Welcome to Ashwin Ramayya, MD, PhD, who joins Stanford's Department of Neurosurgery as an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery. Dr. Ramayya will specialize in functional neurosurgery and traumatic brain injury and direct a research program focused on neuromodulation.

Dr. Ramayya completed his medical education at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his residency training in neurological surgery at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania, including an enfolded fellowship in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery under the supervision of Dr. Casey Halpern.

Dr. Ramayya’s prior research has focused on understanding neural circuitry underlying learning and decision making using intracranial recordings and stimulation in neurosurgical patients. He received his PhD under the supervision of Dr. Michael J. Kahana and completed a postdoctoral research fellowship with Dr. Joshua Gold, both at the University of Pennsylvania.  

Dr. Ramayya's faculty appointment begins August 16, 2023.

We spoke with Dr. Ramayya to learn more about his clinical and research interests:

What do you enjoy most about neurosurgery as a career? 

Neurosurgery provides a remarkable opportunity to help patients with life altering problems.  It also provides a unique vantage point to observe the immensely complex relationship between brain and behavior.

What do you find most rewarding about specializing in functional neurosurgery and traumatic brain injury?

This combination will provide unique opportunities to advance the field. I hope to leverage tools and perspectives from functional neurosurgery to help patients recover from traumatic brain injury.

Can you tell us more about your neuromodulation research? 

The general approach of my research program will be to understand how brain networks dysfunction during maladaptive behavior and how to restore them using neurosurgical techniques, such as intracranial brain stimulation.  I have a particular interest in chronic pain and traumatic brain injury.

What drew you to working at Stanford?

I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be part Stanford University.  The community offers tremendous opportunity for growth, collaboration, and clinical translation of research. I am particularly excited to join the Department of Neurosurgery, under Dr. Michael Lim’s leadership. This environment will allow me to provide the best possible care for my patients.   

What is something that others may not know about you?

I really enjoy spicy food.