University at Buffalo (UB)
Assaf Berger M.D.
Assaf Berger
M.D.
Assistant Professor
Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Specialty/Research Focus
Neurological Surgery
Professional Summary:
Dr. Berger is an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He graduated Cum Laude from Tel Aviv University Medical School in Israel and completed his neurosurgery residency at the Tel Aviv Medical Center.
He went on to NYU Langone Medical Center in New York for fellowships in Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Functional Neurosurgery. During this period, Dr. Berger was trained on multiple radiosurgery and neuromodulation procedures for various conditions. He received additional training on the MRI-guided High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, a novel stereotactic incision-less tool, which is currently used for functional brain disorders.
Dr. Berger is interested in the improvement and restoration of human functions by applying novel neurosurgical interventions, including neuromodulation and brain-computer interface (BCI). He has presented his research all over the world, including oral presentations at the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS) Conference in Venice, Italy, the World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (WSSFN) Conference in New-York, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) in Austin, Texas, and at the International Society of Stereotactic Radiosurgery Congress (ISRS) in Milan, Italy.
In 2023, he won the Rosenblum-Mahaley award for a project on the novel GRASP-MRI technique and the diagnosis of radiation effects versus tumor progression after radiosurgery. The Rosenblum-Mahaley award is given at each AANS and CNS meeting to recognize a neurosurgeon with an innovative approach that leads to improved patient outcomes and quality of life. Dr. Berger also received awards from the Israeli Neurosurgery Association and the Asian Australasian Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AACNS) for his outstanding research. Additionally, he has multiple peer-reviewed publications and is a reviewer for top neurosurgery journals.
Education and Training:
- Fellowship, Functional Neurosurgery Fellowship, NYU Langone Medical Center (2023)
- Fellowship, Stereotactic Radiosurgery Fellowship, NYU Langone Medical Center (2022)
- Residency, Neurosurgery Residency, Tel Aviv Medical Center (2021)
- MD, Medical School, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel, Magna Cum Laude (2009)
Awards and Honors:
- Rosenblum-Mahaley Award (2023)
- AACNS Award (2022)
- Israeli Neurosurgery Association Award (2019)
Journal Articles:
- Alzate JD, Mullen R, Mashiach E, Bernstein K, De Nigris Vasconcellos F, Rotmann L, Berger A, Qu T, Silverman JS, Golfinos JG, Donahue BR, Kondziolka D. (2023) EGFR-mutated non-small lung cancer brain metastases and radiosurgery outcomes with a focus on leptomeningeal disease. Journal of neuro-oncology (Sep), 164(2): 387-396.
- Berger A, Mullen R, Bernstein K, Alzate JD, Silverman JS, Sulman EP, Donahue BR, Chachoua A, Shum E, Velcheti V, Sabari J, Golfinos JG, Kondziolka D. (2023) Extended Survival in Patients With Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer-Associated Brain Metastases in the Modern Era. Neurosurgery (Jul), 93(1): 50-59.
- Alzate JD, Mashiach E, Berger A, Bernstein K, Mullen R, Nigris Vasconcellos F, Qu T, Silverman JS, Donahue BR, Cooper BT, Sulman EP, Golfinos JG, Kondziolka D. (2023) Low-Dose Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases in the Era of Modern Systemic Therapy. Neurosurgery (Jun).
- Berger A, Choudhry OJ, Kondziolka D. (2023) Augmented Reality-Assisted Percutaneous Rhizotomy for Trigeminal Neuralgia. Operative neurosurgery (Hagerstown, Md.) (Jun), 24(6): 665-669.
- Jalon I, Berger A, Shofty B, Goldway N, Artzi M, Gurevitch G, Hochberg U, Tellem R, Hendler T, Gonen T, Strauss I. (2023) Lesions to both somatic and affective pain pathways lead to decreased salience network connectivity. Brain : a journal of neurology (May), 146(5): 2153-2162.
- Alzate JD, Berger A, Bernstein K, Mullen R, Qu T, Silverman JS, Shapiro M, Nelson PK, Raz E, Jafar JJ, Riina HA, Kondziolka D. (2023) Preoperative flow analysis of arteriovenous malformations and obliteration response after stereotactic radiosurgery. Journal of neurosurgery (Apr), 138(4): 944-954.
- Berger A, Lee MD, Lotan E, Block KT, Fatterpekar G, Kondziolka D. (2023) Distinguishing Brain Metastasis Progression From Radiation Effects After Stereotactic Radiosurgery Using Longitudinal GRASP Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI. Neurosurgery (Mar), 92(3): 497-506.
- Berger A, Tzarfati GG, Serafimova M, Valdes P, Meller A, Korn A, Kahana Levy N, Aviram D, Ram Z, Grossman R. (2022) Risk factors and prognostic implications of surgery-related strokes following resection of high-grade glioma. Scientific reports (Dec), 12(1): 22594. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27127-5
- Berger A, Alzate JD, Bernstein K, Mullen R, McMenomey S, Jethanemest D, Friedmann DR, Smouha E, Sulman EP, Silverman JS, Roland JT, Golfinos JG, Kondziolka D. (2022) Modern Hearing Preservation Outcomes After Vestibular Schwannoma Stereotactic Radiosurgery. Neurosurgery (Oct), 91(4): 648-657. doi:10.1227/neu.0000000000002090
- Dabhi N, Pikis S, Mantziaris G, Tripathi M, Warnick R, Peker S, Samanci Y, Berger A, Bernstein K, Kondziolka D, Niranjan A, Lunsford LD, Sheehan JP. (2022) Stereotactic radiosurgery for the treatment of hypoglossal schwannoma: a multi-institutional retrospective study. Acta neurochirurgica (Sep), 164(9): 2473-2481.
- Berger A, Bernstein K, Alzate JD, Mullen R, Silverman JS, Sulman EP, Donahue BR, Pavlick AC, Gurewitz J, Mureb M, Mehnert J, Madden K, Palermo A, Weber JS, Golfinos JG, Kondziolka D. (2022) Significant survival improvements for patients with melanoma brain metastases: can we reach cure in the current era?. Journal of neuro-oncology (Jul), 158(3): 471-480.
- Berger A, Tzarfati GG, Serafimova M, Valdes P, Meller A, Korn A, Levy NK, Aviram D, Ram Z, Grossman R. (2022) Clinical and prognostic implications of rim restriction following glioma surgery. Scientific reports (Jul), 12(1): 12874. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-16717-y
- Levy BR, Berger A, Kondziolka D. (2022) Diplopia outcomes following stereotactic radiosurgery for petroclival or cavernous sinus meningiomas: patient series. Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons (Jun), 3(25): CASE225. doi:10.3171/CASE225
- Berger A, Mangel L, Basal S, Lidar Z, Regev GJ, Khashan M, Ofir D, Salame K. (2022) Predictors of functional recovery following surgery for foot drop due to degenerative lumbar disease. Journal of neurosurgery. Spine (Mar), 36(3): 408-413.
- Treister R, Honigman L, Berger A, Cohen B, Asaad I, Kuperman P, Tellem R, Hochberg U, Strauss I. (2022) Temporal Summation Predicts De Novo Contralateral Pain After Cordotomy in Patients With Refractory Cancer Pain. Neurosurgery (Jan), 90(1): 59-65.
- Berger A, Galbraith K, Snuderl M, Golfinos JG, Kondziolka D. (2022) Absence of residual tumor tissue after Gamma Knife radiosurgery followed by resection of a vestibular schwannoma: illustrative case. Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons (Jan), 3(2). doi:10.3171/CASE21614
- Shofty B, Bergman L, Berger A, Aizenstein O, Ben-Valid S, Gurovich D, Tankus A, Attias M, Fahoum F, Strauss I. (2021) Adopting MR-guided stereotactic laser ablations for epileptic lesions: initial clinical experience and lessons learned. Acta neurochirurgica (Oct), 163(10): 2797-2803.
- Sapir Y, Korn A, Bitan-Talmor Y, Vendrov I, Berger A, Shofty B, Zegerman A, Strauss I. (2020) Intraoperative Neurophysiology for Optimization of Percutaneous Spinothalamic Cordotomy for Intractable Cancer Pain. Operative neurosurgery (Hagerstown, Md.) (Nov), 19(6): E566-E572.
- Berger A, Cohen N, Fahoum F, Medvedovsky M, Meller A, Ekstein D, Benifla M, Aizenstein O, Fried I, Gazit T, Strauss I. (2020) Preoperative localization of seizure onset zones by magnetic source imaging, EEG-correlated functional MRI, and their combination. Journal of neurosurgery (May), 134(3): 1037-1043.
- Bartoli A, Soleman J, Berger A, Wisoff JH, Hidalgo ET, Mangano FT, Keating RF, Thomale UW, Boop F, Roth J, Constantini S. (2020) Treatment Options for Hydrocephalus Following Foramen Magnum Decompression for Chiari I Malformation: A Multicenter Study. Neurosurgery (Apr), 86(4): 500-508.
- Berger A, Tzarfati G, Costa M, Serafimova M, Korn A, Vendrov I, Alfasi T, Krill D, Aviram D, Ben Moshe S, Kashanian A, Ram Z, Grossman R. (2019) Incidence and impact of stroke following surgery for low-grade gliomas. Journal of neurosurgery (Dec), 134(1): 153-161.
- Berger A, Hochberg U, Zegerman A, Tellem R, Strauss I. (2019) Neurosurgical ablative procedures for intractable cancer pain. Journal of neurosurgery (May)1-8.
- Berger A, Strauss I, Ben Moshe S, Corn BW, Limon D, Shtraus N, Shahar T, Kanner AA. (2018) Neurocognitive evaluation of brain metastases patients treated with post-resection stereotactic radiosurgery: a prospective single arm clinical trial. Journal of neuro-oncology (Nov), 140(2): 307-315.
- Berger A, Tellem R, Arad M, Hochberg U, Gonen T, Strauss I. (2018) [NEUROSURGICAL INTERVENTIONS FOR INTRACTABLE ONCOLOGICAL PAIN]. Harefuah (Feb), 157(2): 108-111.
- Berger A, Constantini S, Ram Z, Roth J. (2018) Acute subdural hematomas in shunted normal-pressure hydrocephalus patients - Management options and literature review: A case-based series. Surgical neurology international (Jan), 9: 238. doi:10.4103/sni.sni_338_18
- Roth J, Berger A, Constantini S. (2017) Endoscopic Transseptal Transcaval Interforniceal Approach to the Posterior Third Ventricle in the Presence of Cavum Septum Pellucidum. World neurosurgery (Jul), 103: 768-771.
- Gelerstein E, Berger A, Jonas-Kimchi T, Strauss I, Kanner AA, Blumenthal DT, Gottfried M, Margalit N, Ram Z, Shahar T. (2017) Regression of intracranial meningioma following treatment with nivolumab: Case report and review of the literature. Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia (Mar), 37: 51-53.
- Strauss I, Berger A, Ben Moshe S, Arad M, Hochberg U, Gonen T, Tellem R. (2017) Double Anterior Stereotactic Cingulotomy for Intractable Oncological Pain. Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery (Jan), 95(6): 400-408.
- Strauss I, Berger A, Arad M, Hochberg U, Tellem R. (2017) O-Arm-Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency Cordotomy. Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery (Jan), 95(6): 409-416.
- Berger A, Findler M, Maymon D, Korach T, Yativ OF, Gronovich Y, Hassidim A. (2016) Color Vision Deficiency and Functional Disorders Among Israeli Male Adolescents Between 2007 and 2013. Journal of child neurology (Sep), 31(10): 1245-9.
- Berger A, Grossman E, Katz M, Kivity S, Klempfner R, Segev S, Goldenberg I, Sidi Y, Maor E. (2016) Exercise systolic blood pressure variability is associated with increased risk for new-onset hypertension among normotensive adults. Journal of the American Society of Hypertension : JASH (Jun), 10(6): 527-535.e2.
- Berger A, Shahar T, Margalit N. (2016) Herpes Simplex Type 2 Encephalitis After Craniotomy: Case Report and Literature Review. World neurosurgery (Apr), 88: 691.e9-691.e12.
- Berger A, Findler M, Korach T, Yativ OF, Gronovich Y, Hassidim A. (2016) Is Male Migraine Associated With Color Vision Deficiency? Findings Among Israeli Adolescents Between 2007 and 2013. Journal of child neurology (Apr), 31(5): 593-6.
- Berger A, Grossman E, Katz M, Kivity S, Klempfner R, Segev S, Goldenberg I, Sidi Y, Maor E. (2015) Exercise blood pressure and the risk for future hypertension among normotensive middle-aged adults. Journal of the American Heart Association (Apr), 4(4). doi:10.1161/JAHA.114.001710
- Berger A, Gilad A. (2014) [A case of Crohn's disease following an infection by Epstein-Barr virus]. Harefuah (Aug), 153(8): 446-7, 499.
- Lifshitz L, Berger A, Mittelman M, Neumann D. (2010) Erythropoietin and cyclophosphamide combination treatment additively enhances antibody production in mice. Acta haematologica (Jan), 123(2): 81-3.
Presentations:
- "Talk on “Post-concussive headache”" Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting (2023)
- "GRASP Dynamic Contrast-enhanced MRI Can Assist in Distinguishing Brain Metastases from Radiation Effects After Stereotactic Radiosurgery" American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Meeting (2023)
- "Modern Hearing Preservation Outcomes After Vestibular Schwannoma Stereotactic Radiosurgery" Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Meeting (2022)
- "Talk on Posterior Subthalamic DBS for Cerebellar Outflow Tremor" DBS Society of New York Meeting (2022)
- "Training course on radiosurgery treatment for trigeminal neuralgia" Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Meeting (2022)
- "Distinguishing brain metastases progression from radiation effects after stereotactic radiosurgery using longitudinal GRASP dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI" Asian Australasian Congress of Neurological Surgeons (AACNS) Meeting (2022)
- "Significant survival improvements for patients with melanoma brain metastases" International Society of Stereotactic Radiosurgery Congress (2022)
- "Pain networks connectivity changes following the relief of prolonged cancer pain" Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Meeting (2021)
- "The incidence and impact of stroke following surgery for low-grade gliomas" Trainees lecture at the EANS residents course (2020)
- "Pre-operative localization of epileptogenic zones by magnetic source imaging, electroencephalography-correlated functional magnetic resonance imaging and their combination." World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (WSSFN) Conference (2019)
- "The incidence and impact of stroke following surgery for low-grade gliomas." Israeli Neurosurgery Association Meeting (2019)
- "Double Anterior Cingulotomy for Intractable Oncological Pain" European Association of Neurosurgical Societies Meeting (2017)
- "1. Anterior Cingulotomy for Intractable Oncological Pain. 2. Proteomic Analysis of Atypical Meningiomas to Identify Biomarkers for Distinguishing Radiotherapy Responders from Non-responders" Israeli Neurosurgery Association Meeting (2017)
- "Exercise Blood Pressure and the Risk for Future Hypertension Among Normotensive Middle-Aged Adults" Israeli Heart Association Meeting (2015)
- "Erythropoietin and Cyclophosphamide Combination Treatment Additively Enhances Antibody Production in Mice" European Hematology Association Meeting (2009)
Service Activities:
- Gamma-Knife SRS training and education day for NYU neurosurgery residents at the Center for Advanced Radiosurgery, NYU Langone; Coordinator and key speaker (2022)