Cool Thalamus Kids
Jorge A. Gonzalez-Martínez MD, PhD
Principal Investigator & Neurosurgeon
Jorge A. Gonzalez-Martínez
Principal Investigator & Endowed Professor of Neurological Surgery
Dr. Jorge González-Martínez, MD, PhD, is a board-certified neurosurgeon subspecialized in epilepsy and functional neurosurgery. He is the director of the Cortical Systems Laboratory, and the director of the epilepsy/movement disorders surgery division at UPMC, and the current Stuart Niles Rowe Chair in Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh.
The University of Pittsburgh’s Epilepsy, Movement Disorders and Psychiatry Surgical Program,under the direction of Dr. González-Martínez encompasses the treatment of medically intractable epilepsy, movement disorders and psychiatry disorders. These pathological neurological conditions are similar in that successful neurosurgical treatment requires an expert understanding of the involved brain networks and their potential for modulation by functional neurosurgical procedures, as well as multidisciplinary teams that deliver surgical care to these special groups of patients.
Staff
Jiahao Jay-Jian Chen
Clinical Translational Lab Manager
Jiahao Jay Chen serves as the current laboratory manager under the direction of Dr. Gonzalez-Martinez. He is a Neurological Sciences and Chemistry dual-degree graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, and is in pursuit of expanding his knowledge in the fields of neurology and neurological surgery.
With his experiences in clinical settings and neurodiagnostics, Jay joined Cortical Systems in 2024 as the lab manager. Under JGM's mentorship, he has published numerous works with a focus in techniques of neurosurgery, and has even spear-headed research projects that brought changes to neurosurgical policy changes at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Mahmood Abdelkader is the current clinical coordinator for the Cortical Systems Lab. He is a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Neuroscience.
With his experiences in brain development and mental health research, Mahmood joined the lab in 2024. Mahmood is actively developing electrocorticography techniques that can be deployed intraoperatively during resection procedures; and the exploration of post-operational language and memory deficits to deliver better patient outcomes.
Mahmood Abdelkader
Clinical Lab Coordinator
Medical and Research Students
Arianna Che-Carino Damiani
PhD Student
Arianna Damiani is a PhD student of Neural Engineering under the joint mentorship Dr. Gonzalez-Martinez, Dr. Elvira Pirodini, and Dr. Marco Capogrosso. She previously obtained her Master's in Bioengineering in Italy at the Polytechnic University of Turin.
With her experiences and a previous thesis in the development of closed-loop non-invasive BCI to treat pain, she joined the lab in 2022 with the focus on investigating thalami-cortical electrical stimulation in efforts to modulate cortical excitability in the treatment of neurological disorders such as epilepsy and stroke.
Sirisha Nouduri is a current MS3 student at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine and is currently on the PSTP track. She is a Psychology and Mathematics dual-degree graduate from the University of Massachusetts with a focus concentration in Neuroscience and Statistics.
With her previous experiences in neurobiology, neuroimaging, and stroke-related research, she joined the lab in 2023 with the focus of refining subthalamic nuclei-specific DBS and RNS stimulation and to effectively better understand the underlying mechanisms of these therapies.
Sirisha Nouduri
MD Student (MS3/PSTP)
Adway Gopakumar
MD Student (MS2)
Adway Gopakumar is a current MS2 student at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine. He is a graduate from Emory University with a degree iN Neuroscience, and has an avid interest in neurological surgery.
With his previous experiences in the clinical-settings of neurological disorders, Adway joined the lab in 2025 and is currently investigating the efficacy of extending existing orthogonal SEEG trajectories in the medial direction in efforts to maximize both thalamic and cortical sampling while minimizing the total number of needed-trajectories.
Collaborators
Mahmood Abdelkader
Clinical Lab Coordinator
Mahmood Abdelkader serves as the current lab coordinator for Cortical Systems. He is a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh, with a degree in Neuroscience.