Stanford Pituitary Center Team

Laurence Katznelson, MD
Professor of Neurosurgery and of Medicine (Endocrinology)

Laurence Katznelson, MD received his medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and performed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. He then performed a fellowship in Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. Dr. Katznelson is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. At Stanford University, he is the Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education and the Chair of the GME Committee. Dr. Katznelson is currently the Medical Director of the Pituitary Center at Stanford Hospital and Clinics. In the Endocrine Society, Dr. Katznelson has served as Chair of the Special Programs Committee and member of the Scientific and Educational Programs Core Committee and Publications Committee. He has served as Chair of the Task Forces for writing clinical guidelines for the approach to acromegaly for both The Endocrine Society and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. In endocrinology, Dr. Katznelson has a long standing clinical and research interest in the pathophysiology and treatment of pituitary disease.

Andrew R. Hoffman, MD
Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology)

Dr. Andrew Hoffman is a board certified endocrinologist who specializes in the treatment pituitary and other neuroendocrine diseases, including acromegaly, Cushing syndrome, prolactinomas and other pituitary tumors.

Griffith R. Harsh, MD, MA, MBA
Professor of Neurosurgery

Griff Harsh, MD, MA, MBA, is Professor of Neurological Surgery and Associate Dean for Education (CME) at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He directs the Stanford Brain Tumor Center and the Neurosurgery Residency Training Program. His research focuses on innovative treatments and the molecular biology of tumors of the brain, pituitary gland, and skull base.

Robert Dodd, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiology

Dr. Dodd received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he also earned a PhD in Neurosciences from the Department of Neurobiology and completed an endovascular fellowship. His research interests have been in cerebral blood vessel reactivity and stroke. Dr. Dodd's clinical interests include endovascular and microsurgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations; percutaneous and surgical interventions for both extracranial and intracranial carotid artery occlusive disease; and minimally invasive neurosurgery through the use of neuroendoscopy and keyhole approaches.

Michael S. B. Edwards, MD
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Professor in Pediatric Neurosurgery, Emeritus

Melanie G. Hayden Gephart, MD
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery

Melanie Hayden Gephart, MD, MAS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Hayden Gephart’s research and clinical expertise in the treatment of central nervous system tumors and conditions is an important addition to Stanford Health Care. Her translational research focuses on understanding and halting the mechanisms driving tumor growth in the brain and spinal cord. Dr. Hayden Gephart’s work as a neurosurgeon and scientist help to develop and implement new treatments for patients with brain tumors.

Dr. Hayden Gephart received her medical and masters degrees from University of California at San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine. She completed her residency and served as Chief Resident in Neurosurgery at Stanford University Hospital and Clinics. Dr. Hayden Gephart finished her Research Fellowship from the Departments of Developmental Biology, Genetics, Bioengineering, and Neurosurgery at Stanford University.

Iris C. Gibbs, MD, FACR
Professor of Radiation Oncology - Radiation Therapy

Dr. Gibbs is a board-certified radiation oncologist who specializes in the treatment of CNS tumors. Her research focuses on developing new radiation techniques to manage brain and spinal tumors in adults and children. Dr. Gibbs has gained worldwide acclaim for her expertise in Cyberknife robotic radiosurgery

Scott G. Soltys, MD
Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology (Radiation Therapy)

Dr. Scott Soltys earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan, completing his residency in Radiation Oncology at Stanford University.  His clinical and research interests focus on the development of new treatments involving radiotherapy and radiosurgery for tumors of the brain and spine, as well as functional disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia.  His current clinical trials are investigating how to optimize the radiosurgical treatment of patients with large brain metastases and how to improve the quality of life of patients receiving radiotherapy for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM).

Steven D. Chang, MD
Professor of Neurosurgery
Rober C and Jeannette Powel Neurosciences Professor

Dr. Steven Chang received his medical degree from Stanford University. He completed his neurosurgical training at Stanford with a focus on stereotactic radiosurgery, cerebrovascular disease, and brain and spinal tumors. He is recognized as an expert in Cyberknife radiosurgery and surgical resection of brain tumors. Dr. Chang is a research interest in neurogenetics and protenomics.

Griffith R. Harsh, MD, MA, MBA
Professor of Neurosurgery

Griff Harsh, MD, MA, MBA, is Professor of Neurological Surgery and Associate Dean for Education (CME) at the Stanford University School of Medicine. He directs the Stanford Brain Tumor Center and the Neurosurgery Residency Training Program. His research focuses on innovative treatments and the molecular biology of tumors of the brain, pituitary gland, and skull base.

Nancy Fischbein, MD
Professor of Radiology - Diagnostic Radiology

Dr. Fischbein earned her medical degree at Harvard Medical School and completed her training in Diagnostic Radiology and her neuroradiology fellowship at the University of California-San Francisco. She is board certified in Diagnostic Radiology and holds a Certificate of Added Qualification in Neuroradiology. Dr. Fischbein's research interests include imaging of brain tumors using advanced MR-based modalities, as well as imaging of processes that affect the skull base and cranial nervesThis is example text for the text & image component. Too add or edit text here, double or right-click to bring up the editor.

Huy Do, MD
Professor of Radiology and (by courtesy) Neurosurgery

Dr. Do employs interventional neuroradiologic approaches to treat both ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disorders. He has developed expertise in cerebral angioplasty and intra-arterial thrombolysis, as well as the treatment of aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and cerebral vasospasm.

Dr. Do's current research focuses on evaluation of neuroprotectants for ischemic strokes, development of novel laser microdevices for emulsification of intracranial clots, stenting of carotid and vertebral arterial stenoses, evaluation of new liquid embolic agents for arteriovenous malformations, neuroimaging of strokes, vascular malformations, aneurysms using advanced MRI techniques, and treatment of painful compression fractures with acrylic cement.

Robert Dodd, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiology

Dr. Dodd received his medical degree from the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he also earned a PhD in Neurosciences from the Department of Neurobiology and completed an endovascular fellowship. His research interests have been in cerebral blood vessel reactivity and stroke. Dr. Dodd's clinical interests include endovascular and microsurgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations; percutaneous and surgical interventions for both extracranial and intracranial carotid artery occlusive disease; and minimally invasive neurosurgery through the use of neuroendoscopy and keyhole approaches.

Michael Marks, MD
Professor of Radiology and (by courtesy) Neurosurgery
Director, Stanford Stroke Center Neuroradiology and Interventional Neuroradiology

As Director of Neuroradiology for the Stanford Stroke Center, Dr. Marks oversees the endovascular treatment program. Using catheter-based approaches, he has pioneered techniques to effectively cure cerebral aneurysms by inserting platinum coils and using special glues to obliterate arteriovenous malformations. Dr. Marks has also employed endovascular techniques to treat ischemic cerebrovascular disorders. He has broad experience with cerebral angioplasty and is currently developing a new laser therapy for vaporizing intracranial thrombi.

Joyce Liao, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Director of Neuro-Ophthalmology

Dr. Liao is an associate professor of ophthalmology at Stanford. She played a key role in the creation of the Stanford Center for Vision and Blindness Prevention—a group of vision scientists spanning a range of disciplines. The center’s goal is to develop practical solutions for restoring vision and precluding blindness.

Dr. Liao attended Harvard for her undergraduate studies and the University of California, San Francisco, for her MD and PhD. She completed neurology training at Stanford and neuro-ophthalmology fellowship at UCSF. She specializes in vision changes due to nervous system conditions. Common neuro-ophthalmic issues include vision loss, visual disturbances, double vision, and eye movement abnormalities.

Peter H. Hwang, MD
Professor of Otolaryngology

Dr. Peter H. Hwang is Professor and Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs in the Department of Otolaryngology at Stanford University School of Medicine.   He serves as chief of the Division of Rhinology and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery.   He is the Immediate Past President of the American Rhinologic Society.  Dr. Hwang also serves as Associate Editor of the International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology and Associate Editor of the World Journal of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.  Dr. Hwang co-authored the award-winning textbook Rhinology: Diseases of the Nose, Sinuses & Skull Base with Dr. David Kennedy.  Dr. Hwang has authored or co-authored over 150 manuscripts and book chapters.

Zara M. Patel, MD
Director of Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery
Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery

Dr. Patel was born and raised in St. Louis, completed her MD at the Oregon Health and Sciences University in Portland, Oregon and completed her residency training in otolaryngology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, NY. After pursuing fellowship training in rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery at Stanford University, she was recruited to join the Emory University faculty in Atlanta in 2011. After four years, the rhinology division recruited her back to the West coast to rejoin the department here at Stanford University.

Dr. Patel is an expert in advanced endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery. She treats patients with a wide variety of rhinologic complaints, including nasal obstruction, chronic sinus infection or inflammation, sinus disease that has failed medical therapy, sinus disease that has failed prior surgical therapy, cerebrospinal fluid leaks, benign and malignant sinus and skull base tumors, as well as olfactory disorders. She has performed well over 1000 endoscopic skull base surgeries over the last six years.

Hannes Vogel, MD
Professor of Pathology, Department of Pathology

Dr. Vogel’s research interests include nerve and muscle pathology, mitochondrial diseases, pediatric neurooncology, and transgenic mouse pathology.  Dr. Vogel is the Associate Chair for Neuropathology, Department of Pathology at Stanford from 2005 to the present.

Richard A. Jaffe, MD, PhD
Chief, Neurosurgical Anesthesia
Professor of Anesthesia and Neurosurgery

Dr. Jaffe’s research interests include the development and characterization of electrophysiologic monitoring techniques for the early detection of intraoperative cerebral ischemia. Using these techniques he is also able to study the effects of anesthetics and related drugs on the brain’s sensitivity to transient ischemic events. The results of these studies can be used to improve the anesthetic management of patients undergoing a wide variety of neurosurgical procedures.