Dr. Joseph Maroon

Joseph C. Maroon, M.D., Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience, Clincal Professor of Neurological Surgery, Vice Chairman, Community Network Director, Tri-State Neurosurgical AssociatesTeam Neurosurgeon, Pittsburgh Steelers. Joseph C. Maroon, M.D., is a board-certified clinical professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, vice chairman of the department and the Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience. He obtained his medical and neurosurgical training at Indiana University, Georgetown University, Oxford University in England and the University of Vermont.

His clinical and research interests have been in the areas of the development of minimally invasive surgical procedures to the brain and spine, the prevention and treatment of traumatic injuries to the central nervous system, innovative approaches to pituitary and other brain tumors and more recently complimentary approaches to inflammatory diseases associated with aging. Working with neuropsychologist, Mark Lovell, PhD, he co-developed ImPACT© (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing). This is the first computerized system to determine concussion severity and the timing for return to contact sports. It is now the standard of care for concussion management in the NFL, NHL, major league baseball, NASCAR and is used in over 2500 colleges and high schools in the United States.

For over 20 years he has served as the neurosurgical consultant to professional and college athletes in football, baseball, golf, hockey and soccer and has been the team neurosurgeon to the Pittsburgh Steelers for 20 years. He has been honored by the neurosurgical societies of Japan, Korea, Thailand, Egypt, Brazil, Lebanon and China for his neurosurgical contributions. He was honored by his peers when he was elected president of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the largest society of neurosurgeons in North America.

Other outside activities include a member of the board of directors of Mylan Laboratories, the third largest generic drug manufacturer in the world and chairman of the scientific advisory board to the General Nutrition Corporation. He is also the medical director of Xenomis, a company partnered with Harvard University to develop natural products to enhance endurance and memory. In 2008 he was names senior vice president of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). Honored as one of America’s best neurosurgeons for 12 consecutive years, he has published four books, has written over 250 papers and 40 book chapters. His two most recent books include, Fish Oil: The Natural Anti-Inflammatory, published in 2006.

His new book entitled, The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for Longer and Healthier Life was released by Simon and Schuster in January of 2009. In his early years, his athletic abilities earned him a football scholarship to the University of Indiana in Bloomington. There he was selected as Scholastic All-American in football. Despite his busy professional schedule, Dr. Maroon remains an avid athlete and has competed in over 60 triathlon events. These include six Ironman distant triathlons (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 run) in Hawaii (1993, 2003 and 2008), Canada (1995), New Zealand (1997) and Europe (2000). He placed sixth in the Senior U.S. Olympics Triathlon in 2005. In 1999 he, along with Joe Montana and Kareem Abdul Jabaar, was inducted into the Lou Holtz Ohio Valley Hall of Fame for his athletic accomplishments and contributions to sports medicine. On May 2, 2009 he was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.