Bakhtiar Yamini, MD, specializes in neuro-oncology, and he is an expert in minimally invasive neurosurgery for children and adults. This includes using sophisticated stereotactic techniques that allow for three-dimensional surgical planning. Dr. Yamini coordinates comprehensive surgical care for patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors, including the use of minimally invasive procedures such as stereotactic biopsy, laser ablation, and the latest image-guided techniques for maximal resection of deep-seated tumors. He also has a strong interest in vascular neurosurgery and spine surgery.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Yamini conducts medical research. His National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research focuses on examination of the mechanisms by which brain tumors resist treatment and the development of novel approaches to improve their management, including the use of biodegradeable nanoparticle vectors.

His current investigations explore cellular DNA damage response and the treatment of malignant brain tumors in children and adults. Additionally, Dr. Yamini has interests in intracranial and skull-base endoscopy research. As an active scholar, he has published articles and book chapters on current research topics, including brain/spinal tumors and craniosynostosis — a congenital defect, which causes abnormalities in skull and brain development. Dr. Yamini’s research has also received research funding from the American Cancer Society and the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Julie began her career as an educator for students with special needs, including learning and behavior disorders. Her primary focus at the time was working with students in elementary school. After teaching for three years, she transitioned to a career in business where she worked for a small tech firm and then went on to work at the American Medical Association. Julie has always remained passionate about helping students and families, and while pursuing a career in business over the years. She worked with a variety of organizations that focus on the development of youth such as One Million Degrees, GRIP Outreach for Youth, and at City Church Chicago. Julie continues her passion for helping youth and families in her role as Program Manager of the MHFP, where she develops and manages community outreach and support services for patients and families at UChicago Medicine.

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.

Dr. Seif Gholampour currently works for the Margaret Hackett Family Program in the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Chicago. He has more than 13 years of research experience in biomedical modeling of CNS, computational and experimental neuroscience, cerebral blood hemodynamics, CSF hydrodynamics, machine learning, brain morphology, brain biomechanics, image-based fluid-structure interaction/computational fluid dynamics/finite element analysis simulations in neuroscience, and neurosurgical drilling systems. Currently, he is working on changes in intracranial fluid dynamics and recovery behavior of brain tissue of hydrocephalus patients after shunting to improve shunt outcomes, as well as the development of machine learning models to predict the risk of shunt failure.

Jesse recently graduated from the Johns Hopkins University, where he earned dual degrees in Biophysics and Applied Math & Statistics. During his studies, Jesse also worked as a research assistant focusing on neurodegenerative diseases at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, where he developed an interest in medicine involving the brain. Currently, he hopes to be able to explore the field of neurosurgery through clinical research at the Margaret Hackett Family Program and plans on applying to medical school in the near future.

Ashley is an experienced leader and innovator in the world of non-profits and community development for the last 12 years. With an extensive knowledge on connecting individuals and communities with viable resources throughout the country, she enjoys using ingenuity to aid others. Her most recent experience covers 5 years at the American Hospital Association working alongside executive leaders to create education and community for nurse leaders across the world. Ashley continues to use her experience in leading clinic outreach and patient and family programming here at MHFP.