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Past agendas

2026 Neuro Innovate X CNS Innovation Institute. August 6–7, 2026, David Rubenstein Forum, Chicago.

2026 course directors

  • Mohamad Bydon, MD
    Mohamad Bydon, MDUniversity of Chicago
  • Sharona Ben-Haim, MD
    Sharona Ben-Haim, MDUniversity of California San Diego
  • Garni Barkhoudarian, MD
    Garni Barkhoudarian, MDPacific Neuroscience Institute

Download the 2026 save-the-date flyer (PDF)

Day 1: Fellows Summit

August 6, 2026. A private convening of CNS Innovation Institute Fellows, faculty, and corporate innovation partners on venture creation and commercialization, regulatory and reimbursement strategy, intellectual property and licensing, and investor-style pitch sessions.

Day 2: Neuro Innovate Course

August 7, 2026. University Room B, second floor, David Rubenstein Forum. All times Central.

TimeSession
7:00 AM–8:00 AMRegistration, Exhibits, & Breakfast
8:00 AM–8:10 AMWelcome & Introductions
Mohamad Bydon, MD
Mohamad Bydon, MDChair, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago
8:10 AM–8:25 AMNeurosurgical Education and AI
Brian Nahed, MD, MScProfessor of Neurosurgery, Vice Chair, Mass General Brigham
8:25 AM–8:40 AMScientific Communications in the Era of AI
Fatima Mirza, MD, MPHFellow in Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology, Brown University
8:40 AM–8:55 AMInnovations and Skull Base Neurosurgery
Akash Patel, MDProfessor, Baylor College of Medicine
8:55 AM–9:10 AMA Spectrum of Radiosurgical Options: What is Best for Contemporary Neurosurgical Practice
John Adler, Jr., MD
John Adler, Jr., MDThe Dorothy and Thye King Chan Professor in Neurosurgery, Emeritus, Stanford University
9:10 AM–9:25 AMYour AI, Your Neurosurgical Practice, and You
Eric Oermann, MDAssistant Professor, NYU Langone Health
9:25 AM–9:40 AMSPRINT PNS System: Short-Term Treatment. Long-Term Relief.
David Dickerson, MDMedtronic
9:40 AM–9:55 AMNYU's Approach to Innovation
Howard Riina, MDDirector Clinical Innovation NYU Langone Health; Littauer Professor & Vice Chair, NYU Langone Health
9:55 AM–10:10 AMSeeing Beyond Neurovascular Anatomy: Development of Cardiac Frequency-Weighted Cerebral Angiography for Investigating Cerebral Hemodynamics and Future Clinical Applications
Omer Doron, MD, PhD
Omer Doron, MD, PhDClinical Associate of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago
10:10 AM–10:30 AMBreak
10:30 AM–10:45 AMQuantum Sensing and the Chicago-Princeton Brain Metabolometer Project
Issam Awad, MD
Issam Awad, MDJohn Harper Seeley Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences
10:45 AM–11:00 AMInnovation & Entrepreneurship in Neurosurgery
Kevin Foley, MD
Kevin Foley, MDProfessor, Semmes Murphey
11:00 AM–11:15 AMNeurosurgical Network Modification – From Psychiatric Disease to Tumors
Peter Warnke, MD
Peter Warnke, MDProfessor of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago
11:15 AM–11:30 AMNovel Models to Support Early-Stage Innovation
Heather Walsh, PhDAssistant Vice President, Technology Ventures, University of Chicago
11:30 AM–11:45 AMFrom Bedside to the Bench: Leveraging Translational Research to Inform and Enhance Ischemic Stroke Care
David Dornbos III, MDAssociate Professor, University of Kentucky Health Care
11:45 AM–12:00 PMVelys Robotics and Navigation
Dmitriy Petrov, MDAssistant Professor of Neurosurgery, DePuy Synthes
12:00 PM–1:00 PMLunch
1:00 PM–1:15 PMNeuroendovascular Robotics and the Neurovascular Operating Room of the Future: From Science Fiction to Surgical Reality
Omar Choudhri, MD, MHCI
Omar Choudhri, MD, MHCIClinical Associate; Clinical Director of Neurosurgical Innovation, University of Chicago
1:15 PM–1:30 PMInnovation in Functional Neurosurgery
Sharona Ben-Haim, MD
Sharona Ben-Haim, MDAssociate Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Diego
1:30 PM–1:45 PMFrontier AI in Healthcare
Rohaid Ali, MD
Rohaid Ali, MDChief Resident, Department of Neurosurgery, Brown University
1:45 PM–2:00 PMAI and Its Role in Caregiver Burnout
Garni Barkhoudarian, MD
Garni Barkhoudarian, MDAssociate Professor of Neuroscience/Neurosurgery, Pacific Neuroscience Institute
2:00 PM–2:15 PMTheta Neurotech Project – Start-Up Seizure Detection Patch
Naoum Issa, MD, PhDAssociate Professor; Section Chief of Epilepsy, University of Chicago
2:15 PM–2:30 PMArtificial Intelligence in Spine Care: The Duke Experience
Khoi Than, MDProfessor, Duke University
2:30 PM–2:45 PMRethinking Brain AVMs: Innovation Through Precision Neurosurgery
Ryan Naylor, MD, PhD
Ryan Naylor, MD, PhDAssistant Professor, University of Chicago Medicine
2:45 PM–3:05 PMBreak
3:05 PM–3:20 PMReal World Applications of AI and Robotics in Spine Health
Jeannine Elliott, PhDMedtronic
3:20 PM–3:35 PMDesigning Pediatric-Centric Generative AI to Enable the Study of Cranial Development
Antonio Porras, PhDAssociate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago
3:35 PM–3:50 PMRethinking Intracerebral Hemorrhage: The Rise of Minimally Invasive Clot Evacuation
Sean Polster, MD
Sean Polster, MDAssistant Professor of Neurological Surgery; Associate Director, Neurovascular Surgery Program, University of Chicago
3:50 PM–4:05 PMUse of AI in Neurotrauma Research
Paramita Das, MD, MS
Paramita Das, MD, MSAssistant Professor of Neurological Surgery, University of Chicago
4:05 PM–4:20 PMAugmented Reality in Spine Surgery
Timothy Witham, MD
Timothy Witham, MDProfessor of Neurological Surgery, Section Chief, Spine Surgery, University of Chicago
4:20 PM–4:35 PMDevelopment of Biologically Informed Brain Stimulation Devices for Epilepsy
David Satzer, MD
David Satzer, MDAssistant Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Chicago
4:35 PM–4:45 PMClosing Remarks

2026 registration fees

Day 2 Neuro Innovate course registration. University of Chicago faculty, staff, residents, and fellows were reimbursed upon confirmed attendance.

Physician (UChicago/Affiliate)$25
Physician (Non-UChicago)$275
Other Healthcare Professional (UChicago/Affiliate)$25
Other Healthcare Professional (Non-UChicago)$125
Student/Fellow$25
Industry$450