Aaron Cohen-Gadol, MD

• Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), Business of Medicine, 2016-2018
• University of California at Los Angeles, Stereotactic/Functional Neurosurgery, Radiosurgery Fellowship, 2006
• University of Arkansas, Medical Sciences Center, Skull Base and Cerebrovascular Surgery Fellowship, 2005-2006
• Mayo Clinic, Chief Resident Associate, 2003-2005
• Yale University, Epilepsy Surgery and Brain Mapping Tumor Surgery, Neurosurgery Fellowship, 2002-2003
• Mayo Clinic, Mayo Graduate School, Master’s in Clinical Research, 2002-2003
• Mayo Clinic, Neurological Surgery Residency, 1999-2005
• University of California, San Diego Medical Center, Internship, 1997-1999

• University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, MD with highest distinction, 1993-1997

• University of California at San Diego, Bachelor’s in Biomedical Engineering, Minor in Jazz Music/Ensemble, 1990-1993

• American Academy of Neurological Surgery, 2015-
• "Senior" Society of Neurological Surgeons, 2019-
• American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 2009-
• Congress of Neurological Surgeons, 2009-
• World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies, 2002-
• Brain Aneurysm Foundation, 2006-
• Trigeminal Neuralgia Association, 2008-
• Pituitary Network Association, 2008-
• Acoustic Neuroma Association, 2009-
• North American Skull Base Society, 2016-

• Vilhelm Magnus Medal, Scandinavian Neurosurgical Society, referred to as the “Nobel Prize in Neurosurgery,” for pioneering efforts in advancing neurosurgical techniques and outcomes worldwide. One of only 11 recipients in its history.
• Health Care Hero of the Year in Indiana, Indianapolis Business Journal
• American Acadmy of Neurological Surgery, 2015-
• The Chuckstrong Hall of Fame Indiana University Simon Cancer Center recognition for excellence in research for brain tumors, 2017
• Jose Biller Faculty Teaching Award, Indiana University Department of Neurosurgery, 2017
• Indianapolis Top Doctor for Neurological Surgery, Indianapolis Magazine, peer-based rating by other doctors, every year since 2012
• The Humanitarian Award, the Hemispherectomy Foundation, 2010
• The Surgeon of the Year, Salient Surgical Technologies, 2010
• An honorable mention in the Clinical Medicine category in the AAP’s recognition of the best professional and scholarly books published in 2007 by the Association of American Publishers (AAP). Two awards are given per year in clinical medicine for the book: The Legacy of Harvey Cushing: Profiles of Patient Care, Thieme, New York, NY (586 pages), 2007

Cohen completed his residency training in neurosurgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He also completed advanced fellowship training in two subspecialties: epilepsy surgery (Yale University) and skull base/cerebrovascular surgery (University of Arkansas Medical Sciences.) He also attained a master's degree in clinical research from Mayo Clinic Graduate School and Master's degree in Business administration from Kelley School of business.

He is currently involved in the care of patients for a variety of brain tumors (gliomas and meningiomas,) complex brain tumors (skull base, acoustic, and pituitary tumors,) cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm, and seizures. Dr. Cohen performs approximately 400 brain operations per year.

Cohen is recognized internationally for his expertise in complex brain surgery and is regularly solicited as a speaker and to instruct courses in skull base surgery. He takes on the most difficult surgical cases with optimal results. He has developed endoscopic techniques that allow a surgeon to remove a brain tumor via nasal passages without opening the patient's skull. He also has helped refine fluorescent technologies that cause a brain tumor to “glow,” making it easier for a surgeon to see precisely where its margins are. He has written over 510 peer-reviewed publications, advancing the efficacy and safety of neurosurgical operations

Cohen's surgical success stories have been featured on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer," CBS’ "The Doctors" and many others television events. He was featured on CNN for removal of a brain tumor located in a crucial part of the brain controlling important functions in a 19-year-old man while the patient was awake. He created a map of the function of his brain and avoided the important brain areas while removing the tumor. Whether it's performing operations on children with extreme forms of epilepsy or removing tumors through the nasal passage, Dr. Cohen works tirelessly to heal what is arguably the most delicate part of the human body: the brain. “I have always treated my job as an art and passion, and that’s why I love coming to work every day, if you really enjoy what you do, then you really want to put everything you have into it and you will always want to excel in every possible way but it has to be a passion.” In addition to a desire to heal, he is driven to perfect new and unusual brain surgeries to ensure the least possible harm and the greatest possible benefits to patients. To achieve this goal, he uses a wide range of methods to refine and improve the effectiveness of known surgical techniques.

In all recent years (2012-2023), he has been named one of Indianapolis Monthly's Top Doctors for Neurological Surgery.

Dr. Cohen's clinical research includes neurosurgical operative anatomy using virtual reality and advanced three-dimensional modeling, innovative operative approaches to deep lesions, and intraoperative fluorescence/mass spectroscopy. His basic science research is focused on novel drug therapies for glioblastoma. He has published more than 510 peer-reviewed articles on the aforementioned topics. Please see his publications at the National Library of Medicine.

Here is an abbreviated list of his publications:

• Pirro V, Alfaro CM, Jarmusch AK, Hattab EM, Cohen-Gadol AA, Cooks RG. Intraoperative assessment of tumor margins during glioma resection by desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectroscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2017;114(26):6700-6705. Doi: 10.1073/pnas.1706459114
• Diaz J, Dios RR, Hattab EM, Burrell K, Rakopoulos P, Sabha N, Hawkins C, Zadeh G, Rutka JT, Cohen-Gadol AA. Study of the biodistribution of fluorescence glioma-infiltrated mouse brain and histopathological correlation of intraoperative findings in high-grade gliomas resected under fluorescence guidance.J Neurosurg. 2015 Apr 3; 1-10
• Wang H, Cai S, Bailey BJ, Reza Saadatzadeh M, Ding J, Tonsing-Carter E, Georgiadis TM, Zachary Gunter T, Long EC, Minto RE, Gordon KR, Sen SE, Cai W, Eitel JA, Waning DL, Bringman LR, Wells CD, Murray ME, Sarkaria JN, Gelbert LM, Jones DR, Cohen-Gadol AA, Mayo LD, Shannon HE, Pollok KE. Combination therapy in a xenograft model of glioblastoma: enhancement of the antitumor activity by an MDM2 antagonist. J Neurosurg. 2016 May 13:1-14. PMID: 27177180
• Bijangi-Vishehsaraei K, Reza Saadatzadeh M, Wang H, Nguyen A, Kamocka MM, Cai W, Cohen-Gadol AA, Halum SL, Sarkaria JN, Pollok KE, Safa AR. Sulforaphane suppresses the growth of glioblastoma cells, glioblastoma stem cell-like spheroids, and tumor xenografts through multiple cell signaling pathways. J Neurosurg. 2017 Jan 6:1-12. doi: 10.3171/2016.8.JNS161197.

• Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt Certification, the American Society for Quality, 2018
• Medical License: Indiana, 2002-present 
• Medical License: California, 1999-present 
• Medical License: Arkansas, 2005-2010
• American Board of Neurological Surgery, Diplomate, 98th percentile, 6th highest score nationally, 2009
• Medical License: Minnesota, 2000-2005
• National Board of Medical Examiners, Diplomate, Parts I, II, III completed 1998 

Dr. Cohen is married to Isabelle Saparzadeh and has two daughters (Lianna and Serene) and one son (Aaron Leon). In his free time, he studies non-medical technologies including 3D animation and photography.

He also volunteers to perform therapeutic surgery on dogs with brain tumors.

“I think this is the biggest gift to neurosurgery that could have been done. For me, you are the greatest figure in neurosurgery, even greater than the pioneers of this profession and other leading neurosurgeons. Your Atlas is now the best source of knowledge for young neurosurgeons. You are also honestly my main teacher.”
- Wojciech Górecki, Senior Assistant, Dept. of Neurosurgery Masovian Bródno Hospital, Warsaw, Poland 

“The Neurosurgical Atlas has taken the field of neurosurgery into the future. The field had formerly been a bit slow to change. This is not only a better field now, but the Atlas is serving as a ‘bridge’ to what is coming.”
- James Rutka, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Neurosurgery

“The pursuit of technical excellence in neurosurgery is a passion and not a job.”
- Dr. Aaron Cohen-Gadol