3rd International Conference on
Spine Surgery and Spinal Disorders

Dr. William Blake Rodgers, M.D., is a spine surgeon practicing at Spine Midwest, Inc.. His clinical work mainly focuses on degenerative disorders affecting the lumbar, cervical, and thoracic regions of the spine, while also addressing spinal tumors, deformities, and trauma-related conditions. He earned a bachelor’s degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry from Yale University before completing his medical education at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Rodgers pursued his surgical internship and orthopedic residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he also received advanced spine surgery training. In addition, he completed pediatric orthopedic training at Boston Children's Hospital. Throughout his career, Dr. Rodgers has contributed to several medical publications and delivered presentations at conferences across the United States. He also works as an English translator for ARGOS Spine News.

His research interests include disorders of the lumbar, cervical, and thoracic spine, as well as neoplastic, deformity-related, and traumatic spinal conditions.

Dr. Konstantin Slavin is a neurosurgeon associated with the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Based in Chicago, he is connected with several healthcare institutions, including Advocate Christ Medical Center and Alexian Brothers Medical Center. Dr. Slavin obtained his medical degree from the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute and has more than two decades of experience in neurosurgery. His expertise covers a wide range of neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, facial pain, dystonia, movement disorders, Chiari malformation, and surgical approaches for chronic pain management.

Dr. Konstantin Slavin has research interests centered on neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, facial pain, and other movement-related conditions. His work also explores surgical pain treatment, deep brain stimulation, and Chiari malformation.

Dr. Jeff A. Lehmen grew up in Jefferson City, Missouri, and attended Helias High School for his early education. He graduated with highest honors in Medicinal Chemistry from the University of Missouri, where he also received the university’s top award for excellence in the Bachelor of Science program. He later earned his medical degree from the same institution and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Missouri Hospital and Clinics. To advance his expertise in spine surgery, Dr. Lehmen completed specialized fellowship training in orthopedic and neurosurgical spine procedures at Harvard University in Boston. In addition, he received advanced training in minimally invasive spine surgery under renowned neurosurgeon Luiz Pimenta in São Paulo, Brazil. Throughout his career, Dr. Lehmen has been actively involved in spinal research and has presented his work at medical conferences throughout North America and Europe on behalf of Harvard and Spine Midwest. His professional interests include minimally invasive spine surgery and the anterolateral retroperitoneal lumbar approach. Together with Spine Midwest, he remains dedicated to delivering innovative surgical treatments and comprehensive care for individuals suffering from spine and neck conditions.

Jeff A. Lehmen focuses his research on advanced minimally invasive spinal surgery methods, particularly the anterolateral retroperitoneal approach for lumbar spine treatment.

Dr. Ozer serves as a neurosurgeon and faculty member in the Department of Neurosurgery at Koç University and also practices at VKV American Hospital. His primary clinical specialization is spine surgery, while his research is centered on spinal biomechanics and dynamic stabilization techniques of the spine. Throughout his career, he has contributed to more than 70 scientific publications as an author or co-author. In addition, he participates as an advisory board member and reviewer for several academic journals. Dr. Ozer is also affiliated with professional organizations including TNS, ISAS, NASS, AOSpine, and Eurospine.

Ali Fahir Ozer has a strong academic and clinical interest in the field of spine surgery.

Dr. Wai-Hoe Ng serves as the Deputy Director and Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon at the National Neuroscience Institute and is also an Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School. He completed his MBBS degree at the National University of Singapore in 1994 before undertaking neurosurgical training at the National Neuroscience Institute, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Royal Children's Hospital.Dr. Ng is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and holds board certification in neurosurgery from Singapore’s Specialist Accreditation Board under the Ministry of Health. He also earned a Doctor of Medicine (MD) through research at the National University of Singapore.To expand his expertise, he pursued advanced fellowship training in neuro-oncology at the University of Melbourne, as well as stereotactic, functional, and pediatric neurosurgery training at the University of Toronto. In addition, he was recognized as a Sugita Fellow and visiting scholar at Nagoya University. His clinical work is concentrated on surgical neuro-oncology, functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, neuromodulation procedures, epilepsy surgery, and pediatric neurosurgery. Academically, Dr. Ng has contributed extensively to the field, authoring around 70 scientific papers and book chapters, with research interests focused mainly on neuro-oncology, neuronavigation, and functional neurosurgery.

Wai Hoe Ng has research and clinical interests in surgical neuro-oncology, functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, neuromodulation procedures, epilepsy surgery, and pediatric neurosurgery.

Dr. Sean Christie earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Saint Mary's University before pursuing medical studies at Dalhousie University. While completing his neurosurgery residency at Dalhousie, he also undertook PhD research in neural transplantation under the mentorship of Ivar Mendez. After finishing residency training, Dr. Christie advanced his expertise through fellowships in neurosurgery and spinal surgery at the University of Chicago. He later returned to Halifax to become a faculty member in the Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery. Over the course of his career, he has been recognized with several awards, scholarships, and honors for his outstanding contributions to both clinical practice and medical research.

Sean Christie focuses his research on improving minimally invasive approaches for spinal cord injury repair, managing complex spine surgeries, studying spinal cord injury mechanics, and treating sports-related traumatic spinal conditions.

Dr. Raymond Hah is an orthopedic spine surgeon affiliated with the Keck Medical Center of USC and USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. His clinical expertise includes minimally invasive spine procedures, revision and complex spine surgeries, degenerative disc disease, spinal deformities, and cervical disc replacement surgery. Dr. Hah completed the Honors Program in Medical Education at Northwestern University, where he graduated with distinction as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. He later pursued residency training in orthopedic surgery at the Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center and served as chief resident during his final year. Throughout his residency, he earned several recognitions, including the Michael J. Patzakis Award and the Herman Epstein Award. Following residency, Dr. Hah completed advanced fellowship training in spine surgery at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He is actively involved with professional organizations such as AO Spine and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition to his surgical practice, he contributes to both clinical and experimental spine research and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He also serves on the editorial boards of Global Spine Journal and Clinical Spine Surgery.

Spine Surgery