Rory Murphy

Congratulations to Benjamin Rodriguez, MD, a PGY-2 #neurosurgeryresident at #BarrowNeurologicalInstitute, on receiving a 2026 Research Grant from @CSRS_org. As one of only four recipients of this year’s Resident/Fellow Research Grants, Dr. Rodriguez will receive $20,000 in funding for his project, “Targeted Cervical Epidural #Neuromodulation for Upper Limb Recovery: Computational Target Identification, Cervical Lead Design, and Prototype Feasibility Assessment.” The project, for which Barrow neurosurgeon @RoryMurphy16, MD, serves as mentor and sponsoring CSRS member, will study the use of electrical stimulation for patients with cervical #spinalcordinjury in the intensive care setting. Specifically, the study will evaluate whether this technology can help regulate blood pressure for these patients and, in the long term, help them with their motor recovery. View the list of grant recipients at bar.rw/csrs2026. #SpinalCordInjuryAwarenessMonth

Congratulations to the following physicians at #BarrowNeurologicalInstitute, who are among @phoenixmagazine's 2026 Top Docs! Kerry Knievel, DO - #Neurology Christina Kwasnica, MD - #PhysicalMedicineandRehabilitation Bryan Lee, MD - Neurosurgery Joyce Lee-Iannotti, MD - #SleepMedicine Matthias Linke, DO - Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Andrew Little, MD - #Neurosurgery Marc McLawhorn, MD - #Anesthesiology Rory Murphy, MD - Neurosurgery Griffin Santarelli, MD - #Otolaryngology Laura Snyder, MD - Neurosurgery Each year, the magazine invites all physicians in the #Phoenix metropolitan area to nominate their peers across dozens of specialties. Dr. Kwasnica, a Top Doc of more than 20 years, made the 2026 list in PM&R for both pediatrics and adults. In the pediatric PM&R category, she earned more votes than any other doctor. Drs. @RoryMurphy16 and Lee-Iannotti were also top vote-getters in their categories, and Drs. Knievel and Santarelli were selected by the magazine for Q&A features. Additionally, PHOENIX magazine polled its Instagram audience to determine Arizona's most famous celebrity doctor of all time. Of the four contenders, Barrow Emeritus Chair of Neurosurgery Robert F. Spetzler, MD, was declared the winner with 54% of the vote. Finally, the magazine gave a special shoutout to Terry Fife, MD, in its "in absentia" section. Dr. Fife, who established the Neuro-Otology Program at Barrow, recently retired after more than 30 years on our faculty. He was named a PHOENIX Top Doc in 1996, 1998, 2002, 2004, 2015, and 2016. View the full 2026 list and read the Q&As at bar.rw/phxtopdocs26.

Dr. Matthias Linke, director of #spinalcordinjury #rehabilitation at Barrow, represented the Institute at @ISCoSmeetings in Sweden. He presented on a neurogenic bladder education module & won 3rd place in the "#FallPrevention - Spinal Cord Protection Poster Contest." #ISCoS2025