Edward Chang

Edward Chang serves as Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he is a Professor specializing in surgical therapies for epilepsy, brain tumors, and trigeminal neuralgia. His expertise centers on advanced neurophysiologic brain mapping to preserve speech and motor function during neurosurgical procedures, significantly impacting clinical outcomes for patients with complex neurological conditions.

His educational foundation includes:

• BA in Amherst College (1997)
• MD from UCSF (2004)
• Neurosurgery Residency at UCSF (2004-2010)
• Fellowship in Cognitive Neurophysiology at UC Berkeley's Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute (2008-2009)

Chang's research pioneers the intersection of neurosurgery and neural engineering, with primary focus on speech neuroprosthetics, brain tumor heterogeneity, and intracranial biomarker development. His team employs electrophysiological mapping, machine learning, and neurostimulation to decode neural activity for communication restoration in paralyzed patients and optimize surgical approaches for epilepsy and gliomas. This work bridges fundamental neuroscience with transformative clinical applications.

Analysis of his 2025 publications reveals dominant themes in speech decoding neuroprosthetics (including multilingual systems and avatar control), glioma molecular evolution, and closed-loop deep brain stimulation for depression/OCD. These studies leverage high-density intracranial recordings to identify personalized neural biomarkers, demonstrating a clear trajectory toward individualized neuromodulation therapies and real-time brain-computer interfaces.

His scientific recognition includes:

• Member of the National Academy of Medicine (2020)
• Blavatnik National Award Laureate in Life Sciences (2015)
• Bowes Biomedical Investigator (2018)
• NIH New Director's Innovation Award (2011-2016)
• New York Stem Cell Foundation Robertson Investigator (2015-2020)
• Klingenstein Fellowship Award (2011)
• Pathway to Independence Award (2009-2013)
• Alpha Omega Alpha (2003)
• UCSF Dean's Prize for Research (2004)
• Young Investigator Award from Grass Foundation-American Epilepsy Society (2011)

Chang directs substantial NIH-funded research programs including the BRAIN Initiative opportunities, with grants spanning neural decoding (DP2), stem cell applications, and depression biomarker development. While specific advisees aren't listed in source materials, he mentors surgical residents and fellows within UCSF's neurological surgery program. His clinical team at UCSF specializes in comprehensive brain tumor care and epilepsy surgery, integrating cutting-edge research with patient treatment protocols.

The Chang Lab operates at the forefront of translational neuroscience, maintaining active projects in speech neuroprosthetics (including the high-performance system published in Nature 2024), closed-loop DBS for psychiatric disorders, and molecular profiling of glioma progression. Current initiatives focus on scaling brain-computer interfaces for clinical deployment and developing personalized stimulation targets using stereoencephalography data.