48. Charting the Brain, in Great Detail | Dr. Garni Barkhoudarian & Josh Emerson

Think Neuro

When he’s not being a world-class neurosurgeon caring for patients with brain or pituitary tumors, Dr. Garni Barkhoudarian trains younger surgeons on the science and art of neurosurgery. As director of the Neuroanatomical Skills / Microdissection Anatomy Lab, he advances the procedures and technology used for minimally invasive surgery. Neurosurgeons can enter PNI’s fellowship program, and research fellows from around the world can learn these advanced techniques taking them into their practices and back to their home countries. In college, Josh Emerson wanted to study the neuroanatomy of whales and dolphins, but when he realized he’d have to spend time on boats he switched to human neuroanatomy instead. A talented artist, he often doodled the things he studied. One day, he drew a human spinal cord, complete with a herniated disk. A visiting surgeon looked over his shoulder, took out a $100 bill, handed it to him and told him to see a colleague about doing more medical illustrations. Emerson has never looked back. A medical illustrator for over two decades he is the Microdissection Lab Manager at PNI, where he works closely with Dr. Barkhoudarian. Josh has moved on from pen and ink to computer-aided animation. Listen to this podcast to learn how this pair works together to map some of the smallest, most important structures in the human body.