MD
• Reade A. De Leacy, MD
• Christopher P. Kellner, MD
• Travis Caton, MD
• Shahram Majidi, MD
• Thomas J. Oxley, MD, PhD
• Tomoyoshi Shigematsu, MD, PhD
• Hazem Shoriah, MD

Mount Sinai researchers are at the forefront of advancing the use of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for chronic ischemic stroke survivors who lack significant recovery in hand and arm function. They are also exploring potential benefits for those who endured other types of stroke and have moderate to severe impairments in upper extremity as well as other deficits. As we look for the enhanced stroke recovery mechanism of action, researchers believe that VNS is causing an increase in neuroplasticity. What we are finding is that rehabilitation itself does not cause much of a change in function once a plateau of recovery is reached, but VNS stimulation, together with acute, intense rehabilitation, does. Paired VNS seems to increase global corticospinal tract connectivity, and we are seeing greater recruitments of neurons in the motor cortex of both hemispheres compared to intense rehabilitation alone.

Vagal/vagus nerve stimulation is a novel proven therapy for patients with chronic ischemic stroke. Researchers are assessing the safety of vagal nerve stimulation for stroke recovery through monitoring the occurrence of serious adverse events associated with the surgical procedure or subsequent paired rehabilitation protocol. This research will monitor patients undergoing VNS for stroke recovery in the Mount Sinai Health System and collect clinical and procedural details, objective outcomes, and patient-reported outcomes associated with vagal nerve stimulation for stroke recovery.

Stroke rehabilitation researchers include:

• Christopher P. Kellner, MD
• Fedor E. Panov, MD

The Vascular Malformations Research Center is dedicated to advancing the understanding, detection, and treatment of vascular malformations through comprehensive clinical and translational research. With a mission to improve pediatric and adult patient outcomes, the center supports prospective clinical registries and trials that explore the progression and management of vascular diseases affecting the brain, head, neck, and beyond. Its robust research agenda integrates genomic and proteomic analysis, enabling precise diagnosis and targeted therapeutic development and its collaborative vision extends to fostering worldwide partnerships, ensuring that discoveries made within the center benefit patients across the globe.

A cornerstone of the center’s foundation is its unparalleled patient database, encompassing over 3,000 cases of vascular malformations, including arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), venous and lymphatic malformations, and various aneurysms. Leveraging this data, the center conducts cutting-edge research on disease pathogenesis, develops innovative animal models, and pioneer new devices and treatments. Efforts such as tissue engineering and liquid biopsy analysis further enhance its ability to refine therapeutic strategies.

Key research initiatives include a comprehensive AVM Clinical Research Program, which encompasses studies on prenatal detection of brain vascular malformations, development of algorithms to guide and optimize management, outcomes of embolization procedures, and measurement and prediction of long-term neurodevelopmental impacts. The program also includes a prospective registry for pediatric AVMs, supported by IRB-approved protocols. These projects aim to bridge the gap between clinical observations and actionable insights into disease mechanisms.

The center is also at the forefront of understanding Vein of Galen Malformations (VOGM), one of the most severe forms of AVM. By employing a multiomic approach that integrates genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data, researchers aim to uncover the natural history and molecular underpinnings of these embryologically derived lesions. Such studies have the potential to identify novel therapeutic targets and improve outcomes for affected patients.

Aneurysm and embolization researchers include:

• Alejandro Berenstein, MD
• Johanna T. Fifi, MD
• Tomoyoshi Shigematsu, MD, PhD
• Shahram Majidi, MD