'Hopkins' series doctor to lecture at UF

A brain surgeon who was featured in the first episode of “Hopkins,” an ABC-News series that looked at the men and women who work at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, will talk about the role of human neural stem cells in brain cancer at 10 a.m. Wednesday (Sept. 3) at the University of Florida’s Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute.

The lecture, sponsored by the McKnight Brain Institute Cancer Stem Cell Group and the department of neurosurgery at the College of Medicine, will provide technical insight into the research of scientist-physician Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, M.D., who directs the brain tumor surgery program at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and operates a lab that researches the role of stem cells in brain tumors.

The talk in the Brain Institute’s DeWeese Auditorium is geared for researchers, doctors and students, but the public is welcome to attend.

ABC News recently detailed Quinones-Hinojosa’s journey to the United States to pick fruit 21 years ago to eventually become an elite brain surgeon. His journey unfolds as viewers watched him try to save a man’s life in the first episode of “Hopkins.”

“He’s remarkable,” said Dennis Steindler, Ph.D., executive director of the McKnight Brain Institute. “He’s a brilliant surgeon and cancer stem-cell researcher with an incredible life story. Coming from Mexico to work his way to be a gifted professor, researcher and neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins — it’s really the American Dream.”

Quinones-Hinojosa returned in the seventh episode to perform a stunning brain surgery on a patient who remained wide awake during the operation. The series finished its run on Aug. 7, but it still can be viewed at http://hopkins.abcnews.com/. The event is also sponsored by The Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy.

For media inquiries call John Pastor at 352-273-5815 or e-mail jdpastor@ufl.edu.