Timothy C. Ryken

Dr. Ryken is a neurosurgeon at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. He attended Iowa State University, majoring in biochemistry, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He completed medical school at the University of Iowa in 1984. Dr. Ryken received one of the highest honors available to neurosurgical residents, being named the American Association of Neurological Surgeon VanWagenen Fellow for 1995, and was awarded a year of study at the University of Cambridge, where he developed techniques for genetic modification of central nervous system cells.

Dr. Ryken joined the faculty at the State University of New York, Department of Neurosurgery, in Syracuse in 1996. He was the first recipient of the Robert and Molly King Endowed Chair in Neuroscience for research in brain tumor treatments. He subsequently returned to the University of Iowa, Division of Neurosurgery, as assistant professor in 1998 to further develop therapies for central nervous system neoplasia.

In addition to his interest in central nervous system tumors, he has been extensively involved in spinal surgery. He received the Mayfield Award of the Joint Section on Spine and Disorder of the Peripheral Nerves in 1994 and has numerous publications in spinal biomechanical studies. He co-authored the widely quoted AANS/CNS sponsored publication on Guideline for the Management of Acute Spine and Spinal Cord Injuries. He is also involved nationally with the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Tumors, the Society for Neuro-oncology, the Society for Neuroscience, and the American Association of Cancer Research. He is currently a member of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Tumors task force on development for Guideline in the Initial Management of Malignant Glioma.