Pablo Valdes, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery | Brain Tumor Specialist | Director, Neurosurgical Oncology & Brain Tumor Program | Endowed Chair, Jennie Sealy Distinguished Chair in Neuroscience
Dr. Pablo Valdes is a nationally recognized neurosurgeon and physician-scientist dedicated to delivering exceptional care for patients with brain tumors. Known for combining compassion with cutting-edge science, Dr. Valdes focuses on achieving the best possible outcomes while preserving what matters most to his patients—movement, speech, thinking, and quality of life.
CLINICAL EXPERTISE IN COMPLEX BRAIN TUMORS
Dr. Valdes provides comprehensive surgical care for patients with:
- Primary brain tumors, such as glioblastoma, low-grade glioma, oligodendrogliomas
- Metastatic brain tumors
- Extra-axial intracranial tumors, such as meningiomas
- Skull base tumors, such as vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas), pituitary adenomas
At the heart of Dr. Valdes’s work is a deep commitment to his patients. He specializes in the surgical treatment of complex brain and skull base tumors. He has particular expertise in treating tumors located in the most delicate and functionally critical areas of the brain—regions responsible for movement, language, and cognition. By using advanced surgical strategies and personalized planning, Dr. Valdes aims not only to remove tumor as safely possible, but also to help patients return to meaningful, independent lives after surgery.
ADVANCED SURGICAL TECHNIQUES & OUTCOMES
Dr. Valdes is recognized for his work in:
- Advanced brain tumor asleep mapping for movement preservation
- Fluorescence and molecular guided surgery
- Awake and functional brain mapping for language, cognition, and movement preservation
- Precision image-guided neurosurgery
- Endoscopic and minimally invasive approaches
- Complex skull base approaches for difficult to reach tumors
These techniques allow for safer resections, improved surgical care, and optimized patient outcomes, particularly in complex and previously “inoperable” tumors.
ADVANCING CARE THROUGH RESEARCH & NOVEL TECHNOLOGIES
Dr. Valdes holds both an MD and a PhD in biomedical engineering, uniquely positioning him at the intersection of neurosurgery and advanced technology. He further pursued dedicated post-doctoral research fellowships creating new technologies for brain tumors at Dartmouth, Harvard Medical School, and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Dr. Valdes has won national awards for his work in brain tumor mapping and advanced imaging technologies and is frequently invited to speak at national and international conferences. His unique background as both a neurosurgeon and biomedical engineer allows him to bring powerful new tools directly into patient care.
He leads a neuroengineering and advanced brain imaging laboratory at UTMB, where he develops next-generation technologies that help surgeons better see, map, and treat brain tumors. His work has been published in leading scientific and medical journals, including Nature Communications, Science Translational Medicine, Cell, Neuro-Oncology, Journal of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery, Journal of Neuro-Oncology, Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, Journal of Biomedical Optics, and others, and his research has helped shape the future of brain tumor surgery.
He holds multiple patents and patent applications from Dartmouth, Harvard, and MIT, and his work has been cited more than 5,500 times worldwide.
INNOVATION THAT TRANSLATES TO REAL-WORLD PATIENT CARE
Dr. Valdes believes that innovation should never stay confined to the laboratory. His career has been dedicated to translating scientific discoveries into practical tools that improve real-world surgical decision-making. He holds multiple patents and intellectual property from Dartmouth, Harvard, and MIT, reflecting his commitment to moving ideas from concept to clinical impact.
By integrating advanced imaging, brain mapping, and precision-guided surgery into everyday practice, Dr. Valdes provides his patients access to the latest brain tumor treatments—often before they are widely available elsewhere.
TRAINING & LEADERSHIP
Dr. Valdes received his MD and PhD from Dartmouth Medical School and the Thayer School of Engineering. He completed neurosurgery residency training at Harvard Medical School, caring for patients at:
- Harvard Medical School (Brigham and Women’s Hospital) (now Mass General Brigham)
- Harvard Medical School (Boston Children’s Hospital) (now Mass General Brigham)
- Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center
He further pursued dedicated neurosurgical oncology clinical fellowship training with Dr. Hugues Duffau, the world’s leading expert in functional brain mapping, gaining rare expertise in safely treating tumors in regions critical to human cognition.
EDUCATING AND INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
Dr. Valdes is deeply committed to education and mentorship. He trains residents, fellows, students, and researchers to become not only excellent surgeons, but also thoughtful innovators and compassionate physicians.
A PERSONAL JOURNEY ROOTED IN COMPASSION
Born and raised in Latin America, Dr. Valdes moved to the United States at age 18 to pursue his dream of becoming a neurosurgeon and scientist. He is fluent in both English and Spanish and is deeply committed to caring for patients from all backgrounds with clarity, respect, and empathy.
Dr. Valdes believes that every patient deserves world-class care, delivered with humanity, innovation, and hope. He is honored to partner with patients and families during some of life’s most challenging moments—and to help guide them toward the best possible outcomes.