James K. Liu, MD
Professor of Neurosurgery
Director of Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery
Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School
RWJ Barnabas Health
Dr. James K. Liu is the Director of Cerebrovascular, Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery at the Rutgers Neurological Institute of New Jersey, and Professor of Neurological Surgery at Rutgers University, New Jersey Medical School. He is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, and has a robust pituitary tumor practice at University Hospital and Saint Barnabas Medical Center.
Dr. Liu graduated summa cum laude from UCLA with Phi Beta Kappa honors, and obtained his MD from New York Medical College with AOA honors. After completing a neurosurgery residency at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, he was awarded the Dandy Clinical Fellowship by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and obtained advanced fellowship training in Skull Base, Cerebrovascular Surgery & Neuro-oncology at the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.
Dr. Liu is renowned for his comprehensive treatment of complex brain tumors and skull base lesions, including pituitary tumors, acoustic neuromas, meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas, chordomas, and jugular foramen tumors. His robust clinical practice encompasses both traditional open and minimally invasive endoscopic endonasal skull base approaches. He also specializes in microsurgery of cerebrovascular diseases including aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), cavernous malformations, and carotid artery stenosis. He also has expertise in cerebrovascular bypass procedures for moya moya disease, carotid artery occlusion, vertebral artery occlusion, complex aneurysms and skull base tumors, as well as endoscopic-assisted microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm.
As one of the most active researchers in his field, Dr. Liu has published extensively with over 250 peer-reviewed publications and 25 textbook chapters. He has taught many hands-on cadaver dissection courses in skull base surgery and has lectured extensively nationally and internationally throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Dr. Liu’s research is focused on the development of innovative and novel skull base and endoscopic techniques, quantitative surgical neuroanatomy, microsurgical and microvascular anastomosis skills training, virtual surgical simulation, pituitary tumor biology, and clinical outcomes after skull base and cerebrovascular surgery.
Dr. Liu is an active member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, North American Skull Base Society, Pituitary Network Association, The Facial Pain (Trigeminal Neuralgia) Association, AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section, Tumor Section. He serves on the medical advisory board of the Acoustic Neuroma Association of New Jersey, and is the current Secretary-Treasurer of the International Meningioma Society.
Today is the 38th anniversary of my pituitary surgery at NIH.
As one can imagine, it hasn’t been all happiness and light. Â Most of my journey has been documented here and on the message boards – and elsewhere around the web.
My Cushing’s has been in remission for most of these 38 years. Â Due to scarring from my pituitary surgery, I developed adrenal insufficiency.
When I got kidney cancer, I had to stop the GH, even though no doctor would admit to any connection between the two.
In 2017 I went back on it (Omnitrope this time) in late June. Hooray! I still don’t know if it’s going to work but I have high hopes. I am posting some of how that’s going here.
During nephrectomy, doctors removed my left kidney, my adrenal gland, and some lymph nodes. Â Thankfully, the cancer was contained – but my adrenal insufficiency is even more severe than it was.
In the last couple years, I’ve developed ongoing knee issues.  Because of my cortisol use to keep the AI at bay, my endocrinologist doesn’t want me to get a cortisone injection in my knee. September 12, 2018 I did get that knee injection (Kenalog) and it’s been one of the best things I ever did. I’m not looking forward to telling my endo!
I finally got both knees replaced. The left in 2023, the right on February 3 of this year
I also developed an allergy to blackberries in October and had to take Prednisone – and I’ll have to tell my endo that, too!
My mom has moved in with us, bring some challenges…
In early May of this year I got a cortisone injection in my right thumb. Hopefully, this won’t turn into anything.
But, this is a post about Giving Thanks.  The series will be continued on this blog unless I give thanks about something else Cushing’s related 🙂
I am so thankful that in 1987 the NIH existed and that my endo knew enough to send me there.
Robert Heller, M.D., has joined Albany Med’s Department of Neurosurgery and has been named assistant professor of neurosurgery at Albany Medical College. He specializes in the surgical treatment of pituitary tumors, meningiomas, acoustic neuromas and gliomas. He is also skilled in stereotactic radiosurgery, a precisely targeted form of radiation therapy to treat tumors.
As a cranial and skull base surgeon, Dr. Heller will work with a team comprised of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, and ear, nose and throat surgeons who make up Albany Med’s Pituitary and Minimally Invasive Cranial Base Surgery Program.
Dr. Heller completed a complex cranial and skull base neurosurgery fellowship at Tampa General Hospital and University of South Florida in Tampa. He completed his residency training at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, where he also received his medical degree. His research interests include clinical outcomes in minimally invasive approaches to skull base surgery, and he has authored or co-authored nearly two dozen journal articles and book chapters. His professional society memberships include the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the North American Skull Base Society.
He resides in Delmar.
Dr. Heller is seeing patients at Albany Med’s Department of Neurosurgery at 43 New Scotland Ave. To schedule an appointment or for more information, call the Department of Neurosurgery at (518) 262-5088.
Pituitary tumors can vary widely in severity, with some requiring surgical intervention. While certain pituitary tumors are more straightforward to remove, those that extend beyond the medial wall of the cavernous sinus (MWCS) are considered complex. A delicate region near the pituitary gland, the MWCS contains critical structures like cranial nerves and the carotid artery, which present additional surgical challenges.
Historically, surgeons avoided entering the cavernous sinus due to the risk of damaging these vital structures, but new advancements have made it possible to remove tumors more effectively and safely. Innovative surgical techniques, such as endoscopic endonasal approaches, are allowing neurosurgeons to navigate these delicate areas with greater precision and confidence than ever before.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Kaisorn Chaichana, who has performed well over 100 such procedures at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, says, “The latest advancements in pituitary surgery are driven by improved camera optics. Angled scopes now let us see around corners, helping us distinguish the pituitary gland from the tumor with far greater precision than traditional microscopes. Doppler and ultrasound also allow us to identify critical structures like the carotid artery, ensuring safer, more complete tumor removal.”
If a tumor that extends into the MWCS is not removed, it may continue producing excessive hormones, leaving patients with persistent symptoms. “It’s almost as if they didn’t have surgery at all because there’s still that tumor there causing that hormonal imbalance. That’s why achieving total removal is so critical for long-term success,” said Dr. Chaichana.
Although the procedure is not entirely new, widespread adoption is relatively recent, and only a few institutions perform this surgery regularly. The complexity of the procedure requires expert knowledge of the surrounding anatomy, as well as careful coordination between neurosurgeons, ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists, and post-operative care led by an endocrinologist. “The cavernous sinus is an area a lot of surgeons aren’t comfortable with, and that’s why we specialize in that surgery here,” added Dr. Chaichana. Mayo Clinic’s multidisciplinary approach has improved patient outcomes, allowing for safer tumor removal with reduced complications.
For patients with recurrent tumors or those initially deemed inoperable, re-evaluating surgical options at a specialized center may provide new hope. If the tumor is confined to one side of the carotid artery, surgeons can often achieve a complete resection. However, if it extends beyond this point, additional treatments such as radiation or medical therapy may be required.
Patients facing pituitary surgery should seek a neurosurgeon with experience in endoscopic techniques at a specialized facility with extensive expertise in pituitary tumor treatment.
Choosing the right surgical team can significantly impact outcomes, particularly for complex cases. While not all tumors require MWCS resection, for those that do, this approach offers a path to better surgical success and long-term remission. With ongoing advancements in pituitary surgery, more patients than ever have access to safer, more effective treatment options.
Salk Distinguished Professor Emeritus Roger Guillemin, recipient of the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and neuroendocrinology pioneer, died on February 21, 2024, in Del Mar, California at the age of 100.
Roger Guillemin Click here for a high-resolution image.
Credit: Salk Institute
“We are incredibly saddened to learn of Roger’s passing,” says Salk President Gerald Joyce. “He leaves a remarkable legacy at Salk and around the world. His brilliance, commitment, and passion for discovery brought forth some of the last century’s most significant advances in our knowledge of the human brain. He was a cherished colleague and mentor to many. I personally mourn his loss and know I speak for the entire Salk community when I say our world is less bright without him in it.”
Guillemin joined Salk in 1970 to head the newly established Laboratories for Neuroendocrinology. He and his group discovered somatostatin, which regulates the activities of the pituitary gland and the pancreas. Somatostatin is used clinically to treat pituitary tumors. He was among the first people to isolate endorphins, brain molecules that act as natural opiates, and his work with cellular growth factors (FGFs) led to the recognition of multiple physiological functions and developmental mechanisms.
Guillemin played a key role in discovering the brain’s role in regulating hormones, substances that act as chemical messengers between different parts of the body and regulate bodily functions. While scientists had long believed that the brain ultimately controlled the function of hormone-producing endocrine glands, there had been scant evidence to prove exactly how it did so.
After meticulous study of materials harvested from 1.5 million sheep brains, Guillemin and his team made a breakthrough. They discovered releasing hormones, produced in small quantities in the hypothalamus of the brain. These are delivered to the adjacent pituitary gland, which in turn is triggered to release its own hormones that are dispersed through the body. Guillemin and Andrew Schally separately extracted a sufficient amount of one releasing hormone to determine its structure in 1969. They subsequently were able to produce it with chemical methods.
Their work would lead them to the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, shared also with Rosalyn Yalow for a separate but related discovery, for “discoveries concerning the peptide hormone production of the brain.”
This breakthrough resulted in the identification of a molecule called TRH (thyrotropin-releasing hormone), which ultimately controls all the functions of the thyroid gland. In the following years, he and his colleagues isolated other molecules from the hypothalamus that control all functions of the pituitary gland—for instance, GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone), a hypothalamic hormone that causes the pituitary to release gonadotropins, which in turn trigger the release of hormones from the testicles or ovaries. This discovery led to advancements in the medical treatment of infertility and is also used to treat prostate cancer.
Earning his Doctor in Medicine required the composition and defense of a dissertation, something that Guillemin looked forward to doing. “I had always been interested in endocrinology,” said Guillemin. “[An MD thesis] was usually pro forma. I decided, however, to write a dissertation… that I would enjoy, hopefully on some work I could perform in a laboratory.” A challenge to his desire to conduct research was a dearth of lab access. “There was no laboratory facility of any sort in Dijon, except for gross anatomy.”
Shortly after completing his PhD, Guillemin became an assistant professor of physiology at the University of Baylor College of Medicine. Once there, he began to pursue the identity of the chemical mediators of hypothalamic origin, which were primary suspects for controlling pituitary function in the brain.
Guillemin was a mentor to many future leaders in endocrinology and medical research while at Baylor, including Catherine and Jean Rivier and Wylie Vale, who would all follow Guillemin to Salk in 1970 and themselves become professors there.
In addition to the 1977 Nobel Prize, Guillemin was the recipient of numerous accolades for his work. These included the Gairdner International Award, the Dickson Prize, the Passano Award, the Lasker Award, and the President’s National Medal of Science, presented to him by then-President Jimmy Carter. He was also an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences (1974) and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1976). Guillemin’s native France recognized his contributions to science and health by naming him a Commander in the Legion of Honour, the country’s highest order of merit. He served as the Salk Institutes’s interim president from October 2007 to February 2009.
For all of his accomplishments, Guillemin was always quick to point out the contributions of the many people who worked alongside him. “I have had the extraordinary privilege to work with wonderful collaborators, some so much more knowledgeable in their own field than I was (or still am), all full of enthusiasm and sharing the common ethics of science,” he wrote as he reflected on achieving the Nobel Prize.
When asked in a September 2017 interview with the La Jolla Light what his philosophy in life was, Guillemin responded, “Help people. I really wanted to be a physician… [and] I knew all my efforts would be to help people.”
Up until his last few years of life, Guillemin was an active member of the La Jolla, California community and was an avid collector of French and American paintings and sculptures, as well as Papuan and pre-Columbian pottery.
Guillemin is survived by his five daughters, one son, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Lucienne, a talented musician, who died at the age of 100 in 2021, after the couple was married for 69 years. Guillemin died on her birthday.
The award will presented to Dr. Oyesiku at the Society’s 2021 Annual Meeting August 8-11.
Nelson M. Oyesiku, MD, PhD, FACS, Chair Chair of the UNC School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, will receive the Distinguished Service Award given by the Society of University Neurosurgeons at their 2021 Annual Meeting in Whitefish, Montana, August 8-11.
Prior to joining the UNC faculty on April 1, 2021, Dr. Oyesiku was Professor of Neurological Surgery and Medicine (Endocrinology) at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia and the Inaugural Daniel Louis Barrow Chair in Neurosurgery, Vice-Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and Director of the Neurosurgical Residency Program. Dr. Oyesiku’s clinical expertise is pituitary medicine and surgery. Dr. Oyesiku was co-director of the Emory Pituitary Center and has developed one of the largest practices entirely devoted to the care of patients with pituitary tumors in the country and has performed over 3,700 pituitary tumor operations. Dr. Oyesiku obtained his MD from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He obtained an MSc in Occupational Medicine from the University of London, UK and completed a PhD in Neuroscience at Emory University. He completed his Surgery Internship at the University of Connecticut-Hartford Hospital and obtained his neurosurgical training at Emory University, Atlanta. He is board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He received an NIH K08 Award and Faculty Development Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation was a recipient of an NIH R01 award and PI of the NIH/NINDS R25 Research Education Program for Residents and Fellows in Neurosurgery. Dr. Oyesiku has served on several NIH Study Sections. Dr. Oyesiku’s research is focused on the molecular pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas, and tumor receptor imaging and targeting for therapy.
Dr. Oyesiku has served on various state, regional, national and international committees for all the major neurosurgical organizations. He has served on the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the American Board of Neurological Surgery. He was on the ACGME-Residency Review Committee of Neurosurgery. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and has served on its Board of Governors. Dr. Oyesiku has been President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He has served as Secretary/Treasurer and President of the Georgia Neurosurgical Society, President of the Society of University Neurosurgeons, and Vice-President of the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons. He is President of the International Society of Pituitary Surgeons. He is President-Elect of the World Federation of Neurological Surgeons.
Dr. Oyesiku is Editor-in-Chief of NEUROSURGERY, OPERATIVE NEUROSURGERY and NEUROSURGERY OPEN – leading journals in neurosurgery. He is author of over 180 scientific articles and book chapters.
He has been selected by his peers as one of The Best Doctors in America and was selected by the Consumer Research Council of America as one of America’s Top Surgeons. He is named in Marquis Who’s Who in America. He is a member of the Honor Medical Society – Alpha Omega Alpha. He was awarded the “Gentle Giant Award” by the Pituitary Network Association for his services to Pituitary Surgery and Medicine. He is on the Medical Advisory Board of the Cushing’s Support and Research Foundation. He has been visiting professor and invited faculty at several departments of neurosurgery in the United States and abroad.
Nelson M. Oyesiku, MD, PhD, FACS, Chair Chair of the UNC School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, will receive the Distinguished Service Award given by the Society of University Neurosurgeons at their 2021 Annual Meeting in Whitefish, Montana, August 8-11.