Research Summary

Dr. Dean Chou is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurosurgery at UCSF.

Education

University of California Berkeley, 1991, B.A., Biochemistry
University of California, San Francisco, 1996, M.D., Medicine
The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1996-1997, Intern, General Surgery
The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1997-2002, Resident, Neurosurgery
The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Assistant Chief of Service, 2002-2003, Neurosurgery
Barrow Neurological Institute, Spine Fellow, 2003-2004, Spine surgery

Honors & Awards

  • 1990
    UC Berkeley Honor Students Society
  • 1990
    American Heart Association Research Fellowship
  • 1991
    Golden Key National Honor Society
  • 1992
    UCSF School of Medicine Dean's Summer Research Fellowship
  • 1993
    UCSF Travel Award to Western Student Medical Research Committee Meeting in Carmel, CA
  • 1993
    American Federation for Clinical Research Award for Excellence in Research
  • 1994
    Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Training Fellowship
  • 1995
    Lucien J. Rubinstein Award for Best Paper in Neuro-Oncology, American Association of Neuropathologists Annual Meeting
  • 2000
    AANS Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) Grant
  • 2004
    Cover Article, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine
  • 2007
    Who's Who in American Teachers and Educators
  • 2007
    Who's Who in Science and Engineering
  • 2007
    Harold Rosegay Neurosurgery Resident Teaching Award
  • 2009
    Best Doctors in America
  • 2009
    Cover Article, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine
  • 2010
    Outcomes Committee Award, AANS/CNS Joint Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves
  • 2010
    Cover Article, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine

Selected Publications

  1. Shabani S, Lavadi RS, Agarwal N, Letchuman V, Le VP, Jamieson AB, Chan AK, Johnson SE, Wang MY, Haid RW, Knightly JJ, Gottfried ON, Shaffrey CI, Virk MS, Shaffrey ME, Park P, Foley KT, Coric D, Upadhyaya CD, Potts EA, Uribe JS, Turner JD, Tumialán LM, Chou D, Fu KG, Asher AL, Bisson EF, Bydon M, Mummaneni PV. Urinary control in cervical myelopathy: does it improve postsurgery? A Quality Outcomes Database study. J Neurosurg Spine. 2025 Feb 28; 1-10.  View on PubMed
  2. Park C, Bhowmick D, Shaffrey CI, Lavadi RS, Johnson SE, Bisson EF, Asher AL, Coric D, Potts EA, Foley KT, Park P, Wang MY, Fu KM, Virk MS, Knightly JJ, Meyer S, Upadhyaya CD, Shaffrey ME, Schupper AJ, Uribe JS, Tumialán LM, Turner JD, Chan AK, Chou D, Haid RW, Mummaneni PV, Bydon M, Gottfried ON. Does smoking status affect baseline symptom severity and patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction in patients with cervical myelopathy at 24 months? A Quality Outcomes Database study. J Neurosurg Spine. 2025 Feb 14; 1-8.  View on PubMed
  3. Laflamme M, Gasbarrini A, Rhines LD, Lazary A, Gokaslan ZL, Reynolds JJ, Luzzati A, Disch AC, Chou D, Clarke MJ, Wei F, Bettegowda C, Rampersaud YR, Boriani S, Shin JH, Lord E, Sciubba DM, Laufer I, Sahgal A, Fisher CG, Dea N, AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor. Surgical Adverse Events for Primary Tumors of the Spine and Their Impact on Outcomes: An Observational Study From the Primary Tumors Research and Outcomes Network. Neurosurgery. 2025 Feb 05.  View on PubMed
  4. Da W, Jian Q, Evan J, Chan AK, McCormick PC, Mandigo CE, Neira JA, Angevine PD, Li X, Chou D. Quantitative Analysis of Relationship between Paraspinal Muscle Degeneration and Degree of Degenerative Lumbar Spondylolisthesis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2025 Feb 03.  View on PubMed
  5. Zeitouni D, Johnson SE, Ibrahim S, Bisson EF, Mummaneni PV, Haid RW, Chan AK, Chou D, Wang MY, Knightly JJ, Meyer S, Gottfried ON, Shaffrey CI, Virk MS, Fu KG, Shaffrey ME, Park P, Foley KT, Upadhyaya CD, Potts EA, Turner JD, Uribe JS, Tumialán LM, Coric D, Bydon M, Asher AL. Patient-reported outcome trajectories the first 24 months after surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a Quality Outcomes Database study. J Neurosurg Spine. 2025 Jan 10; 1-9.  View on PubMed
  6. Eastlack RK, Kumar JI, Mundis GM, Nunley PD, Uribe JS, Park PJ, Tran S, Wang MY, Than KD, Okonkwo DO, Kanter AS, Anand N, Fessler RG, Fu KG, Chou D, Mummaneni PV. The impact of lower thoracic versus upper lumbar upper instrumented vertebra in minimally invasive correction of adult spinal deformity. J Neurosurg Spine. 2025 Jan 10; 1-8.  View on PubMed
  7. Pahuta M, Laufer I, Lo SL, Boriani S, Fisher C, Dea N, Weber MH, Chou D, Sahgal A, Rhines L, Reynolds J, Lazary A, Gasbarrinni A, Verlaan JJ, Gokaslan Z, Bettegowda C, Sarraj M, Barzilai O, AO Spine Knowledge Forum Tumor. Defining Spine Cancer Pain Syndromes: A Systematic Review and Proposed Terminology. Global Spine J. 2025 Jan; 15(1_suppl):81S-92S.  View on PubMed
  8. Kwan WC, Zuckerman SL, Fisher CG, Laufer I, Chou D, O'Toole JE, Schultheiss M, Weber MH, Sciubba DM, Pahuta M, Shin JH, Fehlings MG, Versteeg A, Goodwin ML, Boriani S, Bettegowda C, Lazary A, Gasbarrini A, Reynolds JJ, Verlaan JJ, Sahgal A, Gokaslan ZL, Rhines LD, Dea N. What is the Optimal Management of Metastatic Spine Patients With Intermediate Spinal Instability Neoplastic Scores: To Operate or Not to Operate? Global Spine J. 2025 Jan; 15(1_suppl):132S-142S.  View on PubMed
  9. Passias PG, Dave P, Smith JS, Lafage R, Onafowokan OO, Tretiakov P, Mir J, Line B, Diebo B, Daniels AH, Gum JL, Eastlack R, Hamilton DK, Chou D, Klineberg EO, Kebaish KM, Lewis S, Gupta MC, Kim HJ, Lenke LG, Ames CP, Shaffrey CI, Schwab FJ, Lafage V, Bess S, Hostin R, Burton DC. Cause and Effect of Revisions in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: A Multicenter Study on Outcomes Based on Etiology. Spine J. 2024 Dec 18.  View on PubMed
  10. Martin CT, Yoon ST, Alluri RK, Benzel EC, Bono CM, Cho SK, Chou D, Chen X, Cheung JPY, Cabrera JP, Corluka S, Demetriades AK, Gary MF, Ghogawala Z, Hamouda W, Han I, Hauri D, Hsieh PC, Jain A, Kim JS, Le HV, Louie PK, Luo Z, Meisel HJ, Muthu S, Ryu DS, Sansur CA, Schoenfeld AJ, Scaramuzzo L, Schroeder GD, Rajasekaran S, Sotiris V, Vadalà G, Vergroesen PA, Wang JC, Wu Y, Riew KD, AO Spine Knowledge Forum Degenerative. How Reliable is the Assessment of Fusion Status Following ACDF Using Dynamic Flexion-Extension Radiographs? Global Spine J. 2024 Dec 05; 21925682241303107.  View on PubMed
  11. Passias PG, Tretiakov P, Onafowokan OO, Das A, Lafage R, Smith JS, Line BG, Nayak P, Diebo B, Daniels AH, Gum JL, Hamilton DK, Buell TJ, Soroceanu A, Scheer JK, Eastlack RK, Mullin JP, Schoenfeld AJ, Mundis GM, Hosogane N, Yagi M, Mummaneni PV, Chou D, Fu KM, Than KD, Anand N, Okonkwo DO, Wang MY, Klineberg E, Kebaish KM, Lewis S, Hostin R, Gupta M, Lenke L, Kim HJ, Ames CP, Shaffrey CI, Bess S, Schwab F, Lafage V, Burton D. When is staging complex adult spinal deformity advantageous? Identifying subsets of patients who benefit from staged interventions. J Neurosurg Spine. 2024 Nov 22; 1-8.  View on PubMed
  12. Chan AK, Sampath SG, Mummaneni PV, Park P, Uribe JS, Turner JD, Le VP, Eastlack RK, Fessler RG, Than KD, Fu KM, Wang MY, Kanter AS, Okonkwo DO, Nunley PD, Anand N, Mundis GM, Passias PG, Bess S, Shaffrey CI, Chou D, International Spine Study Group. Prevalence and Prognosis of Coronal Malalignment Following Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Minimally Invasive Treatment of Adult Spinal Deformity. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2024 Nov 07.  View on PubMed
  13. Passias PG, Passfall L, Tretiakov PS, Das A, Onafowokan OO, Smith JS, Lafage V, Lafage R, Line B, Gum J, Kebaish KM, Than KD, Mundis G, Hostin R, Gupta M, Eastlack RK, Chou D, Forman A, Diebo B, Daniels AH, Protopsaltis T, Hamilton DK, Soroceanu A, Pinteric R, Mummaneni P, Kim HJ, Anand N, Ames CP, Hart R, Burton D, Schwab FJ, Shaffrey C, Klineberg EO, Bess S, International Spine Study Group. Have We Made Advancements in Optimizing Surgical Outcomes and Enhancing Recovery for Patients With High-Risk Adult Spinal Deformity Over Time? Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2024 Nov 04.  View on PubMed
  14. Chang AN, Boyett D, Chou D, Chan AK. Updated 5-Year Institutional Bibliometric Profiles for United States Neurosurgery Residency Programs and the Relationship Between Social Media Presence and Objective Departmental Metrics. Neurosurgery. 2024 Nov 04.  View on PubMed
  15. Birlingmair J, Carreon LY, Djurasovic M, Mummaneni PV, Asher A, Bisson EF, Bydon M, Chan AK, Chou D, Coric D, Foley KT, Fu KM, Haid R, Knightly JJ, Le VP, Park P, Potts EA, Shaffrey CI, Shaffrey ME, Slotkin JR, Virk MS, Wang MY, Glassman SD. Incidence of revision surgery and patient-reported outcomes within 5 years of the index procedure for grade 1 spondylolisthesis: an analysis from the Quality Outcomes Database spondylolisthesis data. J Neurosurg Spine. 2025 Jan 01; 42(1):56-61.  View on PubMed
  16. Huang Y, Du D, Tian J, Chou D, Chen L, Feng H, Liu J. Long-term outcomes of anterior cervical dynamic implants: motion-sparing or a delayed fusion? Spine J. 2025 Feb; 25(2):244-254.  View on PubMed
  17. Jian Q, Qin S, Hou Z, Zhao X, Wang Y, Liang C, Chou D, Qian X, Fan T. Biomechanical differences of three cephalic fixation methods for patients with basilar invagination and atlantoaxial dislocation in the setting of congenital atlas occipitalization: a finite element analysis. Spine J. 2025 Feb; 25(2):389-400.  View on PubMed
  18. Hills J, Mundis GM, Klineberg EO, Smith JS, Line B, Gum JL, Protopsaltis TS, Hamilton DK, Soroceanu A, Eastlack R, Nunley P, Kebaish KM, Lenke LG, Hostin RA, Gupta MC, Kim HJ, Ames CP, Burton DC, Shaffrey CI, Schwab FJ, Lafage V, Lafage R, Bess S, Kelly MP,
    on behalf of the International Spine Study Group
    . The T4-L1-Hip Axis: Sagittal Spinal Realignment Targets in Long-Construct Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: Early Impact. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2024 Dec 04; 106(23):e48.  View on PubMed
  19. Park C, Bhowmick DA, Shaffrey CI, Bisson EF, Bydon M, Asher AL, Coric D, Potts EA, Foley KT, Wang MY, Fu KM, Virk MS, Knightly JJ, Meyer S, Park P, Upadhyaya C, Shaffrey ME, Schupper AJ, Uribe JS, Tumialán LM, Turner JD, Chan AK, Chou D, Haid RW, Mummaneni PV, Gottfried ON. Do class III obese patients achieve similar outcomes and satisfaction to nonobese patients following surgery for cervical myelopathy? A QOD study. J Neurosurg Spine. 2024 Nov 01; 41(5):604-610.  View on PubMed
  20. Zammar SG, Ambati VS, Yee TJ, Patel A, Le VP, Alan N, Coric D, Potts EA, Bisson EF, Knightly JJ, Fu KM, Foley KT, Shaffrey ME, Bydon M, Chou D, Chan AK, Meyer S, Asher AL, Shaffrey CI, Slotkin JR, Wang M, Haid R, Glassman SD, Park P, Virk M, Mummaneni PV. Do obese patients undergoing surgery for grade 1 spondylolisthesis have worse outcomes at 5 years' follow-up? A QOD study. J Neurosurg Spine. 2024 Nov 01; 41(5):564-571.  View on PubMed

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