Dr. James Markert Highlights UAB Neurosurgery’s Innovations and Impact
President Jeff Stone and Rotarian Ray Watts with Dr. Markert
This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham welcomed Dr. James Markert, Chair of Neurosurgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Markert shared remarkable patient stories and the cutting-edge treatments that make UAB one of the nation’s leading neurosurgery programs.
He highlighted advances such as intraoperative MRI, robotic surgery, and deep brain stimulation, which have restored mobility and quality of life for patients with conditions ranging from brain tumors to Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Markert also described groundbreaking research in immunotherapy for malignant brain tumors and the department’s growing work in brain-computer interface technology.
In addition to clinical care and research, UAB neurosurgery is deeply engaged in community and global efforts. From supporting stroke awareness and brain injury prevention to collaborating internationally on folate supplementation to prevent neural tube defects, the department is extending its impact beyond the operating room.
Bio for Dr. James Markert
James Markert has been a faculty member at the University of Alabama Birmingham since 1996. In 2006 he became chief of the then Division of Neurosurgery, and in 2013, he became the inaugural Chair of the newly-formed Department of Neurosurgery, which now comprises over 26 clinical, research, and adjunct faculty members, along with a resident cohort of 21.
Markert received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his MD/MPH from Columbia University. He then pursued a research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and University of Chicago, specializing in molecular neurosurgery.
His laboratory and translational research have flourished during his tenure at UAB. In recognition of his groundbreaking work using genetically engineered herpes simplex virus as novel therapy for malignant brain tumors, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2022. He is currently leading multiple clinical trials to develop better treatments for this difficult disease entity.
Markert is busy surgeon, with a special interest in the surgical treatment of patients with tumors in eloquent functional areas of the brain; these surgeries often require special approaches including awake surgery and intraoperative MRI.
In addition to his clinical and research efforts, Markert participates in numerous leadership committees and initiatives within the Heersink School of Medicine, as well as in national professional neurosurgical organizations. He has served as President of the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons and is currently a Director on the American Board of Neurological Surgery.
Markert remains deeply committed to education, training residents in both clinical and research aspects of neurosurgery while also mentoring medical students in basic science and serving on multiple graduate committees. His extensive contributions exemplify the consummate academic clinician, integrating clinical care, research, and education in pursuit of the tripartite mission.