Scholars@Duke
Shivanand Lad

Shivanand Lad

Professor of Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery
nandan.lad@duke.edu
DUMC 3807, Durham, NC 27710
200 Trent Drive, Blue Zone, Su, Durham, NC 27710

Overview

Dr. Nandan Lad is a neurosurgeon, scientist, and entrepreneur and Professor and Vice Chair of Innovation for Duke Neurosurgery. He is Director of the Functional & Restorative Neuromodulation Program and the Duke NeuroInnovations Program, a systematic approach to innovation to large unmet clinical needs.

He completed his MD and PhD in Biochemistry at Chicago Medical School and his neurosurgical residency training at Stanford with fellowships in both Surgical Innovation and Functional Neurosurgery.  

Neuromodulation; Neurorestoration; Bioengineering; Medical Device Design; Clinical Trials; Data Science; Health Outcomes.

Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations

Professor of Neurosurgery · 2021 - Present Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery
Faculty Network Member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences · 2011 - Present Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, University Institutes and Centers
Core Faculty Member, Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy · 2024 - Present Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy, University Institutes and Centers

Recent News Items

Published November 6, 2023
Duke Scientists Create Brain Implant That May Enable Communication From Thoughts Alone
Published July 27, 2022
When Diabetic Neuropathy Made Him Miserable, A Spinal Cord Stimulator Got Him Back on His Feet
Published September 13, 2016
Clinical Practice Today
A Challenging Diagnosis in a Patient With Metastatic Lung Cancer

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Recent Scholarly Works

Posterior Cervicothoracic Fusion During Dorsal Root Entry Zone Lesioning for Brachial Plexus Avulsion: Sagittal Alignment and Deformity Outcomes.

Journal article Neurosurg Pract · August 2026 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning is an established treatment of refractory deafferentation pain after brachial plexus avulsion. Exposure often requires multilevel cervical or cervicothoracic laminectomy, which may predispo ... Full text Link to item Cite

Distinct neural processes link speech planning and execution.

Preprint · July 3, 2026 Speaking is the primary way that humans communicate. This communication is enabled by a production system that can plan and execute unique combinations of speech sounds. Although a distributed network of brain regions has been implicated in speaking, it is ... Full text Link to item Cite

A Competency-Based Approach to Functional Neurosurgery Training: Insights From the Surgical Autonomy Program.

Journal article Neuromodulation · July 2026 BACKGROUND: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) relies on case minimums as a standard competency indicator, set by expert opinion rather than individual resident performance. We used the Surgical Autonomy Program, a validated m ... Full text Link to item Cite
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Recent Grants

ARCIM SYSTEM TO MANAGE SYMPTOMATIC BLOOD PRESSURE INSTABILITY SECONDARY TO CHRONIC SPINAL CORD INJURY ONWD-IM-001

Clinical TrialPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Onward Medical Inc. · 2026 - 2031

The overlap of speech production and verbal working memory

ResearchCo Investigator · Awarded by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke · 2023 - 2028

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Education

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science · 2004 M.D.
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science · 2004 Ph.D.

External Links

ladneurosurgery.com ladlabneuro.org