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Kevin T. Foley, MD

Professor
Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute, University of Tennessee
Memphis, TN, US

Dr. Kevin Foley is a professor in the Departments of Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, & Biomedical Engineering at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the chairman of Semmes-Murphey Clinic, emeritus director of the spine fellowship program for the University of Tennessee Department of Neurosurgery, and founder, chairman of the board, and medical director for the Medical Education & Research Institute.

Dr. Foley received his Doctor of Medicine degree from UCLA in 1979. During his training, he was awarded the Eben J. Carey Memorial Anatomy Award and the Merck Manual Award for Academic Achievement and was elected to membership in the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He interned at Letterman Army Medical Center, where he received the Richard Mason Award for Outstanding Intern. He returned to UCLA in 1980, where he completed his neurosurgery residency in 1985.

Following residency, Dr. Foley served in the United States Army Medical Corps as Assistant Chief of Neurosurgery at Brooke Army Medical Center, Chief of Neurosurgery at Tripler Army Medical Center, and Chaiman of Neurosurgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he was also the chairman of the neurosurgical residency training program. During his military service, Dr. Foley was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Order of Military Medical Merit, and the Surgeon General's Physician Recognition Award.

In 1992, Dr. Foley left the military and joined Semmes-Murphey Clinic and the Department of Neurosurgery at UTHSC. In addition to a full-time spine surgery practice, he is actively involved in research in minimally invasive spine surgery, image-guided spinal navigation, robotics, spinal biomechanics, clinical outcomes, and disc regeneration. He has over 200 scientific publications to his credit, has lectured at more than 600 scientific meetings and educational workshops, and has been a visiting professor and invited lecturer at numerous universities in the US and abroad. In addition, Dr. Foley has been issued more than 180 U.S. patents. In fact, he has been issued more patents than any other neurosurgeon in the world. His inventions include tubular retractors for minimally invasive spinal surgery, methods and devices for image-guided surgery, minimally invasive spinal fixation using screws with percutaneous extenders, bullet-nosed interbody implants, expandable interbody implants, and cellular therapies for spinal disc regeneration. In recognition of his accomplishments, Dr. Foley was presented with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Cushing Award for Technical Excellence and Innovation in Neurosurgery in 2019 and the William Beecher Scoville Award from the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies in 2023.

Disclosure(s): Accelus: Stock Shareholder (excluding mutual funds) (Ongoing); Discgenics: Stock Shareholder (excluding mutual funds) (Ongoing); DuraStat: Stock Shareholder (excluding mutual funds) (Ongoing); Medtronic: Consultant (Ongoing), Royalty Recipient (Ongoing), Stock Shareholder (excluding mutual funds) (Ongoing); RevBio: Stock Shareholder (excluding mutual funds) (Ongoing); True Digital Surgery: Stock Shareholder (excluding mutual funds) (Ongoing); Vori Health: Stock Shareholder (excluding mutual funds) (Ongoing)

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