Christian Ricks, MD

Biography

Christian Ricks obtained a Master of Science in Biotechnology before graduating from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Texas, in 2011. He spent an additional year of research at MD Anderson Cancer Center with Dr Daniel Cahill, studying brain tumor chemotherapy resistance genes. In 2012, he started residency at the University of Pittsburgh, where he completed additional fellowship training in minimally invasive and deformity spine surgery with Drs. Adam Kanter and David Okonkwo. He also completed a CAST and UCNS accredited neurocritical care fellowship under Dr Lori Shutter. His interests are brain and spine trauma, spinal deformity, and general neurosurgery. He started with the Department of Neurosurgery in July of 2019. He and his wife Lauren and their children Dean, Gwen, Alfred, and George are enjoying the beautiful outdoors opportunities New Mexico provides.

Areas of Specialty

•Neurotrauma
•Spinal Deformity and Complex Spine
•Neurocritical Care

Certifications

•American Board of Neurological Surgeons
•American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Neurocritical Care
•Walter L. Copeland Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation Funding for Cranial Research. “A Safety and Feasibility Study of Minocycline Therapy for Management of Adverse Radiation Effects after Brain Metastases Radiosurgery”. (2014)
Society of Neurological Surgeons Research Award. “PTEN status as a predictor of NK cytotoxicity and decitabine response mediated through NKG2D ligand expression”. (2015)
•Heritage Full Academic Scholarship (2000-2007)
•Office of Research and Creative Activities research grant (2005, 2006)
•Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society (2006)
Cum Laude (2006)

Key Publications

Book Chapter
Ricks, Christian, Jankowitz, B, Gardner, PA, 2017

Languages

• English