The Martin H. Weiss Chair in Neurological Surgery | Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Dr. Steven Giannotta, a distinguished Professor of Neurological Surgery at the University of Southern California (USC) since 1980, and the Chair from 2004-2024, boasts a remarkable career spanning over 4 decades. He earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan, where he also did his neurosurgical residency. He is involved in many local, national and international committees and organizations. His involvement on the national level began with the Congress of Neurological Surgeons serving on multiple committees. He was the CNS Annual Meeting Chair in 1985, Editor of the CNS Newsletter from 1983-1986, Secretary from 1986-1989 and Vice President from 1992-1993. He continued to serve in the CNS with roles as the Future Sites Chair from 1990-1994, Chair of the International Committee from 1992-1994 and Nominating Committee from 1996-1999. Dr. Giannotta received the CNS Distinguished Service Award in 1995, was the Drake Lecturer in 2005 and received the Founders Laurel Award in 2017.
Dr. Giannotta went on to hold many other leadership roles in organized Neurosurgery. He was on the Board of Directors of the Joint Section of Cerebrovascular Surgery of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons from 1987-2000 and was Chair from 1996 until 1998. He remained on the Senior Advisory Board since that time and received the JSCVS Distinguished Service Award in 2004. He also served on many Committees of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons including the Scientific Program Committee from 1996-1999, Annual Meeting Chair in 2000, Board of Directors from 2001-2004, and Professional Conduct Committee from 2005-2011. He was President of the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons from 2009-2010 and was Vice President of the Society of Neurological Surgeons from 2010-11.
In addition to national societies, Dr. Giannotta was actively involved in the education, certification and accreditation processes for Neurosurgery. He was a Director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery from 1996-2001. After completing a term as Secretary from 1999-2000, he was Chair of the ABNS from 2000-2001. From 2002-2008 he completed a six-year term on the Residency Review Committee for Neurosurgery (ACGME), the last two as Chair of the Committee. From 2008-2018 he served as the Secretary of the Committee on Advanced Subspecialty Training for the Society of Neurological Surgeons accrediting Neurosurgery fellowship training programs. He was the Program Director at the LAC+USC Medical Center/University of Southern California Neurosurgery Residency Program from 2004-2023 and is currently continuing in the role of an Associate Program Director to continue to support the residents and programs.
He has special clinical interests and expertise in two broad areas of neurological surgery. Dr. Giannotta has gained recognition for his work in cerebrovascular disease of the brain and spinal cord. He has surgically treated over 3000 intracranial aneurysms. Dr. Giannotta also has an interest and special expertise in surgical approaches to the cranial base. He has surgically removed more than 1000 acoustic neuromas and along with several colleagues in otolaryngology has developed a team approach to complex cranial base lesions including acoustic neuromas, meningiomas of the cranial base, complex aneurysms that require cranial base approaches and other benign conditions affecting the base of the brain and skull. Since 1992 he has developed one of the largest practices for the surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.