Assaf Berger M.D.

Assaf Berger

Assaf Berger
M.D.

Assistant Professor

Department of Neurosurgery

Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences


Specialty/Research Focus

Biomedical Engineering; Biomedical Imaging; Biomedical Informatics; Blood-Brain Barrier and Drug Delivery; Brain Research; Clinical Informatics; Imaging Informatics; Neuroimaging Analysis; Neurological Surgery; Neuropsychiatric Disorders; Neuroscience; Pain; Parkinson’s disease

Contact Information
40 George Karl Blvd
Williamsville, New York 14221
Phone: 716-218-1000
assafber@buffalo.edu


Patient Care

This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.

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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)

Employment:

  • Assistant Professor, Neurosurgery, University at Buffalo (2023-present)

Awards and Honors:

  • Rosenblum-Mahaley Award (2023)
  • AACNS Award (2022)
  • Israeli Neurosurgery Association Award (2019)

Research Expertise:

  • Functional Neurosurgery and Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Journal Articles:

See all (31 more)

Professional Memberships:

  • Congress of Neurological Surgeons
  • American Association of Neurological Surgeons
  • American Society for Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery

Presentations:

  • "Talk on Comparison of Dentatorubrothalamic Tractography Methods Based on the Anatomy of the Rubral Wing." International Neuromodulation Society Meeting (2024)
  • "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)
See all (6 more)

Service Activities:

  • Congress of Neurological Surgeons Meeting, Pain Section; Moderator (2024–present)
  • Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Trigeminal Neuralgia Gamma Knife Radiosurgery; Course Instructor (2022–present)

School News:

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Insurance Accepted:



Contact Information

40 George Karl Blvd
Williamsville, New York 14221
Phone: 716-218-1000
assafber@buffalo.edu

This faculty member is affiliated with UBMD, practicing physicians who are also professors in the Jacobs School.

View this physician on UBMD