Mount Sinai Neurosurgeon Elected Chair of North America’s Preeminent Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery Association
Christopher P. Kellner, MD, to lead the joint American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Cerebrovascular Section
Christopher P. Kellner, MD, Director of the Cerebrovascular Center in the Department of Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai, has been elected Chair of the joint American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AANS/CNS) Cerebrovascular Section. His one-year term as chair began following the Society for Neurointerventional Surgeons and Cerebrovascular Section Joint Meeting in Seattle on Thursday, July 23.
“There are multiple steps in the months-long election process for AANS/CNS section leadership, which include initial nominations and two rounds of elections,” says Joshua B. Bederson, MD, the Leonard I. Malis, MD/Corinne and Joseph Graber Professor of Neurosurgery and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Mount Sinai Health System. “We are delighted that his peers have chosen Dr. Kellner to lead the cerebrovascular section. His election is a testament to the well-recognized leadership he brings to the field of cerebrovascular disease research and treatment, as well as a reflection of the commitment to innovation, expertise, research acumen, and excellence that Mount Sinai’s Department of Neurosurgery is proud to bring to our patients.”
Dr. Kellner is a board certified neurosurgeon who specializes in advanced research and treatment for patients with cerebrovascular disease. He is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and Director of the Cerebrovascular Center. He also serves as Director of the Intracerebral Hemorrhage Program and the Enhanced Stroke Recovery Program at Mount Sinai.
In his clinical practice, Dr. Kellner works alongside a multidisciplinary team of expert clinicians and researchers dedicated to improving—and often saving—the lives of patients with cerebrovascular disorders, including stroke; brain aneurysms; vascular malformations such as arteriovenous malformations, cavernous malformations, and dural arteriovenous fistulas; moyamoya disease; carotid artery stenosis; chronic subdural hematomas; idiopathic intracranial hypertension; and pulsatile tinnitus. His commitment to ensuring that each patient receives compassionate, individualized, expert care is reflected in his dedication to offering the most advanced treatments, including innovative devices and surgical techniques, as well as access to select clinical trials when appropriate.
Working collaboratively with colleagues, Dr. Kellner developed a novel, minimally invasive treatment for removing brain hemorrhages called the SCUBA technique, which many centers around the world are now using. He established Mount Sinai’s Enhanced Stroke Recovery Program in collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance to offer vagus nerve stimulation paired with specialized rehabilitation exercises for patients recovering from stroke. Dr. Kellner is a clinical collaborator at Mount Sinai BioDesign, an advanced medical technology incubator embedded within the Health System that is dedicated to rapid medical device innovation. He is also Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Precision Recovery, Inc, a post-stroke, post-discharge monitoring program that uses a digital health mobile application and care platform to keep patients connected to their care team, help them prevent a second stroke, and maximize their recovery.
“I’m excited to take on the role of chair of the CV Section and build on the strong foundation that leaders before me have developed. We will continue to engage trainees and international societies, and to integrate artificial intelligence into cerebrovascular neurosurgery so we continue to further our mission of improving research and patient care,” said Dr. Kellner. “My main areas of focus will be to increase engagement among younger members and increase international engagement. I will focus on enhancing access to research resources so that members of the CV section can access data that other members have developed and accumulated in clinical trials, and make that accessible and easily analyzable. This kind of collaboration when it comes to research findings and data helps drive our collective mission of providing the very best care for our cerebrovascular disease patients.”
Dr. Kellner has received more than a dozen awards recognizing him as a leader in neurosurgery. He has authored more than 230 publications, holds four patents related to neurotechnology, has founded two companies, and obtained more than $4.5 million in grant funding. He is interviewed regularly by local, national, and international print and broadcast news outlets for stories related to cerebrovascular diseases.
Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons is a scientific and educational association with more than 12,000 members worldwide. It partners with the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, founded in 1951, for educational activities. AANS/CNS joint sections are specialized groups focused on subspecialty areas within neurosurgery and are composed of interested members of the AANS and CNS. Section leaders and members coordinate activities and programs for the AANS, the CNS, and other societies, committees, and agencies.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the nation’s leading integrated academic health systems and one of the largest in the New York metropolitan area. Its comprehensive system includes seven hospitals, more than 400 outpatient practices, over 600 research and clinical laboratories, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Mount Sinai Phillips School of Nursing. Together, the Health System comprises approximately 48,000 employees, more than 9,000 physicians, and 8,600 nurses.
As a leading learning health system, Mount Sinai combines clinical expertise with scientific discovery to improve patient care while training the next generation of health care and biomedical leaders. The Health System provides care across every stage of life, from prenatal care through geriatrics, while advancing personalized medicine through artificial intelligence, data science, and biomedical research.
Mount Sinai is consistently recognized among the nation’s leading academic health systems for patient care, research, and education. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 1 in New York by Newsweek and No. 5 on the magazine’s World’s Best Hospitals list. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai ranks No. 11 among U.S. medical schools and No. 1 among freestanding medical schools for National Institutes of Health funding, reflecting the strength of its scientific enterprise and leadership in biomedical research.