Dr. Bydon has pioneered advancements in neurosurgical care, specializing in minimally invasive and robotic approaches to complex spinal conditions, according to a Feb. 10 press release sent to Becker’s.
Dr. Bydon will begin his new role July 1. He joins UChicago from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic.
He began the minimally invasive spine program at Mayo in 2015 and established one of the nation’s first robotic spine programs in any academic department in 2018, according to the release.
He is also at the forefront of AI in healthcare, and has led first-in-human clinical trials for the regenerative treatment of spinal cord injury.
Dr. Bydon also holds 12 medical device-related patents and serves as executive medical director of academic affairs for Mayo Clinic International, associate medical director of development, vice chair for diversity and vice chair for innovation in Mayo’s department of neurologic surgery and assistant dean of education enrichment and innovation at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. He is an endowed, full professor of neurosurgery and has appointments as a full professor of orthopedic surgery and health services research.
UChicago Medicine launched the department of neurological surgery in January 2021.
Dr. Bydon will lead a program of clinical expansion, developing a new recruiting plan to increase the number of clinical faculty within the next five years and expand services across the health system in spinal neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, vascular neurosurgery, pediatric neurosurgery, stereotactic radiosurgery and international surgical care. UChicago is also eyeing an expansion in residency and fellowship programs as department faculty and volume grow.
He will work closely with the chairs of neurobiology, neurology, orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation medicine, psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience.
Dr. Bydon succeeds Bakthiar Yamini, MD, who has been serving as interim chair since 2021.
