Professor of Neurological Surgery
University of CA, Irvine
Mark E. Linskey, MD, Professor of Neurological Surgery, UCI, was the first member of his family on either side to attend graduate school and their first physician. An Eagle Scout, he graduated valedictorian Somerville HS NJ before entering Dartmouth College on a National merit Scholarship. He majored in Philosophy graduating junior PBK, summa cum laude, with highest honors in moral philosophy. Upon graduation he entered Columbia University, College of P&S on a USN Health Professions Scholarship. He graduated junior year AOA, second in his class, earning the Admiral David Willard Lyons Award for academic excellence.
General Surgery internship and Neurosurgery Residency were at the University of Pittsburgh under Peter Jannetta where he developed a life-long interest in trigeminal neuralgia. During his residency he was inspired to pursue all aspects of brain tumor practice, including SB microsurgery and SRS. He won the Preuss Award for Brain Tumor Research and the AANS van Wagenenen Fellowship in 1993. He completed two post-doctoral research fellowships in neuro-oncology, with Mark Gilbert at the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, and Mark Noble at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in London under a combined NCI/EORTC fellowship award.
He served active duty in the US Navy, directing the Neurosurgery Clinic at NMCO, and as chief of neurosurgery at NMCSD 1996-8. Among many military decorations, he received the Navy Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass.
Recruited to UAMS in 1998, he served as Co-Director of their GKSRS Program and Co-Director of the Neuro-Oncology Program at ACRC. He was recruited as Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UCI in 2004 and within five years rebuilt the department to full clinical and academic mission including re-establishing its neurosurgery residency training program. He established the UCI Neuro-Oncology Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program at their NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. He established the first stereotactic radiosurgery program at UCI as well as the UCI Neurosurgery Cranial Nerve clinic.
Nationally he has been honored with the Distinguished Service Award, by the CNS and the Leibrock Lifetime Achievement Award, by the CSNS. Locally has been honored with the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award by the SOM Arnold P Gold Humanism Gold Foundation chapter at UCI, the OC Chapter of the Trauma Intervention Program, Maryann Cinat Heroes with a Heart Award.
Clinical interests include SB microsurgery, adult and pediatric malignant and benign brain tumors, GKSRS, and MVD for cranial nerve disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm and glossopharyngeal neuralgia. In the last 31 years, he has built and led 10 multidisciplinary clinical neuroscience programs focusing on Neuro-Oncology, Skull Base Surgery, SRS and Cranial Nerve disorders at four different medical centers and two universities.
Academically, his priority is resident teaching and education. Research interests include brain tumor biology, developmental glial biology, brain tumor radiobiology, brain tumor clinical trials, and clinical outcomes studies in all areas of his clinical expertise. He has published more than 133 peer-reviewed articles, 40 book chapters, and 1 book.
Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose
Quality, Confidentiality and Liability: Peer Review
Saturday, May 2, 2026
4:26 PM - 4:38 PM CT