DUARTE, Calif., February 24, 2009 — Rahul Jandial, M.D., Ph.D., has been named section head of the spine program in City of Hope’s Division of Neurosurgery. He manages the neurological treatment of brain and spine cancers, focusing on the removal of tumors along the spine and reconstruction of the affected area. Primary tumors in and around the spine are rare, but cells from metastasized cancers elsewhere can often establish new tumors in that area. Jandial will also conduct research into neural stem cells and their role as possible origins of brain tumors.
“Rahul Jandial brings his strong surgical and research expertise to City of Hope,” said Behnam Badie, M.D., chief, Division of Neurosurgery, City of Hope. “His foundation in molecular biology will help City of Hope’s efforts in developing new, more effective therapies for brain and spine tumors.”
Jandial comes to City of Hope from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Medical Center, where he served as chief resident neurosurgeon. Jandial began his surgical career at UCSD as a surgical intern in 2000, and settled in as a resident neurosurgeon before becoming chief resident. He was a clinical instructor for the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, and an adjunct professor in the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego. In addition, Jandial provided health education to the general public as a health and science correspondent for the ABC affiliate in San Diego, and as a regular health contributor to the Orange County Register.
“I look forward to expanding what we can accomplish through established surgical techniques for brain tumor patients, and also developing new minimally invasive procedures that may offer improved outcomes,” said Jandial. “City of Hope’s team approach to patient care and focus on translating research discoveries into new treatments supports my own efforts to find where technology, medicine and molecular biology work synergistically for the benefit of patients.”
Jandial’s research focuses on the cell and tissue biology of brain tumors to better understand how healthy neural stem cells may malfunction and turn into cancerous cells. He hopes to be able to develop new treatments for these wayward stem cells in both their premalignant and cancerous stages. His published research has appeared in numerous journals, including Neurosurgery, Molecular Therapy and the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. Jandial has also authored many medical books on neurosurgery and brain injuries. He received the Penfield Research Award from the Congress of Neurosurgeons, the Brain Tumor Award from the American Brain Tumor Foundation and the Excellence in Medicine award from the American Medical Association. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Society for Neuroscience and Congress of Neurological Surgeons, among others. In addition, he as been recognized by the American Medical Association and American Association for Neurological Surgeons for his brain tumor charity missions worldwide.
Jandial received his medical degree from the University of Southern California and his Ph.D. from UCSD. He received his bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology from the University of California, Berkley.
