Ganesh Rao
About Ganesh Rao
Ganesh Rao is a physician and the Physician Lead of the Neuroscience Service Line at CommonSpirit Health, with extensive experience in neurosurgery and academia. He has held significant roles including Residency Program Director at Baylor College of Medicine and President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Work at CommonSpirit Health
Ganesh Rao serves as the Physician Lead for the Neuroscience Service Line at CommonSpirit Health. He has held this position since 2020, contributing to the Texas Division. In this role, he oversees clinical operations and initiatives aimed at enhancing patient care in neuroscience.
Education and Expertise
Ganesh Rao completed his Bachelor of Science degrees in Microbiology and Immunology, as well as Chemistry, at the University of Arizona from 1990 to 1994. He earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson between 1994 and 1998. His educational background supports his expertise in neurosurgery and oncology.
Background
Ganesh Rao has extensive experience in neurosurgery, having worked at MD Anderson Cancer Center as a neurosurgeon from 2005 to 2020. He also served as a Professor at the same institution during this period. Prior to that, he completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics from 1998 to 2005.
Achievements
Ganesh Rao was the Residency Program Director for Baylor College of Medicine’s neurosurgery residency, recognized as one of the largest and most diverse training programs in the United States. He also served as President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons from 2018 to 2019 and was a member of the Executive Committee from 2007 to 2020.
Research Focus
Ganesh Rao leads an NIH-funded basic science laboratory that focuses on understanding the malignant progression of low-grade to high-grade gliomas. His clinical interests include the management of various types of gliomas, such as low-grade astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas, as well as aggressive glioblastomas.