Daniel Fain Kelly MD

Dr. Kelly is Director and one of 4 Founders of Pacific Neuroscience Institute, a multi-specialty group of over 30 physicians encompassing 9 Centers of Excellence. At PNI he directs the Pacific Brain Tumor and Pituitary Disorders Centers at Saint John’s Health Center and is Professor of Neurosurgery at Saint John's Cancer Institute. A recipient of the Southern California Super Doctors distinction for 14 years (2007-2020), Dr. Kelly's neurosurgical practice applies minimally invasive keyhole and endoscopic techniques for brain tumors with a focus on maximal safe removal, rapid recovery, and short hospital stay for patients with meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, craniopharyngiomas, Rathke’s cleft cysts, chordomas, schwannomas, gliomas, and brain metastases.

In practice for over 25 years, he has one of the largest series in endonasal transsphenoidal surgery with over 2000 procedures performed including over 1000 endoscopic endonasal surgeries, and almost 2000 craniotomies for brain and skull base tumors. His academic track record includes over 130 peer-reviewed publications and 40 book chapters, mostly focused on minimally invasive surgical techniques, surgical outcomes, and complication avoidance, and he has been a co-investigator in numerous neuroscience clinical trials. He has a long-standing commitment to medical education, fellowship training, and patient education, and lectures frequently at national and international meetings.

Dr. Kelly helps oversee the Pacific Brain Health Center (led by Dr. David Merrill) focused on diagnosing and treating memory and cognitive impairment with innovative therapies and clinical trials. He is also a creative force in the Pacific Treatment & Research in Psychedelics program (led by Dr. Keith Heinzerling), dedicated to the development of psychedelic-assisted therapies and the scientific exploration of how altered states of consciousness can help change behavior and improve quality of life, particularly for patients with depression, anxiety, and addiction. Dr. Kelly is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College (1982), Georgetown University School of Medicine (1986), and completed neurosurgical training at George Washington University (1993). He was Professor of Neurosurgery and Vice-Chief of UCLA Division of Neurosurgery until 2007 then joined Saint John’s Health Center, where he serves on the Board of Directors and is Chief of Neurosurgery.