Anthony L. Asher, MD, FACS | CNSA Physician | Neurosurgeon in Charlotte | Matthews Neurosurgeon

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Charlotte

Anthony L. Asher, MD, FAANS, FACS

Subspecialties

  • Spine Surgery
  • Peripheral Nerve Surgery
  • Neuro-Oncology
  • Cerebrovascular Surgery

Special Interests

  • Brain Tumors
  • Micro & Endoscopic Spine Surgery
  • Skull Base Tumors
  • Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery
  • Stereotactic Radiosurgery
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia

Board Certified

  • American Board of Neurological Surgery

Biography

Anthony L. Asher, MD, FAANS, FACS is President and Service Line Leader, Neuroscience Institute, Atrium Health-Wake Forest Baptist Health; Vice Dean for Neurosciences and Clinical Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

He is Director, Neurosurgery Service Line, IRCAD, North America (NA), and a member of the IRCAD NA Scientific Committee and IRCAD International Faculty. He is Surgical Director, Adult NeuroOncology Program, and Co-Director of the Gamma Knife Program, Levine Cancer Institute.

Dr. Asher is the founder and recent past Director of the Neurosurgery Residency Training Program at Carolinas Medical Center, and currently serves as Director, Academic Affairs, Department of Neurological Surgery, Carolinas Medical Center. He is an adjunct clinical professor of neurological surgery at the Mayo Clinic, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He is Professor of Orthopedic Surgery in the Atrium Health Musculoskeletal Institute.

Dr. Asher was awarded one of the original 22 Howard Hughes Medical Institute-National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Scholarships. He subsequently amplified his basic and translational research training as a Fellow at Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), NIH. His laboratory and translational research has focused on cancer immunotherapy.

Since the completion of his neurosurgery residency training at the University of Michigan, Dr. Asher has been a member of the Charlotte, NC-based Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates (CNSA), one of the nation’s largest and most respected practices. His primary clinical interests include neuro-oncology, skull-base surgery, stereotactic surgery, trigeminal neuralgia, and minimally invasive spine surgery. Dr. Asher has been recognized yearly as one of the Best Doctors in America since 2003.

Dr. Asher has served in numerous senior national leadership positions, including President, Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), Director and Vice Chairman of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS), and Chairman of the Central Nervous System Organ Site Committee of the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group. He is currently President, American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). He is one of 12 individuals and the only private practitioner to lead both of North America’s major neurosurgical organizations over the past 73 years. He has been elected to the Society of Neurological Surgeons and the Academy of Neurological Surgeons.

Dr. Asher has considerable experience developing and conducting phase 1-4 cooperative clinical cancer research programs. He and his colleagues have developed novel treatment paradigms for patients with metastatic brain cancer which have now become standard of care in a majority of North American treatment environments. He is author or co-author of over 220 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters.

Dr. Asher has extensive leadership experience in surgical quality improvement and clinical data science. He has developed and directed several unprecedented national cooperative clinical databases in neurosurgery and related fields including the Quality and Outcomes Database (QOD), the American Spine Registry (now an integral component of the Joint Commission’s Advanced Certification in Spine Surgery Program), and ABNS Practice and Outcomes of Surgical Therapies (POST), the latter serving as the primary clinical data resource supporting the process of ABNS primary board certification. The various registry programs he has led have given rise to the largest cooperative clinical research and quality improvement programs in the history of North American neurosurgery. Dr. Asher has represented neurosurgery and other medical specialties in leadership and advisory roles to the AMA’s National Quality Registry Council, the National Quality Forum (NQF), The Institute for Healthcare Improvement, The HHS Departments of OHRP and OCR, the Joint Commission, the FDA, and the HHS Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Human Research Protections.

Dr. Asher has performed significant work with bio-industry, and served as the Chief Medical Officer to Hyperbranch Medical Technologies for ten years, during which time he facilitated interpretation and reporting of animal and patient safety data, designed and supervised first-in-human and pivotal clinical analyses, was physician lead with relevant regulatory agencies, and helped direct interactions with bio-industry partners, including Stryker Corporation, which acquired Hyperbranch in 2018. He has additionally served as a senior consultant to Medtronic, Globus, and Stryker, along with other organizations.

Dr. Asher has led the development of several novel programs in neurosurgical education including the CNS Neurosurgical Forum, Integrated Medical Learningsm,  AANS Envision, and the Self-Assessment in Neurological Surgery (SANS), the latter of which has become an integral component of the ABNS’ Maintenance of Certification and Written Examination Programs. He has also been engaged in expert thought and adult education theory and research.

Dr. Asher is recognized internationally for his development of advanced treatment paradigms, clinical research, educational programs, care innovation, and organizational leadership. His current scientific and healthcare administrative efforts include the development of cooperative databases and related information technologies to involve clinicians, scientists, and other stakeholders in quality and value improvement efforts across all practice settings. He is additionally involved in the development of multi-disciplinary brain health initiatives designed to promote both individual and societal health and well-being.

Education

Fellowship - National Cancer Institute
Specialty: Surgical Oncology

Residency & Internship - University of Michigan
Specialty: Neurological Surgery

Medical School - Wayne State University School of Medicine
Howard Hughes Medical Institute - NIH Research Scholar

Research & Awards

Explore Dr. Asher's groundbreaking contributions to the field of neurosurgery through his extensive research and accolades. Click HERE to view a compilation of his published papers, research findings, and prestigious awards in PDF format.

Grants & Editorials: Discover Dr. Asher's influential role in shaping neurosurgical practices and advancing medical knowledge. Click HERE to access a comprehensive PDF showcasing the grants he has secured and the editorials he has authored or contributed to, offering valuable insights into his expertise and dedication to improving patient care.

Affiliations & Memberships

President and Enterprise Service Line Leader, Atrium Health Neurosciences Institute

Senior National Leadership positions

  • 2002- 2004 Chairman, CNS Organ Site Committee, American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG)
  • 2005- 2006 Vice President, Congress of Neurological Surgeons
  • 2007- 2008 President, Congress of Neurological Surgeons
  • 2012- 2017 Director, American Board of Neurological Surgery
  • 2017- 2018 Vice-Chair, American Board of Neurological Surgery
  • 2019- Present Treasurer, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
  • 2022-2023 President-Elect, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
  • 2023-present President, American Association of Neurological Surgeons

Other Councils, Committees and National Leadership Positions (Operational, strategic, and educational)

American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)

  • Co-Chair, Strategic Planning Committee 2021-present
  • Finance Committee 2019-present
  • Executive Committee, 2019-present
  • Director at Large, AANS Board of Directors 2013-2016
  • AANS/CNS Washington Committee: 2006-2008, Member

Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS)

  • Executive Committee, 2000-2009
  • Annual Meeting and Strategic Planning Chairman, 2006-2007
  • Scientific Program Chairman, 2005-2006
  • Vice President, 2004-2005
  • Education, Information Technology and Publications Committees, 2003-2009
  • Education Science Subcommittee 2008-2014
  • Chairman, Nominating Committee 2009-2010
  • Chairman, Committee for Long Range Planning and Development of NEUROSURGERY 2007-2009

American Board of Neurological Surgeons (ABNS)

  • Extramural Written Examination Committee, 2002-2010

American College of Surgeons

  • ACS North Carolina Chapter Board of Directors, 2023-present

Blue Ribbon Committee II

  • Specialty Surgery Focus Group on Recommendations for the Future of Surgical Training 2024-present

Other National and Regional Leadership Positions: Cancer Programs

American College of Surgeons: American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (ACOSOG), Executive Committee, 2002-2004

AANS/CNS Section on Tumors: Executive Committee, 1998-2009; Chairman and Founder, AANS/CNS Academic-Community Brain Tumor Alliance, 2005-2010; Advisory Board, Glioma Outcomes Project, 2000-2004

Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG): Brain Tumor Committee; 2006-present

Professional Memberships (non-elected)

American Association of Neurological Surgeons; Congress of Neurological Surgeons;

Southern Neurosurgical Society; Southern Neurosurgical Society; American Medical Association; North Carolina Medical Society; North Carolina Neurosurgical Society; AANS/CNS Section on Tumors; AANS/CNS Section on Spine

Dr. Asher's Care Team

Daris Sullivan, FNP-BC
FNP-BC
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Reviews

Media

Back Talk Doc: Episode 10 - Understanding the Science of Practice in Neurosurgery & Medicine

Anthony Asher, MD, FAANS, FACS | Practice Neurosurgeon Is A Guiding Force In The Creation Of A National Spine Registry
Practice Neurosurgeon Is A Guiding Force In The Creation Of A National Spine Registry

The ability for spine surgeons across North America to share data about patient outcomes took a giant leap forward with the recent creation of the American Spine Registry (ASR). Anthony Asher, MD, FAANS, FACS, a neurosurgeon at Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates is Co-Chairman of the ASR.

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Meet Kaylin: Thankful for a Second Chance at Life After a Brain Injury

Over 17 years after suffering a traumatic brain injury, Kaylin and her family are reunited to thank CNSA neurosurgeon Anthony L. Asher, MD, FAANS, FACS, for saving her life. Kaylin and her family faced an unimaginable, tragic event, but defied all odds and experienced a remarkable recovery thanks to timely surgical intervention, strength, and perseverance. 

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Celebrating Excellence: Four Members of the CNSA Team Earn Top Doctor Designation

Four doctors from Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates (CNSA) have earned the prestigious Top Doctor designation from South Park Magazine, acknowledging their outstanding contributions to neurosurgery and physical medicine and rehabilitation.

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Congrats to our 2023 top doctors!

We are thrilled to announce 19 exceptional doctors who have been recognized as Charlotte Magazine "Top Doctors." Join us in celebrating the expertise and dedication of these exceptional physicians. They have consistently demonstrated their commitment to providing the highest standard of care and have impacted the lives of countless patients.

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Podcast

Episode 10 - Understanding the Science of Practice in Neurosurgery & Medicine