Meet the Team

Michael Spadola
MD, Co-Founder

Michael received both his BA and MD degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently a neurosurgeon and assistant professor in the department of neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed an enfolded spine fellowship with a subspecialty interest in complex spine, spinal oncology, minimally invasive surgical techniques and surgical innovation.

Rachel Blue
MD, Co-Founder

Rachel obtained her undergraduate degree in molecular genetics at The Ohio State University, medical degree at the University of Minnesota, and completed her neurosurgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania. She completed an enfolded fellowship in neuro-oncology and skull base surgery in Wellington, New Zealand and is completing a post-graduate fellowship in skull base surgery at the University of Colorado before returning to the University of Pennsylvania as an Assistant Professor specializing in complex cranial surgery. She has research interests in the improvement of patient outcomes, surgical workflow and device innovation.

Melisa Lopez-Anton
PhD, Board Member

Melisa is Assistant Director at PCI Ventures, where she oversees and advises a portfolio of early-stage life science and medical startups. With extensive experience as a board member for multiple ventures, she specializes in guiding companies through formation, early development, securing investment, and navigating the complex landscape of biotech and medtech innovation.

Dr. Sean Grady
MD

Dr. M. Sean Grady is Professor Emeritus of Neurosurgery and was the Charles Harrison Frazier Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine from 1999-2020.  He is the past president of the American Academy of Neurologic Surgery and of the Society of Neurological Surgeons, the first neurosurgical society in the U.S. He is co-inventor of the technology behind magnetic manipulation of cardiac catheters and a co-founder of Stereotaxis which commercialized that technology. He also a co-founder of Brainstorm Diagnostics which is commercializing a blood test to detect concussion.

Michael Schulder
MD

​Michael Schulder, MD, is Vice Chairman and Residency Program Director in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, and Director of the Brain Tumor Center at Northwell Health's Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery. He has served as president of several neurosurgical organizations, including the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and the Brain Tumor Foundation. Dr. Schulder is currently the Historian of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery.