Nader Sanai, MD

Director, Neurosurgical Oncology

Director, Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center

Barrow Neurological Institute

 

Adjunct Professor of Life Sciences

Arizona State University

E-Mail Address: 
nader.sanai@bnaneuro.net
Phone Number: 
(602) 406-3458
Fax: 
(602) 406-6110
Short Bio: 

Dr. Sanai’s commitment to caring for brain tumor patients has not wavered since he began his neurosurgical training at UCSF in 2004.  Under the mentorship of Dr. Mitchel S. Berger, Dr. Sanai conducted numerous studies focusing on surgical neuro-oncology, intraoperative language mapping, and the biology of glioma formation.   In 2009, Dr. Sanai has also completed a Fellowship in Skull-Base Surgery with Dr. Robert F. Spetzler at the Barrow Neurological Institute. 

Among various clinical neurosurgery honors, Dr. Sanai has received the Kaiser Award for Clinical Research from the San Francisco Neurological Society, the Dandy Clinical Fellowship from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and the Mahaley Award from the National Brain Tumor Foundation.  Among various neuroscience honors, Dr. Sanai has received the Edwin F. Boldrey Award for Basic Science Research from the San Francisco Neurological Society, was an invited lecturer to the Massachusetts General Hospital Frye-Halloran Symposium on Neuro-Oncology, served as Guest Editor for the journal Neurosurgery Clinics of North America, and is currently an Associate Editor for the journal BMC Cancer.  To date, Dr. Sanai has authored over 40 peer-reviewed publications, 40 invited publications, and has delivered 30 academic lectures. 

 

 

 

Clinical Information
Specialty: 
Surgeon
Clinical Focus: 

As Director of Neurosurgical Oncology for the Barrow Neurological Institute, Dr. Sanai’s main clinical interests are surgical and radiosurgical treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors, as well as complex tumors of the skull-base.  He has extensive expertise in intraoperative mapping of the brain to identify the sites of motor, sensory, and language function and thereby avoid their involvement or injury during surgery.  Dr. Sanai also serves as Director of the Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center (BBTRC), which conducts clinically-directed scientific research designed to pioneer clinical trials for brain tumors, and also directs the Laboratory for Stem Cell Neuro-Oncology, one of 5 independent brain tumor laboratories within the BBTRC.

Research Information
Research Program: 
3. Cancer Biology
Member Status: 
Associate Member
Year of Membership Acceptance: 
2010
Summary of Research Activity: 

Dr. Sanai directs the Laboratory for Stem Cell Neuro-Oncology at the Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center.  Areas of investigation in the laboratory include brain tumor stem cells, human white matter glial progenitors, and spectral imaging of human CNS precursors.

Selected Publications: 
  1. Nader Sanai, Anthony D. Tramontin, Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, Nicholas M. Barbaro, Nalin Gupta, Sandeep Kunwar, Michael T. Lawton, Michael W. McDermott, Andrew T. Parsa, José Manuel-García Verdugo, Mitchel S. Berger, and Arturo Alvarez-Buylla. “Unique Periventricular Niche in Adult Human Brain Contains Astrocytic Stem Cells but No Evidence of Chain Migration”. Nature, 2004 Feb 19; 427(6976): 740-4.
  2. Nader Sanai, Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, and Mitchel S. Berger. “Neural Stem Cells and the Origin of Human Gliomas”. The New England Journal of Medicine, 2005 Aug 21; 353(8): 811-822.
  3. Nader Sanai, Zaman Mirzadeh, and Mitchel S. Berger. “Functional Outcome after Language Mapping for Glioma Resection”. The New England Journal of Medicine, 2008 Jan 3; 358(1): 18-27.
  4. Nader Sanai and Mitchel S. Berger. “Glioma Extent of Resection and its Impact on Patient Outcome”. Neurosurgery, 2008 Apr, 62(4):753-66.
  5. Nader Sanai, Mei-Yin Polley, and Mitchel S. Berger. “Insular Glioma Resection: Assessment of Patient Morbidity, Tumor Progression, and Survival”. Journal of Neurosurgery, Jul 17. [Epub ahead of print]
  6. Nader Sanai, Michael E. Sughrue, Gopal Shangari, Mitchel S. Berger, and Michael W. McDermott. “Risk Profile Associated with Convexity Meningioma Resection in the Modern Neurosurgical Era”. Journal of Neurosurgery, Jul 31. [Epub ahead of print]
  7. Nader Sanai and Michael W. McDermott. “A Modified Far-lateral Approach for Large or Giant Meningiomas of the Posterior Fossa”. Journal of Neurosurgery. 2009 Oct 30. [Epub ahead of print].
  8. Nader Sanai, Mei-Yin Polley, Michael W. McDermott, Andrew T. Parsa, and Mitchel S. Berger. “An Extent of Resection Threshold for Newly-Diagnosed Glioblastomas”. Journal of Neurosurgery (in press)
Collaborative Research: 

Dr. Sanai is an Adjunct Professor of Life Science at ASU and conducts joint research with Dr. Jeffrey L. Yarger, Director of the ASU Magnetic Resonance Research Center.  This collaboration between the Sanai and Yarger Laboratories is designed to identify and exploit magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic signatures associated with brain tumor stem cells.

Dr. Sanai is also an adjunct member of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and collaborates with their Brain Tumor Biology Section.

Bio sketch: 
application/pdf iconNader Sanai Biosketch.pdf
Professional Information
Professional Affiliations: 
  • American Association of Cancer Research (2005-present)
  • American Society of Clinical Oncology (2005-present)
  • San Francisco Neurological Society (2004-present)
  • American Association of Neurological Surgeon (2003-present)
  • Congress of Neurological Surgeon (2003-present)
  • Society for Neuroscience (2001-present)
  • American Brain Tumor Association (2000-present)
  • National Brain Tumor Foundation (1999-present)
Honors: 
  • Preuss Award, Congress of Neurological Surgeons (2010)
  • National Brain Tumor Foundation Mahaley Award, American Association of Neurological Surgeons (2010)
  • Honorable Mention, 2009 Academy Award, American Academy of Neurological Surgery (2009)
  • Howard Naffziger Resident of the Year Award, UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery (2009)
  • Guest Editor, Neurosurgery Clinics of North America, Neural Stem Cells Issue (2007)
  • Kaiser Award for Clinical Research, San Francisco Neurological Society (2007)
  • Invited Lecturer, Frye-Halloran Symposium on Neuro-Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurological Surgery (2005)
  • Edwin F. Boldrey Award for Basic Science Research, San Francisco Neurological Society (2004)
  • Dean’s Research Prize Finalist, UC San Francisco (1999)
  • Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society (1997-present)
Academic Information
Fellowship: 
Skull-Base Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute
Residency: 
Neurological Surgery, University of California at San Francisco
Medical School: 
M.D., University of California at San Francisco
Undergraduate School: 
B.S., University of California at San Diego