Isabelle M. Germano

Isabelle M. Germano is a neurosurgeon and Tenured Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurology, and Oncological Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, in New York City. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and American Associations of Neurological Surgeons.

Education and post-doctoral training

After an undergraduate education with concentration in Latin and Ancient Greek Literature, in 1984 Germano graduated valedictorian from the University of Turin Medical School with Summa Cum Laude and a graduate thesis in neuro-pathology, where she also completed a neurology residency. Germano completed her surgical internship at the University of California San Francisco and neurosurgery residency at University of California San Francisco and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. During her residency she obtained training in epilepsy surgery under dr. Gazi Yasargil and H. Gregor Wieser at the University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland. After her Chief resident year, she completed a fellowship in epilepsy surgery, stereotaxy, and movement disorders under dr. Andre’ Olivier at Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, Canada. In 1995, Germano was certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS).

Professional Career

Germano joined the neurosurgery faculty at Mount Sinai in 1992 to develop and the brain tumor and stereotactic clinical programs, where at Mount Sinai Hospital she is the Director of the Comprehensive Tumor Program and Co-director of the Radiosurgery Program. She became one of the US pioneers of image-guided brain and spine surgery [1] developing new technology and for years 10 directed a practical course for neurosurgeons around the world to teach about it until it become standard-of-care. These technological advances are used to perform minimally invasive surgery for patients with brain tumors, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, movement disorders, and spine disease or tumors. Germano established a basic science laboratory within the Department of Neurosurgery funded without interruption by extramural funds, including NIH and FDA. Her laboratory focuses on brain tumors translational research with particular emphasis on gene therapy, stem cells, and induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC).

A high-ranking member in many neurosurgery societies and a noted author, she has served as an Executive Committee member for the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), as a Board of Directors member for the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, as an Executive Committee member of the AANS/CNS Joint Section on Tumors, as a scientific program member for the AANS, CNS, and the American Epilepsy Society (AES), and she is Past-president of Women in Neurosurgery (WINS). Germano’s clinical interests include newly diagnosed or recurrent brain and spine tumors, including primary brain tumors, metastatic brain tumors, brain tumors in eloquent areas, brain mapping and monitoring, gliomas, metastasis, meningiomas, brain and spine radiosurgery, epilepsy surgery, and problems of the cervical and lumbar spine.

Honors Awards

• 2014 - Leksell Radiosurgery Award, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
• 2013 - Technology Development Award Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• 2004 - 2016 Neurological Devices Voting Member Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• 2008 - 2013 National Institute of Health (NIH) R01 Award
• 2007 - Brain Tumor Research Goldhirsh Foundation
• 2007- Americas Top Doctors Castle Connolly
• 2006 - New York State Certificate of Recognition, Dedication and Service to the Italians Culture and Community, New York State
• 2005 - Certificate of Excellence in Youth Education
• New York City Department of Education and Mount Sinai School of Medicine
• 2000-Best Doctors of New York Hall of Fame nymag.com/nymetro/health/bestdoctors/features/3322
• 2002 - 2006 America's Top Cancer Doctors Castle Connolly
• 2000 - 2006 Best Doctors of New York Castle Connolly
• 2000 - 2006 Top Doctors New York Metro Area Castle Connolly
• 1994 - Mary Putnam Jacobi Award Women's Medical Association of New York City
• 1993 - W. Penfield Award American Epilepsy Society

Books

• Germano IM (Editor). Advanced Techniques in Image-Guided Brain and Spine surgery . 2002, Thieme Publishers, New York, NY, pages 233 Library of Congress ISBN1-58890-067-3
• Germano IM (Editor). LINAC and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. American Association of Neurological Surgeons Press, Park Ridge, IL, pages 295. Library of Congress ISBN 1879284707
• Germano IM (Editor). Neurosurgery Treatment of movement Disorders. American Association of Neurological Surgeons Press, Park Ridge, IL, pages 275 Library of Congress ISBN 9781879284586