Michael Haglund

Michael Haglund is the Duke Surgery Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery in the School of Medicine at Duke University, holding additional appointments as Professor of Neurobiology, Research Professor of Global Health, and Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery. His clinical expertise centers on epilepsy surgery and functional mapping for brain tumor resection, leveraging advanced intraoperative techniques to optimize outcomes.

Dr. Haglund's research program investigates cortical organization of higher cognitive functions—including language, memory, and face processing—through electrical stimulation mapping during awake craniotomies and optical imaging. He pioneers studies on seizure propagation mechanisms using in vivo primate models and in vitro slice preparations, while co-inventing optical imaging techniques for brain tumor grading (covered by two U.S. patents). His global health work addresses health policy, care access, and neurosurgical capacity building across Uganda, Rwanda, and the United States, with emphasis on pediatric neurosurgery and trauma.

His 2025 publications demonstrate a cohesive focus on advancing neurosurgical care in resource-limited settings through competency-based training frameworks, epilepsy epidemiology, pediatric trauma management, and ethical resource allocation. These works collectively drive evidence-based system improvements across East Africa.

As founder of the Duke Global Neurosurgery and Neurology (DGNN) program in 2007, he spearheads transformative initiatives including:

• Uganda Epilepsy Center of Excellence
• Duke East Africa Neurosurgery Program
• Mulago National Referral Hospital partnership
• Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital twinning program

DGNN has executed 89+ surgical camps, performed 89+ surgical cases, and supports 89 Ugandan neurosurgical residents toward the 2030 goal of training 50 neurosurgeons nationwide.

The DGNN team operates under core values of evidence-based innovation, diversity, empowerment, integrity, and passionate collaboration to build sustainable neurosurgical infrastructure across East Africa.