Juan Luis Alcala ZermenoView profile
Assistant Professor
Juan Luis Alcala Zermeno, MD, serves as an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Columbia University Medical Center, specializing in drug-resistant epilepsy and surgical interventions. A native Spanish speaker, he practices at the Neurological Institute of New York and Columbus Circle locations, offering virtual visits for new patients with expertise in EEG interpretation and seizure disorder management. His educational journey includes: MD from Universidad de Guadalajara (2017) with Dean's Mention of Outstanding Academic Performance Internal Medicine Internship at Mayo Clinic (2019) Adult Neurology Residency at Mayo Clinic (2022) Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University (2023) Epilepsy Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University (2024) Dr. Alcala's research centers on epilepsy surgery outcomes for drug-resistant cases unsuitable for resection, with particular focus on racial and socioeconomic barriers limiting access to these life-changing procedures. He employs mixed-methods approaches combining quantitative surgical outcome analysis with qualitative exploration of systemic healthcare disparities, aiming to develop equitable pathways to epilepsy surgery. His publication record (2018-2025) reveals evolving expertise from HIV comorbidity research to cutting-edge epilepsy neuromodulation studies. Recent work examines responsive neurostimulation, invasive device utilization disparities, and surgical prediction tools, demonstrating both clinical neurophysiology depth and health services research innovation. Professional recognition includes: Young Investigator Award from the American Epilepsy Society (2023) While specific grant funding isn't detailed in available sources, his research trajectory indicates active investigation into healthcare access barriers and surgical outcome optimization. His clinical practice at Columbia's Neurological Institute positions him at the forefront of translating research into improved epilepsy care pathways.


