Neurology

I was proud to see the publication of a landmark brain repair trial carried out at OHSU and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. Our large team of researchers reported the results of this first-ever use of brain-specific stem cells in human patients. The trial, begun in 2006, involved surgical transplantation of purified neural stem cells into six pediatric patients with the rare and uniformly fatal form of the brain degenerative disorder, Batten disease, plus extensive medical and … Read More

I received a copy of a letter recently that reminded me of the lasting positive impact that a life in medicine and surgery can have. I asked the author of the letter and her family if we could share their story, and they generously told us to go ahead. I hope it inspires you as much as it did me. In 1970 my mentor and Doernbecher benefactor, Dr. Mario Campagna, operated on Peggy Baker to … Read More

As chairman of pediatrics and physician-in-chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, I spend most of my days in meetings. They didn’t teach you how to run or attend meetings in medical school, but such is the life of an administrator – making the world a better place, one meeting at a time. (Full disclosure: I borrowed this phrase from one of our administrative interns.) On Wednesdays, I still get to be a doctor in exactly … Read More

Caring for children is both a critical mission and a gift. Those of us privileged to work at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital are stewards of systems of care that are vital to the health of our children and the sustainability of our communities. Part of that vitality and sustainability are the training of the next generation of practitioners. Doernbecher partners with OHSU’s medical and nursing schools to train the doctors and nurses who will care … Read More