Dr. Michael T. Lawton, a board-certified neurosurgeon, serves as President and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute, holding the distinguished Robert F. Spetzler Endowed Chair for Neurosciences and chairing the Department of Neurosurgery. He is a recognized authority in cerebrovascular disorders, including aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), cavernous malformations, and stroke, alongside expertise in skull base tumors. His extensive surgical experience encompasses over 5,400 brain aneurysms, 1,400 AVMs, and 1,400 cavernous malformations, including more than 400 cases in delicate brainstem regions. Dr. Lawton earned his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering from Brown University. He honed his skills during his neurosurgery residency and a fellowship in cerebrovascular and skull base surgery at Barrow, further completing an endovascular surgery fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. He is an active member of several prestigious neurosurgical societies, including the American Academy of Neurological Surgery and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

Dr. Lawton’s research endeavors prominently feature the formation, genetics, and rupture of AVMs, as well as the hemodynamics, rupture, and computational modeling of brain aneurysms. As Principal Investigator for the NIH-funded Brain Vascular Malformation Consortium, he leads a multicenter group dedicated to studying rare vascular diseases of the brain. His prolific academic contributions include over 1,000 peer-reviewed articles, eight textbooks (four as sole author), and more than 120 book chapters. Beyond his clinical and research roles, Dr. Lawton is a passionate advocate for neurosurgical education, particularly during challenging times. He developed the “Seven Series” for narrated case studies and initiated “Barrow Neurosurgery Base Camp” to share resident teaching rounds, efforts that have significantly elevated his profile as an influential neurosurgeon on X (formerly Twitter). Additionally, he co-founded Mission: BRAIN, an organization dedicated to advancing neurosurgical practices in developing countries through annual missions in Mexico and Asia.