Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, MD
ISESS President-Elect
Harvard / Cleveland Clinic
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Trained at Harvard and the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Lewandrowski is one of the world's leading figures in endoscopic spine surgery. He is currently President-Elect of ISESS – the International Society of Endoscopic Spine Surgery – and an international reference in minimally invasive techniques, having trained hundreds of surgeons around the world.
Kaixuan Liu, MD, PhD
Founder of the Atlantic Spine Center
Atlantic Spine Center – USA
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
Dr. Kaixuan Liu is the founder of the renowned Atlantic Spine Center in the United States and one of the world's pioneers of minimally invasive spine techniques. With an extensive academic and clinical record, he is an invited speaker at the leading spine surgery congresses worldwide.
Helton Defino
Full Professor – FMRP/USP
Ribeirão Preto Medical School – University of São Paulo
Spinal Deformities
Full Professor at the Ribeirão Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo (USP), Prof. Helton Defino is one of Brazil's foremost academic references in spine surgery, specialising in deformities. He has authored numerous scientific publications and trained generations of surgeons.
Dr. Santiago Andrés Formaggin
Neurosurgeon – Spine Surgery
D. F. Santojanni Hospital / T. Álvarez Hospital – Buenos Aires
Spine Surgery
A graduate of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), with a neurosurgery residency at the D. F. Santojanni General Hospital, where he also served as Chief Resident. His training is particularly focused on spine surgery, with fellowships in adult spinal surgery in Argentina and international training at Santa Casa de São Paulo through the AO Spine programme. He currently works at major healthcare institutions in Buenos Aires, as part of teams dedicated to the surgical treatment of spinal disorders.
Juan S. Uribe, MD, FAANS
Professor and Vice-Chair of Neurosurgery – Barrow Neurological Institute
Barrow Neurological Institute – Phoenix, USA
Minimally Invasive and Lateral Approaches to the Spine
Professor and Vice-Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute in the United States, where he is also Chief of the Spinal Disorders Division and holder of the Volker H. K. Sonntag Chair of Spine Research. He is an international reference in minimally invasive spine surgery, with pioneering work in lateral and retropleural approaches, Anterior Column Realignment (ACR), prone-position surgery, robotics and augmented reality. Author of more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific publications, he serves as speaker and faculty at major international spine surgery meetings and takes an active part in training specialists and developing new technologies for spine surgery.
Wilson T. Asfora, MD, FRCSC, FAANS, FACS
Professor – Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota
Sanford School of Medicine – University of South Dakota, USA
Vascular Neurosurgery, Tumours and Spine Surgery
Neurosurgeon and Professor at the Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, in the United States. A graduate of the Federal University of Pernambuco, he trained in neurosurgery in Brazil, Canada and the United States, including fellowships at UCSF and in radiosurgery at Harvard University. Board certified in neurosurgery in both the United States and Canada, his practice covers vascular neurosurgery, brain and spinal tumours, spine surgery, functional neurosurgery and radiosurgery. He has authored numerous scientific publications and takes part in developing innovative technologies for neurosurgery.
Dr. Paulo Cortez
Clinical Director – Centro de Saúde da Coluna
Centro de Saúde da Coluna
Adult and Adolescent Spinal Deformities
Dr. Paulo Cortez is a neurosurgeon and spine surgeon, and Clinical Director of Centro de Saúde da Coluna. His practice is dedicated to the surgical treatment of spinal disorders, with an emphasis on adult and adolescent spinal deformities and on anterior and lateral approaches. He is a member of the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery, holds specialist titles from the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery and the Brazilian Spine Society, and is a full member of the Brazilian Academy of Neurosurgery.
Dr. Filipe Sarto
Specialist in Clinical Neurophysiology
Brazilian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (SBNC)
Electromyography and Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring
A graduate of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), with a neurology residency at UFRJ's Clementino Fraga Filho University Hospital. He holds a Master's degree in Neurology from UNIRIO, at the Gaffrée e Guinle University Hospital, and trained in electromyography at UERJ's Pedro Ernesto University Hospital. A specialist in Clinical Neurophysiology certified by the Brazilian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology (SBNC), he has 12 years of experience in the field, particularly in electromyography and Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM), supporting diagnostic assessment and neurophysiological follow-up during surgical procedures.
Dr. Márcio Vinhal
Neurosurgeon – Spine Surgery
Instituto Vértebra / Rede D'Or – Brasília, Brazil
Spine Surgery
A neurosurgeon certified by the Brazilian Society of Neurosurgery (SBN) and the Brazilian Spine Society (SBC), Dr. Márcio Vinhal is director of Instituto Vértebra in Brasília and coordinator of the Spine Group at Rede D'Or in the Federal District. His practice is dedicated to the surgical treatment of spinal disorders.
Marcos Tadeu Richard Ferreira
Pioneer of Endoscopic Spine Surgery in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro – Brazil
Endoscopic Spine Surgery
A pioneer of endoscopic spine surgery in Rio de Janeiro, Dr. Marcos Tadeu Richard Ferreira performed the state's first endoscopic spine procedure in 2008. His contribution to the development of the speciality in Brazil is recognised nationwide and, at SINCOL 2026, he delivers the Special Lecture on day two.