Fund Purpose: To support basic science or clinical research performed by neurosurgery residents.
Martin H. Weiss, MD, FAANS(L),was born in 1939 in Newark, N.J., where he attended public schools (valedictorian of senior class). He graduated from Dartmouth College (AB, magna cum laude, 1960), where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa after his junior year. He entered Dartmouth Medical School (1959), where he came under the influence of Henry Heyl and Bob Fisher, subsequently transferring to Cornell University Medical College where Dr. Bronson Ray firmly cemented his interest in neurosurgery (MD, 1963). He served a surgical internship at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, followed by military service as general surgeon at the United States Military Academy, West Point (1964-1966). He returned to Cleveland as a resident in neurosurgery under Frank Nulsen (1966-1970), finishing as a special fellow of the NIH in neurosurgery, working with Hugh Davson and Bob Cutler studying CSF physiology (1969-1970).
He was a member of the neurosurgical staff at Case Western Reserve University (1970-1973). In April 1973, he moved to the University of Southern California, where he's been professor of neurosurgery since 1976 and chairman of the department of neurological surgery 1978-2004. He was named to The Martin H. Weiss chair in neurological surgery in 1997, a chair that was endowed by the William Wrigley family.
His early basic research efforts were focused on CSF physiology, including a number of collaborative studies designed to study the effects of pharmacological agents.
In 1967, he collaborated with the initial head trauma studies of Jennett and Teasdale and directed the acquisition of approximately 1/3 of the 1,000 patients that constituted the studies in the original Glasgow coma study. He developed an early interest in the pituitary, influenced by the outstanding work of Dr. Ray in that arena. He began his experience with trans nasal approaches to the sella in October of 1968, and his present experience totals in excess of 4,200 cases of trans-nasal surgery on the pituitary and parasellar structures.
Dr. Weiss has been active in a number of neurosurgical and medical organizations. He was elected to Alpha Omega Alpha. He is a member of the Neurosurgical Society of America; American Academy of Neurological Surgery (vice president, 1992-1993); American Association of Neurological Surgeons (Board of Directors, 1988-1991, secretary, 1994-1997, president 1999-2000, Cushing Medalist 2005); Congress of Neurological Surgeons (vice president, 1982-1983); Western Neurosurgical Society (Cloward Medalist 2006); Society for Research in Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida; Research Society of Neurological Surgeons; Southern California Neurosurgical Society (president, 1983-1984); Los Angeles Academy of Medicine and the California Association of Neurological Surgeons (Pevehouse Medalist, 2008). He served as a director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (1983-1989, vice chairman, 1987-1988, chairman, 1988-1989) and completed a six-year term as a member of the Advisory Council to the Board. He served from 1989-1995 as a member of the Residency Review Committee for Neurological Surgery (vice-chairman, 1991-1993, chairman, 1993-1995) and also served as a member of the Neurology B study section of the National Institutes of Health (1978-1983, chairman, 1981-1983). He served as editor-in-chief of Clinical Neurosurgery (1978-1981) and was a member of the original editorial board of Neurosurgery; he was a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Neurosurgery (JNS) 1987-1996 (chairman, 1995-1996) and has served as associate editor of JNS and editor-in-chief of its online journal, Neurosurgical Focus (currentlyeditor emeritus). He served as vice president of the Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS) from 1999-2000 and president of the SNS from 2001-2002.
Dr. Weiss married Debby Rosenthal in August of 1961. They have three children; Brad, Jessica and Elisabeth, and six grandchildren. Marty and Debby enjoy fly-fishing at their Montana cabin.
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