LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – CHI St. Vincent Neurosurgeon Dr. Ali Krisht has been honored as the 2019 Herbert Olivecrona Award recipient for his contributions to the field of neurosurgery with expertise in cerebrovascular, pituitary and skull base tumor surgery. The international award, commonly referred to as the “Nobel Prize in Neurosurgery,” is awarded annually by Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and is named after renowned neurosurgeon  and professor Herbert Olivecrona who is credited as the father of modern neurosurgery.

Dr. Krisht, who leads the world class team of neurosurgeons at the Arkansas Neuroscience Institute (ANI), follows in the footsteps of his two mentors, Dr. M. Gazi Yasargil and Dr. Ossama Al-Mefty, who received the ward in 1978 and 2011 respectively. Dr. Krisht will formally receive the Olivecrona Medal and Diploma at an award ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden in May during the Scandinavian Neurosurgical Society Meeting where he will deliver the Olivecrona Lecture.

“It is a true honor to be recognized alongside my mentors and those I have learned so much from throughout my career,” said Dr. Krisht. “It’s also a recognition of the work still left to do in the field of neurosurgery. Some of the advancements and new techniques we have today were unimaginable just decades ago and I am particularly excited to learn what the next generation of neurosurgeons will discover and the impact it will have on patient lives.”

In addition to his achievements as a surgeon, Dr. Krisht is also a leader in research, new techniques and training, working with neurosurgeon’s from around the world who travel to Arkansas to study at ANI and new state-of-the-art M.G. Yasargil Research and Education Center slated for completion in April. The new center will focus on improving treatment outcomes, mapping the human brain and preparing a new generation of neurosurgeons with the skills necessary to tackle the most complex cases and further impact patient outcomes.

“We are truly blessed here in Arkansas to have such an internationally recognized surgeon like Dr. Krisht to lead our neurosurgery team and continually strive to both improve the field and outcomes for our patients,” said CHI St. Vincent CEO Chad Aduddell. “One of the biggest results of that work can be seen in ANI’s patients. Our patients’ three year survival rates for glioblastomas is 34 percent compared to the national average of 8.8 percent. We’re now excited to expand the reach of that expertise with training and mentorship through the new ANI Research and Education Center.”

ANI sees patients from all 75 counties in Arkansas, 38 states and countries around the world. The new ANI Research and Education Center is scheduled to open in April.