Charlie Teo AM, MBBS, FRACS

For over 30 years Dr Charlie Teo AM has been instrumental in the development, dissemination and acceptance of the concept of keyhole minimally invasive techniques in neurosurgery. Dr Teo runs a fellowship program that attracts applicants yearly and has trained many of the world’s leading figures in neurosurgery. He has trained at distinguished centres such as the Barrow Neurological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Stanford University, Vanderbilt University and Harvard University.

He has been published in over 120 peer-reviewed journals, has authored two books on keyhole approaches to brain tumours and featured as a guest editor for several journals. He is the Australian representative of the Tumour Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and CNS.

Dr Teo strongly believes that a surgeon’s responsibility to his patients shouldn’t end after surgery. In keeping with his desire to find a cure for brain cancer, he has raised over $35 million which has been used to fund research scientists both in Australia and internationally.

Dr Teo dedicates time every year to pro bono work in developing countries, for which he has been recognised with awards from Rotary International. This includes the Paul Harris Fellowship for contribution to World Health. He has been a finalist in the NSW Australian of the Year awards in 2003 and 2009.

In 2011 his contribution to the development of minimally invasive neurosurgery was recognised in the Australia Day awards where he was named a Member of the Order of Australia. In 2012, he was invited to give the Australia Day Address to the Nation and in 2013 was honoured to be the first non-politician Australian to address the US Congress on the need for more funding for brain cancer research.