The Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital's legacy of patient care, teaching, and research in the neurosciences extends over a period of 50 years. The department's founder was Dr. David Reynolds. The subsequent chairman, Dr. Hubert Rosomoff, formed a solid foundation that helped put the department on the map. Drs. Barth Green and Roberto Heros, the immediate past chair and co-chairman, garnered both national and international attention for the department. Dr. Green focused his career on complex spine and spinal cord disorders, and was pivotal in creating the world's largest research center for spinal cord injuries. Dr. Heros is a master educator and pioneer neurovascular surgeon, as well as a former president of several neurosurgical national and international organizations. In aggregate, the department has made major contributions to the foundations of neurosurgery.
Keywords: AANS = American Association of Neurological Surgeons; CNS = Congress of Neurological Surgeons; LIFE = Leaders in Furthering Education; SCI = spinal cord injury; The Miami Project; University of Miami; VA = Veterans Administration; WFNS = World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies; ahSCs = autologous human Schwann cells; history; spinal cord injury.