Newswise — NEW ORLEANS (April 29, 2013) — The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) has named California-based neurosurgeon Mitchel S. Berger, MD, FAANS, FACS, as its 2013-2014 Immediate Past President during the AANS 81st Annual Scientific Meeting held in New Orleans, April 27-May 1, 2013. Dr. Berger is the Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and the Kathleen M. Plant Distinguished Professor at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Dr. Berger, who just completed a one-year term as the AANS President, has been active on a number of AANS committees, including the Finance Committee and the Neurosurgery PAC Board of Directors, where he presided as chairman. In addition to overseeing the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting in 2007, he concluded a three-year appointment to the AANS Board of Directors in 2010.

“I am very excited to see the AANS carry on with its core missions of education, public advocacy and publications for its members,” says Dr. Berger, a member of the AANS since 1992. “The AANS is the premiere organization for all neurosurgical practitioners to embrace [as it] provides a significant value for its members.”

In addition to service as a director of the American Board of Neurological Surgery, Dr. Berger’s professional memberships have included the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Neuro-Oncology, the North Pacific Society of Neurology and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The author of more than 350 scientific articles, abstracts and more than 80 book chapters, he is a sought-after lecturer who also has served on the editorial boards for publications such as The Journal of Neuro-Oncology and Techniques in Neurosurgery.

Dr. Berger is the director of the Brain Tumor Research Center at UCSF, where his research focuses include epilepsy-related brain tumors and the treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors in adults and children. Prior to completing his internship and neurosurgical residency at UCSF, Dr. Berger graduated from the University of Miami School of Medicine.

About the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting: Attended by neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants, allied health professionals and other medical professionals, the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the nation, with an emphasis on the field’s latest research and technological advances. A record-breaking 1,003 scientific abstracts were presented for review at the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, and the scientific presentations given at this year’s event represent cutting-edge examples of the incredible developments taking place within the field of neurosurgery. Additional information about the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and the Meeting Program can be found at http://www.aans.org/Annual Meeting/2013/Main/Home.aspx.

Media Representatives: If you would like to cover the meeting, have interest in a topic related to neurosurgery or would like to interview a neurosurgeon — either on-site or via telephone — please contact John Iwanski, AANS Director of Member and Public Outreach, at (847) 378-0517 or e-mail him at [email protected]. News and updates on the 2013 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting also can be found at http://www.aans.org/Annual%20Meeting/2013/Main/Media.aspx.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with nearly 8,300 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit www.AANS.org.