meet our providers
Meet Our Neurosurgeons
Click on the portraits below to learn more about the neurosurgeons of UChicago Medicine. To request an appointment with any of these providers, please click here.
Bakhtiar Yamini, M.D.
Neurosurgeon with expertise in treating: congenital anomalies, pediatrics, brain tumor, pituitary tumors, meningiomas, brain metastasis (brain cancer), craniosynostosis, Chiari Malformation, cervical spine herniations, and more.
Edwin Ramos, M.D.
Neurosurgeon with expertise in treating: spinal stenosis (cervical, thoracic, and lumbar), herniated disks, degenerative disc disease, spinal tumor, radiculopathy, spondylolisthesis, and more.
Paramita Das, M.D., M.S.
Neurosurgeon with expertise in treating: adult patients, spinal stenosis, spinal degeneration, spinal tumor, Chiari malformation (adults), brain tumor, and more.
Issam A. Awad, M.D.
Neurovascular Surgeon with expertise in treating: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM), carotid stenosis, aneurysm, and more.
Martin Herman, M.D., Ph.D.
Neurosurgeon with expertise in treating: herniated disks, degenerative spine conditions, spinal stenosis, spinal cord tumor, spinal injuries due to work-related incident, and more.
Peleg M. Horowitz, M.D., Ph.D.
Neurosurgeon with expertise in treating: brain tumor, pituitary tumors, meningiomas, schwannomas, gliomas, glioblastomas, brain metastasis, and more.
Peter Warnke, M.D.
Neurosurgeon with expertise in treating: brain tumor, pituitary adenoma, glioblastoma, hydrocephalus, seizure disorders with deep brain stimulators (DBS), trigeminal neuralgia, and more.
Javad Hekmat-panah, M.D.
Neurosurgeon with expertise in consulting patients with history of neurosurgical interventions and procedural history of the spine. Medically advises patients of next steps when patients have no recent imaging (or older then one year). No longer an operating surgeon.
Sean Polster, MD
Position
Dr. Polster is a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon who specializes in minimally invasive surgery of the brain and spine in both adults and children. Dr. Polster’s practice primarily focuses on treating neurovascular conditions of the head and neck as well as tumors of the brain and skull base.
Eric Thompson, MD
Position
Eric Thompson, MD, is Chief of Pediatric Neurosciences for the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance (CCHA). Dr. Thompson is a highly skilled surgeon who specializes in neurosurgery and treats complex brain and neurological conditions.
Meet Our Nurse Practitioners
Click on the portraits below to learn more about the nurse practitioners of UChicago Medicine. To request an appointment with any of these providers, please click here.
Judith Holleman, MSN
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Judith (Judie) Holleman supports both research and clinical care for the Margaret Hackett Family Program. During her research activities, Judie helps develop clinical research protocols and clinical trials. While working with patients, she operates as an experienced clinician that helps interpret and navigate the pathway of care. She brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to caring for patients impacted by CNS anomalies.
Amanda Johnson, MSN
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Amanda Johnson comes with nearly two decades of experience in Pediatric Neurosurgery, Amanda has led her team of APPs to prioritize outstanding clinical care. She navigates complex anatomical and clinical concerns with expertise, all while showing immense empathy, kindness, and understanding to young and vulnerable patients. Amanda’s dedication is an asset to Comer and UChicago.
For more information about Neurosurgery at the University of Chicago Medicine, please click here.