Alexander A. Khalessi, MD, MBA

Alexander Khalessi, MD, MBA, is a board-certified neurosurgeon who specializes in complex cranial surgery, endovascular neurosurgery, stroke care, and neurological oncology. He is chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery and professor of neurological surgery, radiology and neurosciences. In 2021, he was named the inaugural Don and Karen Cohn Chancellor's Endowed Chair in Neurosurgery.

Dr. Khalessi provides both open surgical and minimally invasive, catheter-based approaches to complex neurosurgical conditions, including brain tumors, aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVM), carotid disease and ischemic stroke. He is passionate about finding innovative, personalized solutions that result in the best possible outcomes for his patients, and is consistently voted a "Top Doc" in the annual San Diego Magazine "Physicians of Exceptional Excellence" survey.

An active clinical leader in the field of neurosurgery and the treatment of cerebrovascular disease, Dr. Khalessi holds several global and national leadership roles. He is the current president-elect of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the leading academic society for neurosurgical professionals with more than 10,000 members worldwide. Dr. Khalessi is in his third term on American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/CNS' Washington Committee and sits on the Board of Governors for the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Additionally, Dr. Khalessi is a founding member of the Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC) that advises the FDA on early clinical feasibility for emerging neurovascular devices. He serves on the NIH Interventional Advisory Panel for StrokeNet, which provides scientific oversight for federally funded research in neurovascular disease. Dr. Khalessi was selected by his peers to serve as vice chair of the UC Health Stroke and Cerebrovascular Consortium, which unites experts across all six UC campuses, and will chair the consortium in 2023.

A dedicated educator, Dr. Khalessi directs national and international training courses, including the intermediate resident course for the Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS). Dr. Khalessi served on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), Residency Review Committee (RRC) for Neurological Surgery, and editorial board for the Journal of Graduate Medical Education. He also participated in the authorship of the ACGME Neurosurgery and Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology Milestone Projects.

Dr. Khalessi is widely published, authoring more than 150 peer-reviewed papers and monographs and more than 230 abstracts and presentations. He has served as principal or co-investigator of more than 25 clinical trials and grants. His research has spurred advances in the catheter-based treatment of ischemic stroke, endoscopic treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage, multi-modal treatment of cerebral aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and complex surgical approaches to brain tumors.

Dr. Khalessi completed an endovascular neurosurgery fellowship at State University of New York Buffalo and his neurosurgical residency at the University of Southern California. He earned his medical degree at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He obtained a bachelor's degree in public policy and master's degree in health services research from Stanford University, and holds a master's degree in business administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan School of Management.

Outside of work, Dr. Khalessi enjoys spending time with his wife Sara, a lawyer, and their two young sons.

UC San Diego Health Links
For more information, see Stroke Center and Neurological Institute.