7th Year Residents
- Justin S. Cetas, M.D., Ph.D.
- Chief Resident
- Justin S. Cetas, M.D., Ph.D. joined neurological surgery in July 2002 as an intern in general surgery. In May 2002 he completed his medical degree at University of Arizona, Tucson. In 2000 he completed a doctorate in neuroscience also at University of Arizona, studying neuronal architecture and functional organization of the rabbit auditory thalamus. His particular interests include functional neurosurgery and epilepsy surgery. He enjoys many outdoor activities, including rock climbing and sailing.
- Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) Award 2007: Central mechanisms of pain in dural inflammation
- Society for Neuroscience Oregon Chapter Resident Paper Award 2008: A Novel medullary center for the control of cerbral blood flow
- Cerebrovascular Disease Research Award (Section on Cerebrovascular Surgery of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons) 2008: Medullary control of cerebral blood flow and its potential role in cerebral vasospasm
- Western Neurosurgical Society (WNS) Research Resident Award 2008:Coupled control of pain and cerebral blood flow in the medulla
- Kiarash Golshani, M.D.
- Chief Resident
- Kiarash Golshani, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2002 as an intern in general surgery. In May 2002 he completed his medical degree at OHSU. In 1997 he completed a bachelor’s in molecular biology at University of California, Irvine. His hobbies are varied, including tennis, racquet ball, basket ball and running. He also plays piano and classical guitar.
- Western Neurosurgical Society (WNS) Research Resident Award 2006: Role of the Endothelin A and B Receptors in Maintenance of Cerebrovascular Tone
6th Year Residents
- Zachary Litvack, M.D.
- Research
- Zachary Litvack, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2003 as an intern in general surgery. In June 2004, he completed his medical degree at Brown University. In 1998, he completed a science bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at Brown University. His undergraduate work was in bio-organic and non-enzymatic ligation reactions of DNA. Zach, is presently working with Valerie Anderson, Ph.D. and Charlie Springer, M.D. on two new magnetic resonance imaging techniques; diffusion contrast enhancement (DCE) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). These techniques have yet to be perfected, and are not in clinical use. Litvack joins an existing laboratory group that utilizes both DCE and DTI to examine the brain plaques of Alzheimer’s disease. A goal of this research is to perfect laboratory use of the two techniques with an extension to use in surgical planning.
When not at work (which happens occasionally) he is either with his significant other, or playing guitar for his 80's cover band, "Members Only". - Council of State Neurosurgical Societies (CSNS) socioeconomic fellow (northwest) 2008-09
- Robert Florin Award from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) 2008: Impact of Malpractice Environments on the US Neurosurgical Workforce 2005-2007Zachary Litvack, M.D., Mathew Hunt, M.D., Kim Burchiel, M.D.
- NL Tartar Trust Research Fellowship 2006: Pilot Studies of Dynamic Contrast Magnetic Resonance / Three Site Exchange: An imaging technique with potential for early detection of tumors of the central nervous system
- Jason Weinstein, M.D.
- Research
- Jason Weinstein, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2003 as an intern in general surgery. In May 2003 he completed his medical degree at University of Colorado-HSC. In 1998, he completed a bachelor’s degree in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at University of Colorado-Boulder. His particular interests include; traumatic brain injury and the role of novel technologies for the assessment and management of cerebral blood flow, novel pharmaceutical and gene therapy delivery systems, cerebral aneurysm pathophysiology, and synaptic transmission and regulation. He enjoys triathlon, skiing, fishing, travel, live music, and food.
- Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) Award 2008: Optimization of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) Administration for Neuroprotection in an Experimental Rat CNS Injury Mode
- OHSU Department of Emergency Medicine — Outstanding Consultant of the Year 2007
- AANS Resident Award: Poster Presentation 2006: Contrast Ultrasound Assessment of Cerebral Perfusion in Patients Undergoing Decompressive Craniectomy for Traumatic Brain Injury
5th Year Residents
- Emun Abdu, M.D.
- Senior Resident
- Emun Abdu, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2004 as an intern in general surgery. In June 2004, she completed her medical degree at the University of Michigan. In 1999, she completed a bachelor’s degree in laboratory medicine at University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
- Samuel Hughes, M.D., Ph.D.
- Senior Resident
- Samuel Hughes, M.D., Ph.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2006, as a year three resident after completing his first two years of neurosurgical residency at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Dr. Hughes obtained a bachelor’s degree at UCSD and a Ph.D. in classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also played ultimate frisbee for four years with the UPenn Void. He received his medical degree from UCSD in June, 2004. His neurosurgical interests include trauma of the brain and spine.
4th Year Residents
- Mehmet Berk, M.D.
- Veteran's Administration and Doernbecher Children's Hospital
- Mehmet C. Berk, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2006 as a year two resident. He obtained a medical degree from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey and a degree in neurosurgery from Ankara University School of Medicine, Turkey. Dr. Berk has completed fellowships in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery (at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, and Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada), and fellowships in pediatric neurosurgery (at University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, and Washington University, St. Louis, MO). He worked as a research associate at Louisiana State University, in Shreveport, LA. Dr. Berk has contributed to the neurosurgical clinical research literature with more then 60 publications in Turkish and North American scientific journals, and gained over 160 citations in Science Citation Index
- Ahmed Raslan, M.D.
- Veteran's Administration and Doernbecher Children's Hospital
- Ahmad M.T. Raslan, M.D., entered the neurological surgery residency program in 2006 as a year two resident. Raslan received his undergraduate bachelor degree of medicine and surgery (B.M., B.Ch.) from Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, Egypt, in 1994. In 1998, Raslan received a master’s degree in medicine from Ain Shams University, specializing in surgery. From 1995 to 1999, Raslan was a resident of neurosurgery at Ain Shams University, and in 2000 he moved to Ankara, Turkey, as a clinical fellow in functional and stereotactic surgery, working with Professor Kanpolat in the Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara University. In 2002, Raslan received a medical degree from Ain Shams University, specializing in neurosurgery. Dr. Raslan, joined neurological surgery as an instructor in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery in 2004-2005. In 2005-2006, he completed a stereotactic and functional neurosurgery fellowship at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
3rd Year Residents
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- Mark Piedra, M.D.
- Elective Year
- Mark Piedra, MD, joined neurological surgery in July 2006, as a year one resident. A native New Yorker he spent much of his childhood in Caracas, Venezuela, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After graduating high school, he worked as a computer consultant for IBM for several years and in 1996 graduated from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He then worked for some engineering firms before volunteering for the Peace Corps, where he spent two years teaching high school math and science in rural Zimbabwe. In 1999, Dr. Piedra returned to Alaska and spent a few more years working for engineering companies and as an instructor at the University of Alaska. He received his medical degree from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in May 2006. He enjoys the outdoors, hiking, canoeing, downhill skiing, and flying airplanes.
- Eric Thompson, M.D.
- Elective Year
- Eric Thompson, MD, joined neurological surgery in July 2006, as a year one resident. In 2002, he completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Duke University, Durham, N.C. In May 2006, he completed a medical degree at University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha. Throughout medical school, Dr. Thompson served as an academic leader and was the recipient of many academic achievement awards. His interests include international travel, music, classic literature, downhill skiing, golf, and he is fluent in Spanish.
2nd Year Residents
- Neil Roundy, M.D.
- Junior Resident
- Neil Roundy, M.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2007, as a year one resident. He graduated from the University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ in June 2007. Dr. Roundy has served as coordinator of the Cross Streets Medical Free Clinic in Tuscon, and in other volunteer capacities for the underserved. His interests include rock climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding and photography.
- Hai Sun, M.D., Ph.D.
- Junior Resident
- Hai Sun, M.D., Ph.D., joined neurological surgery in July 2007, as a year one resident. He graduated from Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, NH in June 2007. Dr. Sun is trained in both medicine and biomedical engineering. His interests include woodwork, distance running and international travel.
1st Year Residents
- Brian T. Farrell, M.D., Ph.D.
- Intern in General Surgery
- Brian T. Farrell, M.D., Ph.D., graduated from University of Nebraska Medicine Center, College of Medicine, Omaha, Neb. in June 2008. Dr. Farrell’s doctoral dissertation examined Mechanistic Insights in CAG-CTG Contractions in Cultured Human and Simian Cells. His interests include surfing, running, golf, and classical and jazz trumpet.
- Nathaniel Whitney, M.D.
- Intern in General Surgery
- Nathaniel Whitney, M.D., graduated from Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, Calif. in June 2008. Dr. Whitney has been involved with charity programs for children and his interests include the outdoors, hiking, canoeing, writing music and working with music groups.
