Dr. Philip H. Gutin is an Emeritus Member of the Department of Neurosurgery and was the founding Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) from 1996 to 2017.
Dr. Gutin’s entire career was focused on Neurosurgical Oncology. He spearheaded innovative research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, integrating brachytherapy (I-125 implants) and hyperthermia as adjuvant therapies for recurrent brain tumors. This helped set new standards in the field of clinical neuro-oncology.
Renowned for prolific scholarship, he served as Principal Editor for Neoplasia with the journal Neurosurgery, shaping the field’s discourse and advancing innovation.
Earlier, Dr. Gutin was Chair of Neurosurgery at the University of San Francisco where he trained under the mentorship of Charles Wilson. In 1996, he was recruited to MSK as the Fred Lebow Chair in Neuro-oncology and the Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery.
Under Dr. Gutin’s visionary leadership, the Department of Neurosurgery achieved unprecedented advances in clinical caseload, research productivity, and subspecialty expertise. He established a rigorously structured fellowship in neurosurgical oncology, which rapidly distinguished itself as a premier training ground for emerging leaders in the field, drawing exceptional residents from top-tier academic programs.
Yet, his most enduring legacy was to foster a culture of clinical excellence—where uncompromising standards in patient care and a steadfast commitment to the education and mentorship of the next generation of neurosurgeons became hallmarks of the department’s identity.