S+S Spring 2023
One million dollars has been raised to endow the Pioneers in Skull Base Surgery Chair, thanks to many donors. UPMC will match the funds.
Once Dr. Joseph Maroon, Clinical Professor of Neurological Surgery and the Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, retires, the name will change to the Myers & Maroon Chair. Dr. Eugene Myers, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Otolaryngology and Emeritus Chair, Department of Otolaryngology, and
Dr. Maroon contributed significantly to the endowment.
Housed in the Department of Otolaryngology, the Chair has a focus on the world-class training aspects of skull base surgery that Drs. Myers and Maroon developed at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The inaugural holder of the chair will be Dr. Carl Snyderman, who refined the techniques over the last 25 years. Along with Dr. Paul
Gardner, Dr. Snyderman trained not only this generation of surgeons on minimally invasive skull base techniques but is now working on training the next generation on even more advanced treatment modalities.
“In 1975 Dr. Joseph Maroon and I performed the first skull base surgical operation,” Dr. Myers said. “Our skull base surgery center is recognized as the world’s best. Changes have taken place over the years both in leadership and surgical techniques. To keep our noted center on top, there has been a Chair endowed which will provide the incumbent, Dr. Carl Snyderman, with funds which will allow for him to continue his research and the teaching of his technique to surgeons from around the world.”
After Drs. Myers and Maroon provided equal funding for the Chair, Dr. E. Ronald Salvitti — founder and medical director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Eye Center and Eye & Ear Foundation Board member — told the Coury family he would match whatever they donated. This ended up being a total of $200K with several Eye & Ear Foundation
Board members donating. Due to Dr. Myers’ aggressive fundraising with otolaryngology alumni, approximately another $250K was received. Patients of Dr. Snyderman donated another $75K. And then the widower of Dr. Gardner’s neurosurgery patient finished it out with an estimated $130-140K donation.
“The funding of the Pioneers Chair in Skull Base Surgery recognizes the pioneering contributions of Dr. Myers
from Otolaryngology and Dr. Maroon from Neurosurgery in the development of modern skull base surgery at UPMC,” Dr. Snyderman said. “Without their vision and ongoing support, UPMC wouldn’t be a global leader in skull base surgery today. The funding of this chair provides the support necessary for ongoing research activities that will usher in
the next paradigm shift in the treatment of skull base disease.”