Dr. Farhad Pirouzmand appointed as the Todd Mainprize Chair in Neurosurgery
Dear Colleagues,
Please join me in congratulating Farhad Pirouzmand, Head of the Division of Neurosurgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, on his appointment as the Todd Mainprize Chair in Neurosurgery, a joint University-Hospital Named Chair, beginning January 1, 2024.
Dr. Pirouzmand’s vision builds on the strength of the Division of Neurosurgery’s excellence as an educational hub and includes a state-of-the-art neurosurgical skills centre that allows for hands-on learning in all facets of neurosurgical care, enhancing the learner experience at the U of T Department of Surgery.
Dr. Pirouzmand is an accomplished neurosurgeon and translational health researcher whose work is dedicated to advancing the care and outcomes of neurosurgical patients. With a strong focus on translational health research, he has played pivotal roles in large-scale randomized controlled trials aimed at enhancing the quality of medical and surgical interventions. He actively leads multiple multicenter international neurosurgery clinical trials and serves as the principal investigator for several CIHR grants, further solidifying his commitment to advancing neurosurgical care through research and education.
His research portfolio encompasses a diverse range of topics, from investigating optimal prevention strategies for venous thromboembolism following traumatic brain injury to pioneering new surgical interventions for malignant gliomas. Dr. Pirouzmand is also involved in trauma research, specifically injuries that compromise vision and spinal trauma.
Dr. Pirouzmand’s academic journey began with his neurosurgery residency at the University of Toronto, completed in 1998. He further honed his expertise through additional fellowships in reconstructive surgery, spinal trauma and peripheral nerve surgery. He also completed a Masters degree in Clinical Epidemiology. Dr. Pirouzmand served as Program Director of the Neurosurgery Residency training program at the University of Saskatchewan before joining the neurosurgical faculty at the University of Toronto. He has demonstrated sustained dedication to education of learners at all levels, and has received many teaching awards throughout his career. He has also served in several leadership roles in undergraduate and resident education at the University of Toronto.
Currently, Dr. Pirouzmand is appointed as Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto and serves as the Head of the Division of Neurosurgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. His primary areas of clinical interest encompass skull base, spine, and peripheral nerve surgery, reflecting his comprehensive expertise and ongoing dedication to improving patient outcomes in neurosurgery.
More about the Todd Mainprize Chair in Neurosurgery
In collaboration with Dr. Mainprize's family, the Todd Mainprize Chair in Neurosurgery was established to honour, remember and celebrate the life of a brilliant physician, educator and researcher by advancing what was most important to him -transforming neurosurgical practice and discovering the treatments of tomorrow to benefit patients.
Dr. Mainprize, who died in 2020, is described as a “compassionate physician, exceptional surgeon, talented educator, valued colleague, mentor and friend, devoted husband and father”.
He was an accomplished and visionary researcher with a passion for education. His work to develop new treatments in neuro-oncology, including the use of focused ultrasound to breach the blood-brain barrier in patients with debilitating brain tumours, has changed medicine forever.
Dr. Mainprize was adored and respected by learners and his love of teaching has impacted a generation of neurosurgeons. As such, it is so appropriate that vision for the Todd Mainprize Chair in Neurosurgery includes a neurosurgical skills centre to continue his legacy. You can read more about the named chair and Dr. Mainprize here and here.
Congratulations on this prestigious appointment, Dr. Pirouzmand.
Sincerely,
Carol J. Swallow MD PhD FRCSC FACS
RS McLaughlin Professor and Chair
Department of Surgery, University of Toronto
