Registration opens when the 2027 program is announced.
The Neuro Innovate course will equip seasoned and new-to-the-field professionals with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the evolving landscape of neurosurgery innovation in device engineering, research, and artificial intelligence.
Participants will have the opportunity to gain invaluable insights from neurosurgeons shaping the future of research and practice. The course is presented by the University of Chicago Department of Neurological Surgery and held together with the CNS Innovation Institute, whose fellows meet in Chicago for the Fellows Summit the day before.
The 2027 dates, program, and faculty will be posted here as they are confirmed.
This course is designed for:
Day 1
A private convening of CNS Innovation Institute Fellows, faculty, and corporate innovation partners focused on:
Innovation Institute Fellows and invited participants
Day 2
A full-day course open to neurosurgeons and other healthcare professionals interested in:
Open registration
The CNS Innovation Institute (I²) is a two-year fellowship from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons for neurosurgeons pursuing innovation, from early ideas through development, funding, and implementation.
Fellows are paired with senior neurosurgeon innovators and industry partners. The fellowship begins in person at Neuro Innovate in Chicago.
In person at Neuro Innovate, Chicago
Fellows launch their ideas in an immersive, in-person program at Neuro Innovate.
CNS Annual Meeting
Fellows connect with leaders and present their innovations at the CNS Annual Meeting.
Virtual
Structured learning, mentorship, and iterative feedback move each concept forward.
Industry partner sites
Curated visits with engineers and research scientists at partner headquarters and academic innovation incubators.
The 2026 course, held August 6–7 at the David Rubenstein Forum, brought together 28 speakers from academic neurosurgery and industry. Course directors were Mohamad Bydon, MD, Sharona Ben-Haim, MD, and Garni Barkhoudarian, MD.
Speakers came from Baylor College of Medicine, Brown University, Duke University, Mass General Brigham, NYU Langone Health, Pacific Neuroscience Institute, Semmes Murphey, Stanford University, UC San Diego, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Chicago, along with Medtronic and DePuy Synthes.
The University of Chicago campus sits in Hyde Park, on Lake Michigan about seven miles south of the Loop. Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, Rockefeller Chapel, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the lakefront at Promontory Point are all close to campus.
Registration for the 2027 course has not opened yet. Fees, deadlines, and the registration link will be posted here with the program.
For planning, 2026 registration ranged from $25 to $450 depending on role, and University of Chicago faculty, staff, residents, and fellows were reimbursed on confirmed attendance. See the 2026 fee schedule.
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons endorsed the 2026 Neuro Innovate course as relevant to the practice of Neurological Surgery. Accreditation and credit information for 2027 will be posted with the program.