Steven Schiff, MD, PhD, FACS
Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery, Vice Chair for Global Health, Department of Neurosurgery, Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology of Microbial DiseasesCards
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Program for Biomedical Ethics
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience
Member, Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health
Contact Info
Neurosurgery
333 Cedar Street, TMP 413
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Program for Biomedical Ethics
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience
Member, Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health
Contact Info
Neurosurgery
333 Cedar Street, TMP 413
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
Appointments
Additional Titles
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Program for Biomedical Ethics
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience
Member, Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health
Contact Info
Neurosurgery
333 Cedar Street, TMP 413
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States
About
Titles
Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery, Vice Chair for Global Health, Department of Neurosurgery, Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Program for Biomedical Ethics; Affiliated Faculty, Yale Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience; Member, Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health
Biography
Dr. Steven Schiff is a pediatric neurosurgeon with interests in neural control engineering, sustainable health engineering and global health. He founded the Center for Neural Engineering at Penn State University, wrote the first book on Neural Control Engineering (MIT Press, 2012), and is now developing the Center for Global Neurosurgery at Yale University. He received the NIH Director’s Pioneer and Transformative Awards in 2015 and 2018, respectively, which have enabled him to pursue his interests in the sustainable control of infant infections in the developing world. This work has evolved into an exploration of what Schiff calls Predictive Personalized Public Health (P3H), and included leading the discovery of a new highly lethal infant brain disease in Africa - Neonatal Paenibacilliosis.
Appointments
Neurosurgery
ProfessorPrimaryEpidemiology of Microbial Diseases
ProfessorSecondary
Other Departments & Organizations
- Center for Brain & Mind Health
- Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program
- Neural Disorders
- Neuroscience Track
- Neurosurgery
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Program for Biomedical Ethics
- Schiff Lab
- Wu Tsai Institute
- Yale Combined Program in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)
- Yale Institute for Global Health
Education & Training
- Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowship
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (1990)
- Neurosurgery Residency
- Duke University (1989)
- PhD
- Duke University, Physiology (1985)
- General Surgery Internship
- Duke University (1981)
- MD
- Duke University (1980)
Research
Overview
Medical Research Interests
Public Health Interests
ORCID
0000-0003-2623-3614
Research at a Glance
Yale Co-Authors
Publications Timeline
Research Interests
Andrew J Whalen
Joseph N Paulson, PhD
Mercedeh Javanbakht Movassagh
Ronald Mulondo
Adam de Havenon, MD, MSCI
Kevin Sheth, MD
Bacteria
Neonatal Sepsis
Brain Diseases
Africa South of the Sahara
Coinfection
Publications
2025
GLAPAL-H: Global, Local, And Parts Aware Learner for Hydrocephalus Infection Diagnosis in Low-Field MRI
Mukherjee S, Templeton K, Tindimwebwa S, Lin P, Sutin J, Yu M, Peterson M, Truwit C, Schiff S, Monga V. GLAPAL-H: Global, Local, And Parts Aware Learner for Hydrocephalus Infection Diagnosis in Low-Field MRI. IEEE Transactions On Biomedical Engineering 2025, PP: 1-14. PMID: 40489263, DOI: 10.1109/tbme.2025.3578541.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFeature extractionState-of-the-art alternativesTraining loss functionMulti-task architectureGlobal feature extractionState-of-the-artLocal feature extractionClassification taskCNN branchesSegmentation masksShallow CNNHolistic featuresLocal featuresTraining imageryLoss functionTwo-classThree-classSegmental branchesArchitecture segmentationArchitectureCustomized approachCNNRegularizationQuality issuesPost-infectious hydrocephalusGeneralized unscented transformation for forecasting non-Gaussian processes
Ebeigbe D, Berry T, Whalen A, Norton M, Simon D, Sauer T, Schiff S. Generalized unscented transformation for forecasting non-Gaussian processes. Physical Review E 2025, 111: 054135. PMID: 40533957, PMCID: PMC12184836, DOI: 10.1103/physreve.111.054135.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPoor surgical outcomes following Paenibacillus infant infectious hydrocephalus.
Ericson J, Natukwatsa D, Ssenyonga P, Onen J, Mugamba J, Mulondo R, Morton S, Movassagh M, Templeton K, Hehnly C, Mbabazi-Kabachelor E, Kulkarni A, Warf B, Broach J, Paulson J, Schiff S. Poor surgical outcomes following Paenibacillus infant infectious hydrocephalus. Journal Of Neurosurgery Pediatrics 2025, 1-12. PMID: 40378477, PMCID: PMC12211056, DOI: 10.3171/2025.1.peds24254.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsPostinfectious hydrocephalusPP patientsPN patientsEndoscopic diversionHydrocephalus surgeryPositive CSF polymerase chain reactionPrimary outcomeMedian follow-up periodCSF polymerase chain reactionFailure-free survivalPoor surgical outcomesPrimary event rateFollow-up periodOverall survivalCSF diversionHydrocephalic infantsSurgical outcomesNeurosurgical evaluationPolymerase chain reactionCompare outcomesSecondary outcomesPatientsEvent ratesInfantsChain reactionCLIF-Net: Intersection-guided Cross-view Fusion Network for Infection Detection from Cranial Ultrasound
Yu M, Peterson M, Burgoine K, Harbaugh T, Olupot-Olupot P, Gladstone M, Hagmann C, Cowan F, Weeks A, Morton S, Mulondo R, Mbabazi-Kabachelor E, Schiff S, Monga V. CLIF-Net: Intersection-guided Cross-view Fusion Network for Infection Detection from Cranial Ultrasound. IEEE Transactions On Medical Imaging 2025, PP: 1-1. PMID: 40372847, DOI: 10.1109/tmi.2025.3570316.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsConvolutional neural network branchesNeural network branchesCross-attention moduleState-of-the-artRobust 3D representationsMultiview imageryFusion networkImage-levelFusion layerFusion blockRepresentative featuresExtract featuresLearning frameworkClass probabilitiesSemantic featuresNetwork branchesDetection techniquesEnhanced featuresGeometric relationsImagesEnhanced performanceFeaturesInfection detectionSpatial positionDatasetFive-year outcomes after surgical treatment of infant postinfectious hydrocephalus in sub-Saharan Africa: results of a randomized trial.
Mbabazi-Kabachelor E, Peterson M, Mugamba J, Ssenyonga P, Onen J, Nalule E, Magombe J, Cherukuri V, Monga V, Schiff S, Kulkarni A, Warf B. Five-year outcomes after surgical treatment of infant postinfectious hydrocephalus in sub-Saharan Africa: results of a randomized trial. Journal Of Neurosurgery Pediatrics 2025, 1-10. PMID: 40315611, DOI: 10.3171/2025.1.peds24417.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricConceptsHydrocephalus Outcome QuestionnairePostinfectious hydrocephalusVABS-3HOQ scoresBrain volumeVentriculoperitoneal shuntRandomized trialsQuality of lifeAssessed developmental outcomesPerinatal neurologic insultChoroid plexus cauterizationSurgical treatment armHUI-3Endoscopic third ventriculostomyVentriculoperitoneal shunt treatmentVineland Adaptive Behavior ScalesFollow-up resultsLong-term outcomesFive-year outcomesBrain volume outcomesQuality of life metricsAdaptive Behavior ScalesPublic health burdenSub-Saharan AfricaTreatment failurePreconception and Prenatal Environment and Growth Faltering Among Children in Uganda
Ssentongo P, Fronterre C, Ericson J, Wang M, Al-Shaar L, Greatrex H, Omadi P, Muvawala J, Greybush S, Mbabazi P, Murray-Kolb L, Muwanguzi A, Schiff S. Preconception and Prenatal Environment and Growth Faltering Among Children in Uganda. JAMA Network Open 2025, 8: e251122. PMID: 40105840, PMCID: PMC11923699, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.1122.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and ConceptsConceptsWeight-for-height z-scoreHeight-for-age z-scoreWeight-for-age z-scoreIndividuals aged 0Z-scoreAged 0Distribution of undernutritionAssociated with height-for-age z-scoresGrowth falteringPublic health programsAssociated with weight-for-age Z-scoreCross-sectional studyHeight-for-ageWeight-for-heightChild growth outcomesWeight-for-ageCost-effective deliveryHealth SurveyHealth programsMain OutcomesAnthropometric measurementsUgandan DemographicGrowth outcomesChildhood growth outcomesSpatial scalesP-1158. Surgical Outcomes Following Paenibacillus Infant Infectious Hydrocephalus
Ericson J, Natukwatsa D, Ssenyonga P, Onen J, Mugamba J, Mulondo R, Morton S, Templeton K, Hehnly C, Mbabazi-Kabachelor E, Kulkarni A, Warf B, Broach J, Paulson J, Schiff S. P-1158. Surgical Outcomes Following Paenibacillus Infant Infectious Hydrocephalus. Open Forum Infectious Diseases 2025, 12: ofae631.1344. PMCID: PMC11776767, DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae631.1344.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPostinfectious hydrocephalusPP patientsPN patientsCerebrospinal fluidEndoscopic diversionHydrocephalus surgeryPositive CSF polymerase chain reactionPrimary outcomeMedian follow-up periodCSF polymerase chain reactionFailure-free survivalPrimary event rateFollow-up periodOverall survivalSurgical outcomesHydrocephalic infantsSurgical managementSurgery typePreoperative testingNeurosurgical evaluationPolymerase chain reactionCompare outcomesSecondary outcomesPatientsSurgeryExistence and stability of equilibria in infectious disease dynamics with behavioral feedback
Berry T, Ferrari M, Sauer T, Greybush S, Ebeigbe D, Whalen A, Schiff S. Existence and stability of equilibria in infectious disease dynamics with behavioral feedback. Physical Review E 2025, 111: 014317. PMID: 39972741, PMCID: PMC12186823, DOI: 10.1103/physreve.111.014317.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAltmetricMeSH Keywords and Concepts
2024
A Systematic Review of Human Paenibacillus Infections and Comparison of Adult and Pediatric Cases
Smith D, Bastug K, Burgoine K, Broach J, Hammershaimb E, Hehnly C, Morton S, Osman M, Schiff S, Ericson J. A Systematic Review of Human Paenibacillus Infections and Comparison of Adult and Pediatric Cases. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 2024, 44: 455-461. PMID: 39705610, PMCID: PMC11991890, DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000004668.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitationsConceptsClinical presentation of infectionSurgical management of hydrocephalusPresentation of infectionManagement of hydrocephalusEpidemiology of infectionCentral nervous systemNeonatal infectionBrain abscessSepsis syndromeClinical presentationPediatric casesSurgical managementRare involvementCystic encephalomalaciaAdult patientsInfant casesPatient populationClinical syndromeHydrocephalusCerebral destructionInfectionNervous systemInfantsSystematic reviewBrain destructionEngineering Principles and Bioengineering in Global Health
Harper J, Schiff S. Engineering Principles and Bioengineering in Global Health. Neurosurgery Clinics Of North America 2024, 35: 481-488. PMID: 39244320, PMCID: PMC11386904, DOI: 10.1016/j.nec.2024.05.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCitations
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Activities
activity Journal of Computational Neuroscience
07/01/2006 - PresentJournal ServiceEditorial Board MemberDetailsAction Editoractivity Journal of Neural Engineering
07/01/2013 - PresentJournal ServiceEditorial Board Memberactivity Neural Computation
07/01/2015 - PresentJournal ServiceEditorial Board MemberDetailsAssociate Editoractivity US Food and Drug Administration
07/28/2013 - PresentPublic ServiceScientific CommitteeDetailsNeurological Devices Panel, Medical Devices Advisory Committeeactivity Scientific Advisory Board
2019 - PresentAdvisory BoardsMemberDetailsInstitut de Neurosciences des Systèmes, Marseilles, France
Honors
honor NIH Director’s Transformative Award
09/05/2018Other AwardDetailsUnited Stateshonor Honorary African Name: Musaazi, Fumbe Clan
07/01/2018International AwardDetailsUgandahonor Fellow
12/01/2016Other AwardAmerican Epilepsy SocietyDetailsUnited Stateshonor NIH Director’s Pioneer Award
04/25/2015Other AwardDetailsUnited Stateshonor Fellow
04/02/2012Other AwardAmerican Association for the Advancement of ScienceDetailsUnited States
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Neurosurgery
333 Cedar Street, TMP 413
New Haven, Connecticut 06510
United States