About

About Barrow Neurological Institute Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona is an international leader in the treatment, research, and education of brain and spinal diseases, conditions, and injuries. Led by Barrow President and CEO Michael T. Lawton, MD, one of the world’s top neurosurgeons, the Institute is one of the busiest centers for neurology and neurosurgery in the United States. Each year, we treat more than 58,000 patients, and our neurosurgeons perform nearly 6,000 brain and spine surgeries. Because of our high volume, our physicians and clinicians are familiar with the rarest and most challenging conditions. It’s not uncommon for patients from around the globe to be treated here. Newsweek ranks Barrow as one of the best specialty hospitals in the world for neurosurgery. In addition, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Barrow as a top center for neuro-rehabilitation in the country. We are certified by The Joint Commission in Comprehensive Stroke. Barrow boasts a Level I trauma center, CARF-accredited neuro-rehabilitation programs, and more certified neuroscience registered nurses (CNRN) than any other hospital in the world. Highly regarded for neuroscience education for decades, Barrow is ranked by Doximity as second in the nation for its neurosurgery residency program and 45th for neurology. Neuroscientific research has been one of the three foundational pillars supporting the mission of Barrow since our doors opened in 1962. What began as a handful of researchers and clinical trials decades ago has blossomed into a modern research powerhouse, with more than $51 million in federal funding received as the prime recipient, 42 academic collaborations, 8 federal funding agencies supporting dozens of research scientists conducting translational work in the neurosciences, more than 345 active clinical trials offering hope to more than 1,200 enrolled patients with recalcitrant diseases, and numerous physician-scientists working to bring the latest discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic. Barrow is also home to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, a tertiary care and nonprofit translational research program that employs bold, early-phase clinical trial strategies to identify new treatments for aggressive brain tumors, including glioblastoma. Our leading experts in neurosurgical oncology, neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, neuropathology and neuroscience nursing treat more patients annually than any other brain tumor center in the United States. The Ivy Center’s Phase 0 clinical trials program is the largest in the world and enables personalized care in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional drug development. In addition, unlike conventional clinical trials focusing on single drugs, the Ivy Center’s accelerated program tests therapeutic combinations matched to individual patients. Barrow has contributed to many breakthroughs in neuroscience and neurosurgery, including refining the cardiac standstill procedure, isolating the gene for the inherited form of cerebral cavernous malformations, and pioneering thoracoscopic spinal surgery. We are a leader in harnessing innovative technologies and procedures, such as brain-computer interface, minimally invasive spine surgery, microscopic techniques, and robotic spine surgery. About Barrow Neurological Institute Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona is an international leader in the treatment, research, and education of brain and spinal diseases, conditions, and injuries. Led by Barrow President and CEO Michael T. Lawton, MD, one of the world’s top neurosurgeons, the Institute is one of the busiest centers for neurology and neurosurgery in the United States. Each year, we treat more than 58,000 patients, and our neurosurgeons perform nearly 6,000 brain and spine surgeries. Because of our high volume, our physicians and clinicians are familiar with the rarest and most challenging conditions. It’s not uncommon for patients from around the globe to be treated here. Newsweek ranks Barrow as one of the best specialty hospitals in the world for neurosurgery. In addition, U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks Barrow as a top center for neuro-rehabilitation in the country. We are certified by The Joint Commission in Comprehensive Stroke. Barrow boasts a Level I trauma center, CARF-accredited neuro-rehabilitation programs, and more certified neuroscience registered nurses (CNRN) than any other hospital in the world. Highly regarded for neuroscience education for decades, Barrow is ranked by Doximity as second in the nation for its neurosurgery residency program and 45th for neurology. Neuroscientific research has been one of the three foundational pillars supporting the mission of Barrow since our doors opened in 1962. What began as a handful of researchers and clinical trials decades ago has blossomed into a modern research powerhouse, with more than $51 million in federal funding received as the prime recipient, 42 academic collaborations, 8 federal funding agencies supporting dozens of research scientists conducting translational work in the neurosciences, more than 345 active clinical trials offering hope to more than 1,200 enrolled patients with recalcitrant diseases, and numerous physician-scientists working to bring the latest discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic. Barrow is also home to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, a tertiary care and nonprofit translational research program that employs bold, early-phase clinical trial strategies to identify new treatments for aggressive brain tumors, including glioblastoma. Our leading experts in neurosurgical oncology, neuro-oncology, radiation oncology, neuroradiology, neuropathology and neuroscience nursing treat more patients annually than any other brain tumor center in the United States. The Ivy Center’s Phase 0 clinical trials program is the largest in the world and enables personalized care in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional drug development. In addition, unlike conventional clinical trials focusing on single drugs, the Ivy Center’s accelerated program tests therapeutic combinations matched to individual patients. Barrow has contributed to many breakthroughs in neuroscience and neurosurgery, including refining the cardiac standstill procedure, isolating the gene for the inherited form of cerebral cavernous malformations, and pioneering thoracoscopic spinal surgery. We are a leader in harnessing innovative technologies and procedures, such as brain-computer interface, minimally invasive spine surgery, microscopic techniques, and robotic spine surgery. Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona is an international leader in the treatment, research, and education of brain and spinal diseases, conditions, and injuries. Our Center holds a Primary Stroke Center certification from the AHA/ASA.