James Pan, M.D.

Fellowship-Trained and Board-Eligible Neurosurgeon Specializing in Complex and Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.

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Neurosurgical Specialties

Spine: Complex Spine Surgery, Motion Preserving Spine Surgery, Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery, Artificial Disc Replacement, Cervical Disc Replacement, Lumbar Disc Replacement, Spinal Trauma, Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease, Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease, Herniated discs, Spinal Stenosis, Spondylolisthesis and Spinal tumors, Deformity Correction, Revision Spine Surgery

 

Locations

HCA HealthONE Aurora
HCA HealthONE Swedish
HCA HealthONE Sky Ridge
HCA HealthONE Mountain Ridge
Synergy Surgery Center

 

“I believe the best neurosurgical care starts with understanding the person behind the problem—their goals, their livelihood, and what they want their life to look like—and then choosing a path forward together.”

About Dr. Pan

Dr. Pan focuses on complex spine surgery and treats conditions including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis and spinal tumors, with expertise in deformity correction, revision surgery and minimally invasive procedures.

He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to translational and basic-science research at the National Institutes of Health, Stanford University and the University of Washington. His research includes work on patient perceptions of operative reports simplified by artificial intelligence, complications in patients with traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic hydrocephalus risk modeling.

Before his clinical training, Dr. Pan was involved with multiple digital health startups, including ventures acquired by Apple and Invitae, bringing together thoughtful design and scalable clinical impact.

 
 

More About Dr. Pan

Fellowship Trained >

Stanford University School of Medicine, Neurological Spine Surgery

Education >

Residency:
University of Washington School of Medicine, Neurological Surgery
Medical School:
Stanford University School of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine
Undergrad:
Carnegie Mellon University, Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with a Minor in Chemistry

Research >

University of Washington School of Medicine
Research Associate, Department of Neurological Surgery
Applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning models to clinical problems in neurological surgery, i.e. large language models for generation of patient friendly clinical documentation.
June 2021 – June 2025

Stanford University School of Medicine
Research Associate, Department of Neurosurgery
Conducted multiple clinical and translational research projects with focus areas including endoscopic pituitary surgery, pediatric neuro-oncology, and spine surgery. Led an internally funded study exploring pharmacological modulation of the blood–brain barrier to enhance chemotherapeutic drug delivery to brain tumors.
Advisor: Gerald Grant, MD
June 2014 – June 2018

University of California, San Francisco
Research Associate, Baker Computational Health Sciences Institute
Led computational research integrating large-scale gene expression datasets in medulloblastoma to identify disease-specific molecular signatures and reposition existing drugs for potential therapeutic use.
Advisor: Atul Butte, MD, PhD
June 2014 – June 2017

National Human Genome Research Institute
Post-Bac Research Fellow
Conducted molecular and biochemical studies of rare lysosomal storage disorders, including Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome and Erdheim–Chester disease, to elucidate disease mechanisms and genetic underpinnings.
Advisor: William Gahl, MD, PhD
June 2011 – February 2013

University of Pittsburgh
HHMI Academic Year Research Associate
Investigated site-specific recombination in bacteriophage Bxb1, characterizing gpInt binding via SELEX and optimizing gp47 protein purification to study recombinase function.
Advisor: Graham Hatfull, PhD
August 2008 – May 2011
2011 Medical Student Summer Research Fellowship, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
2007 Maroon and Gold Full Tuition Scholarship, Arizona State University

National Cancer Institute
Summer Research Internship
Performed functional and structural characterization of P-glycoprotein isoforms, focusing on a common synonymous haplotype linked to altered drug transport and multidrug resistance in cancer.
Advisor: Michael Gottesman, MD
May 2009 – August 2009 & May 2010– August 2010

National Cancer Institute
Summer Research Internship
Performed functional and structural characterization of P-glycoprotein isoforms, focusing on a common synonymous haplotype linked to altered drug transport and multidrug resistance in cancer.
Advisor: Donald Court, PhD
May 2008 – August 2008

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Research Assistant
Analyzed the arginine-rich motif of the HK022 Nun protein, with implications for RNA-binding dynamics in viral proteins such as HIV-1 Rev and Tat.
Advisor: Max Gottesman, MD
May 2006 – May 2007

Weill Medical College of Cornell University
Research Assistant
Performed functional and structural characterization of P-glycoprotein isoforms, focusing on a common synonymous haplotype linked to altered drug transport and multidrug resistance in cancer.
Advisor: Donald Court, PhD
May 2008 – August 2008

Publications >

  1. Pan J, Tyrtova E, Wiseman DB, Park C, Hofstetter CP. Patient Perceptions on Operative Reports Written by Surgeons versus Versions Simplified by Artificial Intelligence. World Neurosurg. 2025;204:124519. doi:10.1016/j. wneu.2025.124519
  2. Greil ME, Pan J, Barber JK, et al. Extracranial Complications in Monitored and Nonmonitored Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury in the BEST TRIP Trial and a Companion Observational Cohort. World Neurosurg. 2024;190:e424-e434. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2024.07.151
  3. Pan J, Feroze AH, McGrath M, et al. Incidence and Risk Model of Post-Traumatic Hydrocephalus in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury. World Neurosurg. 2024;185:e491-e499. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2024.02.060
  4. Pan J, Boop SH, Barber JK, et al. Perioperative complications and secondary retethering after pediatric tethered cord release surgery. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2023;32(5):607-616. doi:10.3171/2023.6.PEDS23259
  5. Pan J, Yap N, Prasse T, Hofstetter CP. Validation of smartphone app-based digital patient reported outcomes in full-endoscopic spine surgery. Eur Spine J. 2023;32(8):2903-2909. doi:10.1007/s00586-023-07819-w
  6. Prasse T, Yap N, Sivakanthan S, et al. Remote patient monitoring following full endoscopic spine surgery: feasibility and patient satisfaction. J Neurosurg Spine. 2023;39(1):122-131. doi:10.3171/2023.2.SPINE23136
  7. Pan J, Bonow RH, Temkin N, et al. Incidence and Risk Model of Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. World Neurosurg. 2023;172:e418-e427. doi:10.1016/j. wneu.2023.01.045
  8. Pan J, Bonow RH. Intracranial Pressure Monitors in Patients With Penetrating Brain Injury. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(3):e236754. doi:10.1001/ jamanetworkopen.2023.6754
  9. Pan J, Levitt MR, Ferreira MJ, Sekhar LN. Symptomatic cerebral vasospasm following resection of skull base tumors: Case report and literature review. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2021;202:106482. doi:10.1016/j. clineuro.2021.106482
  10. Sivakanthan S, Williams JR, Feroze AH, et al. Endoscopic Spine Surgery in Athletes: Case Series and Review of Literature. World Neurosurg. 2021;145:702-707. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2020.08.211
  11. Sivakanthan S, Pan J, Kim L, Ellenbogen R, Saigal R. Economic Impact of COVID-19 on a High-Volume Academic Neurosurgical Practice. World Neurosurg. 2020;143:e561-e566. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2020.08.028
  12. Pan J, Barros G, Greil ME, Meyer RM, Ene CI, Chesnut RM. Pseudoaneurysm of the Superficial Temporal Artery After Intracranial Pressure Monitoring Device Placement: Case Report of a Rare Complication. Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2020;19(3):288-291. doi:10.1093/ons/opaa151
  13. Pan J, Ho AL, Pendharkar AV, et al. Brain abscess caused by Trueperella bernardiae in a child. Surg Neurol Int. 2019;10:35. doi:10.4103/sni. sni_376_17
  14. Azad TD, Pendharkar AV, Pan J, et al. Surgical outcomes of pediatric spinal cord astrocytomas: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2018;22(4):404-410. doi:10.3171/2018.4.PEDS17587
  15. Pan J, Quon JL, Johnson E, et al. Rapid-sequence brain magnetic resonance imaging for Chiari I abnormality. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2018;22(2):158-164. doi:10.3171/2018.2.PEDS17523
  16. Azad TD, Pendharkar AV, Nguyen V, et al. Diagnostic Utility of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring for Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin Spine Surg. 2018;31(3):112-119. doi:10.1097/BSD.0000000000000558
  17. Pan J, Jabarkheel R, Huang Y, Ho A, Chang SD. Stereotactic radiosurgery for central nervous system hemangioblastoma: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurooncol. 2018;137(1):11-22. doi:10.1007/s11060- 017-2697-0
  18. Hadley D, Pan J, El-Sayed O, et al. Precision annotation of digital samples in NCBI’s gene expression omnibus. Sci Data. 2017;4:170125. doi:10.1038/sdata.2017.125
  19. Pan J, Ho AL, D’Astous M, et al. Image-guided stereotactic radiosurgery for treatment of spinal hemangioblastoma. Neurosurg Focus. 2017;42(1):E12. doi:10.3171/2016.10.FOCUS16361
  20. Pan J, Connolly ID, Dangelmajer S, Kintzing J, Ho AL, Grant G. Sports-related brain injuries: connecting pathology to diagnosis. Neurosurg Focus. 2016;40(4):E14. doi:10.3171/2016.1.FOCUS15607
  21. Azad TD, Pan J, Connolly ID, Remington A, Wilson CM, Grant GA. Therapeutic strategies to improve drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. Neurosurg Focus. 2015;38(3):E9. doi:10.3171/2014.12.FOCUS14758
  22. Haeusser DP, Hoashi M, Weaver A, et al. The Kil peptide of bacteriophage lambda blocks Escherichia coli cytokinesis via ZipA-dependent inhibition of FtsZ assembly. PLoS Genet. 2014;10(3):e1004217. doi:10.1371/ journal.pgen.1004217
  23. Fung KL, Pan J, Ohnuma S, et al. MDR1 synonymous polymorphisms alter transporter specificity and protein stability in a stable epithelial monolayer. Cancer Res. 2014;74(2):598-608. doi:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN13-2064
  24. Cullinane AR, Curry JA, Golas G, et al. A BLOC-1 mutation screen reveals a novel BLOC1S3 mutation in Hermansky- Pudlak Syndrome type 8. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2012;25(5):584-591. doi:10.1111/j.1755- 148X.2012.01029.x
  25. Savinov A, Pan J, Ghosh P, Hatfull GF. The Bxb1 gp47 recombination directionality factor is required not only for prophage excision, but also for phage DNA replication. Gene. 2012;495(1):42-48. doi:10.1016/j. gene.2011.12.003

Book Chapters >

  1. Pan J, Huang Y, Grant GA (2019) Intravenous and intravascular drug delivery. Nervous System Drug Delivery. Elsevier.
  2. Pan J, Ho AL, Pendharkar A, Sussman E, Burns T (2017) Open Micro- JAMES PAN, MD 5/7 vascular Decompression. Effective Techniques for Managing Trigeminal Neuralgia. IGI Global.
  3. Pan J, Pendharkar AV, Park J. Spinal Biomechanics. Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Treatments. Nova Science Publishers.
  4. Pan J, Sussman E, Tayag A, Thompson P, Chang SD. Central Nervous System Hemangioblastomas: Part I—Incidence. Contemporary Neurosurgery 2015;37(25):1–5.
  5. Ho A, Pan J, Chow KK-H, Thompson P, Tayag A, Chang SD. Central Nervous System Hemangioblastomas: Part II—Diagnosis. Contemporary Neurosurgery 2015;37(26):1–7.
  6. Pan J, Pendharkar A, Tayag A, Thompson P, Chang SD. Central Nervous System Hemangioblastomas: Part III—Surgical Resection. Contemporary Neurosurgery 2016;38(1):1–5.
  7. Ho A, Pan J, Iyer A, Tayag A, Thompson P, Chang SD. Central Nervous System Hemangioblastomas: Part IV—Radiosurgical Treatment. Contemporary Neurosurgery 2016;38(2):1–5.