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INFORMATION FOR

Murat Günel, MD, FACS, FAHA, FAANS

Sterling Professor of Neurosurgery and Professor of Genetics and of Neuroscience
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Additional Titles

Chair, Neurosurgery

Member, National Academy of Medicine

Co-Director, Yale Program on Neurogenetics

Physician-in-Chief, Neurosurgery, Yale New Haven Health System, YNHH

About

Titles

Sterling Professor of Neurosurgery and Professor of Genetics and of Neuroscience

Chair, Neurosurgery; Member, National Academy of Medicine; Co-Director, Yale Program on Neurogenetics

Positions outside Yale

Physician-in-Chief, Neurosurgery, Yale New Haven Health System, YNHH

Biography

Dr. Murat Günel, the Sterling Professor of Neurosurgery and Professor of Neurobiology and Genetics, was appointed Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Yale School of Medicine in 2014. He currently serves as Neurosurgeon-in-Chief of the Yale-New Haven Health System and Chair of the Yale Medicine Board. Dr. Günel is the Co-Director of the Yale Program on Neurogenetics and Director of the Yale Program in Brain Tumor Research. He received his medical degree from Istanbul University and completed his internship and neurosurgical residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital. His clinical expertise lies in complex cranial microneurosurgery.

Dr. Günel’s scientific work is guided by a unifying approach: to use mechanistic studies to understand disorders of brain development, vascular function, and tumor biology—and to translate those insights into neurosurgical strategies that restore neurological function. His research has defined the molecular and epigenetic architecture of neurodevelopmental disorders, including the discovery of WDR62 (Nature, 2010) and other gene mutations as a cause of lissencephaly and cortical malformations (Nature Genetics, 2011; Cell, 2014; Neuron, 2014), and more recently, the identification of mTOR pathway dysregulation as a convergent mechanism and potential therapeutic target in lissencephaly (Nature, 2025). He also contributed to foundational work identifying de novo mutations in autism spectrum disorder in collaboration with the State Lab (Nature, 2012). These insights now inform his leadership of the Yale site of a new initiative, which integrates imaging, electrophysiology, behavior, and genetics to develop noninvasive neuromodulatory and communication strategies for individuals with profound autism. This work represents the evolution of his research—from identifying mechanisms of dysfunction to developing tools that intervene directly at the level of neural circuits.

This translational model also underpins his work in brain tumors. In meningiomas, Dr. Günel’s group identified molecular subtypes defined by mutations in NF2, TRAF7, AKT1, SMO, and POLR2A, and demonstrated how epigenetic changes and enhancer reprogramming contribute to tumor progression (Science, 2013; Nature Genetics, 2016; Nature Communications, 2017, 2023). His team has characterized the clinical and anatomical correlates of these subtypes, enabling refined surgical planning and risk stratification. In gliomas, his research has described the malignant transformation of IDH1-mutant lower-grade gliomas into glioblastomas, driven by recurrent alterations in MYC, PTEN, and cell cycle regulators (Nature Genetics, 2016).

In parallel, his lab has advanced the understanding of intracranial aneurysms through both population-based and familial genetic studies. Genome-wide association studies identified common risk loci, including SOX17, CDKN2A/B, and EDNRA (Nature Genetics, 2008, 2010; PNAS, 2011), while whole-exome sequencing in extended pedigrees revealed rare deleterious mutations, including PPIL4, which regulates brain-specific angiogenesis (Nature Medicine, 2021). These findings continue to inform risk prediction and therapeutic development in cerebrovascular disease.

In 2015, Dr. Günel was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, the highest distinction in medical sciences. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), which jointly honored him in 2022 with the Ralph G. Dacey Medal for Outstanding Cerebrovascular Research. In 2021, he received the WINN Award from the Society of Neurological Surgeons for sustained contributions to neuroscience research. Dr. Günel previously served as Chair of the AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section and has been elected to the Society of Neurological Surgeons and the Academy of Neurological Surgeons. In 2020, he was recognized by the Turkish Academy of Arts and Sciences for Outstanding Achievement in Health and Life Sciences.

Last Updated on July 07, 2025.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Chief Resident
Yale-New Haven Hospital (1998)
Resident
Yale-New Haven Hospital (1997)
Intern
Yale-New Haven Hospital (1992)
MD
Istanbul University (1991)

Research

Overview

  • Molecular Genetics of Intracranial Aneurysms
  • Molecular Genetics and Biology of Cavernous Malformations
  • Cerebral Malformations in Developmental Structural Brain Disorders


Medical Research Interests

Aneurysm; Brain; Genetics; Hemangioma, Cavernous, Central Nervous System; Molecular Biology; Neurobiology; Neurosurgery

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Murat Günel's published research.

Publications

Featured Publications

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Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

Honors

  • honor

    Ralph G. Dacey Medal for Outstanding Cerebrovascular Research

    09/12/2022National AwardAmerican Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons
  • honor

    Honorary Doctor of Philosophy Degree

    09/27/2010International AwardBahcesehir University, Turkey
  • honor

    Honorary Master of Arts Privatim Degree

    01/01/2010Yale University AwardYale University
  • honor

    Outstanding Scientific Achievement Award

    01/01/2010International AwardMinister of Health, Turkey
  • honor

    Nixdorff-German Professor

    12/04/2009Yale School of Medicine AwardYale University
View full list of honors

Clinical Care

Overview

Murat Günel, MD, chair of neurosurgery, specializes in the treatment of complex brain aneurysms, vascular malformations, and brain tumors. He employs advanced techniques such as Gamma Knife radiosurgery, a precise form of radiation therapy targeting brain tumors and other abnormalities without a traditional surgical incision.

Dr. Günel’s research interests include gene discovery in diseases of the human brain, focusing on brain development, vascular disease, and tumors. Utilizing next-generation genomic technologies, Dr. Günel's lab studies the genetic and epigenetic causes of brain and central nervous system tumors, particularly meningiomas. The aim is to define the molecular makeup of these tumors to guide the development of novel therapies, including oncolytic viruses.

In addition to holding the title of Sterling Professor of Neurosurgery, Dr. Gunel is a professor of genetics and neuroscience at Yale School of Medicine. He is also the co-director of the Yale Program on Neurogenetics and the director of the Yale Program in Brain Tumor Research.

Recognized for his pioneering contributions to neurological surgery and research, Dr. Günel has received numerous awards, including the Ralph G. Dacey Medal for Outstanding Cerebrovascular Research and the WINN Award from the Society of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Günel earned his medical degree from Istanbul University and completed both his internship and residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Clinical Specialties

Neurosurgery

Fact Sheets

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Board Certifications

  • Neurological Surgery

    Certification Organization
    AB of Neurological Surgery
    Latest Certification Date
    2013
    Original Certification Date
    2002

Yale Medicine News

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Get In Touch

Contacts

Email
Academic Office Number
Appointment Number
Clinic Fax Number
Mailing Address

Neurosurgery

PO Box 208082

New Haven, CT 06520-8082

United States

Locations

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