Faculty & Staff Directory
Juan Pedro Giraldo, MD
Dr. Juan P. Giraldo is currently a neurosurgery resident at Wake Forest University and serves as an Associate Researcher within the Department of Neurosurgery at Barrow Neurological Institute. He previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Sonntag Spine Center, where he became the first Virtual Reality Fellow under the mentorship of Juan S. Uribe, MD.
Dr. Giraldo earned his medical doctorate from CES University in Medellin, Colombia. During his early medical training, he joined Dr. Uribe’s team, dedicating himself to pioneering innovations in neurosurgical education. His work focuses on cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality, mixed reality modules, and artificial intelligence for surgical training and education.
He is a leading advocate for global technology distribution in neurosurgery, developing scalable solutions that bring high-fidelity educational tools to low-resource settings. Dr. Giraldo has been instrumental in pioneering hybrid neurosurgical education models, blending virtual and hands-on training methods to expand access to high-quality neurosurgical learning across diverse geographic and socioeconomic contexts.
He also completed a focused neurosurgical internship at Pablo Tobon Uribe Hospital in Colombia and engaged in clinical clerkships in neuroradiology and neurosurgery, strengthening his foundation in patient care and surgical sciences.
Dr. Giraldo’s research interests include the advancement of neurosurgical education, global clinical spine research, and the refinement of minimally invasive spine surgery techniques.
Contact Email: jgiraldo@BarrowNeuro.org
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Barrow Neurological Institute, Spine Virtual Reality Laboratory, Sonntag Spine Center, 2022-present
- Professor-Teacher, CES University, 2020-2022
- Specialized internship in neurosurgery, 2019-2020
- MD, CES University, 2014-2020
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Prone lateral transpsoas interbody fusion with robotic assistance
Date: 07/2025
Authors: Joseph M. Abbatematteo, Katriel E. Lee, Juan P. Giraldo, Laura A. Snyder
International Observerships in Global Neurosurgery: Overview and Analysis of a 40-Year Experience at Barrow Neurological Institute
Date: 04/2025
Authors: Habib Emil Rafka, Cyrus Elahi, Kerry A. Vaughan, Elsa Nico, Juan P. Giraldo, Chibueze I. Agwu, Gabriella N. Roofeh, Jonah E. Attebery, David A. Wilson, Ravneet Kaur, Gail Rosseau, Volker K. Sonntag, Robert F. Spetzler, Michael T. Lawton, Dilantha B. Ellegala
Prediction of Postoperative Segmental Lordosis at L5 to S1 After Single-Level Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Date: 04/2025
Authors: Gabriella P. Williams, Juan P. Giraldo, James J. Zhou, Anna G. Sawa, Jonathan J. Lee, Joseph M. Abbatematteo, Brian P. Kelly, Jay D. Turner, Laura A. Snyder, Juan S. Uribe
Obesity and Clinical, Radiographic, and Surgical Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Single-Level Transforaminal versus Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Date: 03/2025
Authors: Nafis B. Eghrari, Jonathan J. Lee, Juan P. Giraldo, Winward Choy, Gabriella P. Williams, Luke K. O'Neill, James J. Zhou, S Harrison Farber, Joseph M. Abbatematteo, Hovhannes M. Saribekyan, Jay D. Turner, Laura A. Snyder, Luis M. Tumialán, Juan S. Uribe
Preoperative Multifidus and Psoas Major Muscle Quality and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Anterolateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Predictors for Preoperative Disability and Back Pain Improvement
Date: 02/2025
Authors: Juan P. Giraldo, Anna G. Sawa, Gerardo Gomez-Castro, James J. Zhou, Nima Alan, S Harrison Farber, Lea M. Alhilali, Pablo Sanchez-Quinones, Luke K. O'Neill, Brian P. Kelly, Jay D. Turner, Juan S. Uribe
Juan Pedro Giraldo, MD
Dr. Juan P. Giraldo is currently a neurosurgery resident at Wake Forest University and serves as an Associate Researcher within the Department of Neurosurgery at Barrow Neurological Institute. He previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Sonntag Spine Center, where he became the first Virtual Reality Fellow under the mentorship of Juan S. Uribe, MD.
Dr. Giraldo earned his medical doctorate from CES University in Medellin, Colombia. During his early medical training, he joined Dr. Uribe’s team, dedicating himself to pioneering innovations in neurosurgical education. His work focuses on cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality, mixed reality modules, and artificial intelligence for surgical training and education.
He is a leading advocate for global technology distribution in neurosurgery, developing scalable solutions that bring high-fidelity educational tools to low-resource settings. Dr. Giraldo has been instrumental in pioneering hybrid neurosurgical education models, blending virtual and hands-on training methods to expand access to high-quality neurosurgical learning across diverse geographic and socioeconomic contexts.
He also completed a focused neurosurgical internship at Pablo Tobon Uribe Hospital in Colombia and engaged in clinical clerkships in neuroradiology and neurosurgery, strengthening his foundation in patient care and surgical sciences.
Dr. Giraldo’s research interests include the advancement of neurosurgical education, global clinical spine research, and the refinement of minimally invasive spine surgery techniques.
Contact Email: jgiraldo@BarrowNeuro.org
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Barrow Neurological Institute, Spine Virtual Reality Laboratory, Sonntag Spine Center, 2022-present
- Professor-Teacher, CES University, 2020-2022
- Specialized internship in neurosurgery, 2019-2020
- MD, CES University, 2014-2020
- Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Prone lateral transpsoas interbody fusion with robotic assistance
Date: 07/2025
Authors: Joseph M. Abbatematteo, Katriel E. Lee, Juan P. Giraldo, Laura A. Snyder
International Observerships in Global Neurosurgery: Overview and Analysis of a 40-Year Experience at Barrow Neurological Institute
Date: 04/2025
Authors: Habib Emil Rafka, Cyrus Elahi, Kerry A. Vaughan, Elsa Nico, Juan P. Giraldo, Chibueze I. Agwu, Gabriella N. Roofeh, Jonah E. Attebery, David A. Wilson, Ravneet Kaur, Gail Rosseau, Volker K. Sonntag, Robert F. Spetzler, Michael T. Lawton, Dilantha B. Ellegala
Prediction of Postoperative Segmental Lordosis at L5 to S1 After Single-Level Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Date: 04/2025
Authors: Gabriella P. Williams, Juan P. Giraldo, James J. Zhou, Anna G. Sawa, Jonathan J. Lee, Joseph M. Abbatematteo, Brian P. Kelly, Jay D. Turner, Laura A. Snyder, Juan S. Uribe
Obesity and Clinical, Radiographic, and Surgical Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Single-Level Transforaminal versus Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Date: 03/2025
Authors: Nafis B. Eghrari, Jonathan J. Lee, Juan P. Giraldo, Winward Choy, Gabriella P. Williams, Luke K. O'Neill, James J. Zhou, S Harrison Farber, Joseph M. Abbatematteo, Hovhannes M. Saribekyan, Jay D. Turner, Laura A. Snyder, Luis M. Tumialán, Juan S. Uribe
Preoperative Multifidus and Psoas Major Muscle Quality and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Anterolateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Predictors for Preoperative Disability and Back Pain Improvement
Date: 02/2025
Authors: Juan P. Giraldo, Anna G. Sawa, Gerardo Gomez-Castro, James J. Zhou, Nima Alan, S Harrison Farber, Lea M. Alhilali, Pablo Sanchez-Quinones, Luke K. O'Neill, Brian P. Kelly, Jay D. Turner, Juan S. Uribe