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Brian Kelly, PhD
Neurobiology and Neurosurgery
Dr. Kelly’s expertise is in the area of musculoskeletal biomechanics with focus on the mechanical behaviors of the human spinal column. His laboratory works closely with clinical neurosurgeons in the Division of Neurosurgery as well as neurosurgical residents, fellows, and research staff to better understand how disease, trauma, and surgical interventions affect the normal forces, movements, and stability of the human spine.
Dr. Kelly’s interests include the development and application of custom robotic testing systems that significantly improve the simulation of complex motion and loading patterns experienced by spinal joints during activities of daily living.
Dr. Kelly received his BS in mechanical engineering in 1987 and his MS in mechanical engineering in 1992 from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. After working as a research engineer, he returned to his graduate studies and completed his PhD in biomedical engineering from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2005.
- PhD, University of Tennessee, Biomedical Engineering, 2005
- MS with thesis, McMaster University, Mechanical Engineering, 1992
- BS, McMaster University, Mechanical Engineering, 1987
- International Society for Advancement of Spine Surgery
- North American Spine Society
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Bioengineering Division
- Southern Biomedical Engineering Society
- Ad hoc reviewer, Spine, European Spine Journal, Journal of Biomechanics, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering (ASME)
- 2018: Resident (Jake Godzik) and Fellow (Bernardo de Andrada) Young Investigator Awards, SOLAS Annual Meeting (Co-author and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2017: Best Basic Science Paper Award (Anna Newcomb), ISASS Annual Meeting (senior author and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2017: ASU Senior Capstone “Engineering Analysis” Award; Team: Gonzao Ahuactizin, Emma Alina, Jordan Krause, Robel Okbe (Mentor and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2016: 3rd Place Student Presentation Award; Team: Maeneka Grewel, Alexander Bhatt, Arizona Science and Engineering Fair, Phoenix (Mentor and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2012: Patent Recognition Award, University of Tennessee Research Foundation Innovations
- 2008: Memphis Business Journal Health Care Hero Award in the Health Care Innovations
- 1987-1988: Research Scholarship Award, McMaster University
Flow Diversion for Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms in Pediatric Patients: Multicenter Case Series.
Date: 07/2020
Authors: Jacob Cherian, Visish Srinivasan, Michael T Froehler, Jonathan A Grossberg, C Michael Cawley, Ricardo A Hanel, Ajit Puri, Travis Dumont, Andrew F. Ducruet, Felipe C. Albuquerque, Adam Arthur, Ahmed Cheema, Alejandro Spiotta, Mohammad Anadani, Demetrius Lopes, Ahmed Saied, Louis Kim, Cory M Kelly, Peng Roc Chen, J Mocco, Reade De Leacy, Ciarán J Powers, Ramesh Grandhi, Kyle M Fargen, Stephen R Chen, Jeremiah N Johnson, Sandi Lam, Peter Kan
Range of Motion Testing of a Novel 3D-Printed Synthetic Spine Model.
Date: 06/2020
Authors: Michael A Bohl, Sarah McBryan, Anna G U S Newcomb, Jennifer N Lehrman, Brian P. Kelly, Peter Nakaji, Steve W Chang, Juan S. Uribe, Jay D Turner, U Kumar Kakarla
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation with a multiple independent constant current-controlled device in Parkinson's disease (INTREPID): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled study.
Date: 06/2020
Authors: Jerrold L Vitek, Roshini Jain, Lilly Chen, Alexander I Tröster, Lauren E Schrock, Paul A House, Monique L Giroux, Adam O Hebb, Sierra M Farris, Donald M Whiting, Timothy A Leichliter, Jill L Ostrem, Marta San Luciano, Nicholas Galifianakis, Leo Verhagen Metman, Sepehr Sani, Jessica A Karl, Mustafa S Siddiqui, Stephen B Tatter, Ihtsham Ul Haq, Andre G Machado, Michal Gostkowski, Michele Tagliati, Adam N Mamelak, Michael S Okun, Kelly D Foote, Guillermo Moguel-Cobos, Francisco A Ponce, Rajesh Pahwa, Jules M Nazzaro, Cathrin M Buetefisch, Robert E Gross, Corneliu C Luca, Jonathan R Jagid, Gonzalo J Revuelta, Istvan Takacs, Michael H Pourfar, Alon Y Mogilner, Andrew P Duker, George T Mandybur, Joshua M Rosenow, Scott E Cooper, Michael C Park, Suketu M Khandhar, Mark Sedrak, Fenna T Phibbs, Julie G Pilitsis, Ryan J Uitti, Philip A Starr
National trends in hospital readmission following transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary lesions.
Date: 04/2020
Authors: Kelly A Shaftel, Tyler S Cole, Andrew S Little
Dimensional Characterization of the Human Cervical Interlaminar Space as a Guide for Safe Application of Minimally Invasive Dilators.
Date: 03/2020
Authors: Luis M Tumialán, Jennifer N Lehrman, Celene B Mulholland, Bernardo de Andrada Pereira, Anna G U S Newcomb, Brian P Kelly
- English


Brian Kelly, PhD
Neurobiology and Neurosurgery
Dr. Kelly’s expertise is in the area of musculoskeletal biomechanics with focus on the mechanical behaviors of the human spinal column. His laboratory works closely with clinical neurosurgeons in the Division of Neurosurgery as well as neurosurgical residents, fellows, and research staff to better understand how disease, trauma, and surgical interventions affect the normal forces, movements, and stability of the human spine.
Dr. Kelly’s interests include the development and application of custom robotic testing systems that significantly improve the simulation of complex motion and loading patterns experienced by spinal joints during activities of daily living.
Dr. Kelly received his BS in mechanical engineering in 1987 and his MS in mechanical engineering in 1992 from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. After working as a research engineer, he returned to his graduate studies and completed his PhD in biomedical engineering from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2005.

- PhD, University of Tennessee, Biomedical Engineering, 2005
- MS with thesis, McMaster University, Mechanical Engineering, 1992
- BS, McMaster University, Mechanical Engineering, 1987
- International Society for Advancement of Spine Surgery
- North American Spine Society
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Bioengineering Division
- Southern Biomedical Engineering Society
- Ad hoc reviewer, Spine, European Spine Journal, Journal of Biomechanics, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering (ASME)
- 2018: Resident (Jake Godzik) and Fellow (Bernardo de Andrada) Young Investigator Awards, SOLAS Annual Meeting (Co-author and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2017: Best Basic Science Paper Award (Anna Newcomb), ISASS Annual Meeting (senior author and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2017: ASU Senior Capstone “Engineering Analysis” Award; Team: Gonzao Ahuactizin, Emma Alina, Jordan Krause, Robel Okbe (Mentor and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2016: 3rd Place Student Presentation Award; Team: Maeneka Grewel, Alexander Bhatt, Arizona Science and Engineering Fair, Phoenix (Mentor and laboratory principal investigator)
- 2012: Patent Recognition Award, University of Tennessee Research Foundation Innovations
- 2008: Memphis Business Journal Health Care Hero Award in the Health Care Innovations
- 1987-1988: Research Scholarship Award, McMaster University
Flow Diversion for Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms in Pediatric Patients: Multicenter Case Series.
Date: 07/2020
Authors: Jacob Cherian, Visish Srinivasan, Michael T Froehler, Jonathan A Grossberg, C Michael Cawley, Ricardo A Hanel, Ajit Puri, Travis Dumont, Andrew F. Ducruet, Felipe C. Albuquerque, Adam Arthur, Ahmed Cheema, Alejandro Spiotta, Mohammad Anadani, Demetrius Lopes, Ahmed Saied, Louis Kim, Cory M Kelly, Peng Roc Chen, J Mocco, Reade De Leacy, Ciarán J Powers, Ramesh Grandhi, Kyle M Fargen, Stephen R Chen, Jeremiah N Johnson, Sandi Lam, Peter Kan
Range of Motion Testing of a Novel 3D-Printed Synthetic Spine Model.
Date: 06/2020
Authors: Michael A Bohl, Sarah McBryan, Anna G U S Newcomb, Jennifer N Lehrman, Brian P. Kelly, Peter Nakaji, Steve W Chang, Juan S. Uribe, Jay D Turner, U Kumar Kakarla
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation with a multiple independent constant current-controlled device in Parkinson's disease (INTREPID): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, sham-controlled study.
Date: 06/2020
Authors: Jerrold L Vitek, Roshini Jain, Lilly Chen, Alexander I Tröster, Lauren E Schrock, Paul A House, Monique L Giroux, Adam O Hebb, Sierra M Farris, Donald M Whiting, Timothy A Leichliter, Jill L Ostrem, Marta San Luciano, Nicholas Galifianakis, Leo Verhagen Metman, Sepehr Sani, Jessica A Karl, Mustafa S Siddiqui, Stephen B Tatter, Ihtsham Ul Haq, Andre G Machado, Michal Gostkowski, Michele Tagliati, Adam N Mamelak, Michael S Okun, Kelly D Foote, Guillermo Moguel-Cobos, Francisco A Ponce, Rajesh Pahwa, Jules M Nazzaro, Cathrin M Buetefisch, Robert E Gross, Corneliu C Luca, Jonathan R Jagid, Gonzalo J Revuelta, Istvan Takacs, Michael H Pourfar, Alon Y Mogilner, Andrew P Duker, George T Mandybur, Joshua M Rosenow, Scott E Cooper, Michael C Park, Suketu M Khandhar, Mark Sedrak, Fenna T Phibbs, Julie G Pilitsis, Ryan J Uitti, Philip A Starr
National trends in hospital readmission following transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary lesions.
Date: 04/2020
Authors: Kelly A Shaftel, Tyler S Cole, Andrew S Little
Dimensional Characterization of the Human Cervical Interlaminar Space as a Guide for Safe Application of Minimally Invasive Dilators.
Date: 03/2020
Authors: Luis M Tumialán, Jennifer N Lehrman, Celene B Mulholland, Bernardo de Andrada Pereira, Anna G U S Newcomb, Brian P Kelly
- English