Neurosurgery Neuroscience Consortium (NNC)

The goal of the UCSD Neurosurgery -- Neurosurgery Neuroscience Consortium (NNC) -- is to provide collaborative scientific investigation into novel and improved treatments for patients that have central nervous system diseases. The focus includes brain and spinal tumors brain injury, spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular disease, as well as traumatic and degenerative diseases of the spine. Other areas of study relating to central nervous system disease, including neurodegenerative disease, are also of interest. Importantly, this program also seeks to foster definitive collaborations between UCSD Neurosurgery and the 5 major biomedical research institutions in the La Jolla, California scientific community.

This unique consortium will foster rapid advances in stem cell biology, cancer biology, immunotherapy, genomics, and neurosurgical brain grafting to yield results that will be immediately translatable to patient care. For example, it has already been demonstrated that embryonic and adult stem cells can be steered into cells needed for repair of the diseased brain, spinal cord, and spinal discs. These cells may then be implanted into the afflicted area through minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures called brain and spinal disc grafting. Clearly, by providing select and directed support to researchers, the final development of these kinds of therapy will result in tangible treatment advances for patients.

Through NNC – scientific concepts will come to clinical fruition.

Faculty

Lawrence F. Marshall, M.D.
Hoi Sang U, M.D.
Rahul Jandial, M.D. (PhD Candidate)