Biographical summary
Kai J. Miller, Ph.D., M.D., Ph.D., is a pediatric and adult neurosurgeon who specializes in brain tumors, epilepsy, and deep-brain stimulation. He manages patients in both in the operating room and in the outpatient setting. His research involves measuring electrical brain activity with patients undergoing therapy with implanted electrodes, to understand brain circuit dynamics and develop new therapies. In addition to brain tumors, epilepsy, and deep brain stimulation, Dr. Miller manages and treats general pediatric neurosurgical conditions, including:
    - Hydrocephalus
- Chiari I malformations
- Arachnoid cysts
- Spine disorders including tethered cord
- Spinal tumors
- Vascular malformations
- Head and spine trauma
In addition to his active clinical and research programs, Dr. Miller teaches graduate students and mentors neurosurgical residents.
        Conditions treated
        Procedures performed
        Interests
- Pediatric neurosurgery
- Epilepsy
- Brain tumors
- Research in cybernetics, neurosurgical stereotaxy, and large-scale brain dynamics
- Motor circuits (How the brain computes to perform movements)
- Cybernetics and Brain Computer Interfaces
- Electrical circuits of psychiatric diseases
Mayo Clinic locations
        Education
- 2019Fellowship - Pediatric Neurosurgery & EpilepsyWilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis (Children's Hospital), Utrecht 
- 2018Resident - Department of Neurosurgery; Chairman: Gary K. Steinberg; Program Director: Griffith Harsh. Clinical and Research Mentors: Gerald Grant, Griffith Harsh, and Casey Halpern.Stanford University 
- 2016Fellowship - Surgical Fellowship in Eloquent Cortex Tumors and Awake MappingUMC Utrecht, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery 
- 2015Fellowship - Stereotactic & Functional Neurosurgery Stanford University 
- 2014PhD - Neurobiology and Behavior, Thesis: The dynamics of category-specific perception in ventral temporal cortex, Thesis Advisor: Rajesh P. N. Rao.
University of Washington 
- 2011MD - Primary Mentor: Jeffrey G. OjemannUniversity of Washington 
- 2008PhD - Physics, Thesis: Characteristic changes in electrocorticographic power spectra of the human brain. Thesis Advisor: Marcel denNijs.University of Washington 
- 2006MS - PhysicsUniversity of Washington 
- 2000BS - Physics and BiologyUniversity of California San Diego 
Activities and honors
Certifications
- 2023Neurological SurgeryAmerican Board of Neurological Surgery 
Awards and honors
- 2018Rosegay AwardSan Francisco Neurological Society 
- 2018Van Wagenen Fellowship Van Wagenen Society 
- 2016Stanford Society of Physician Scholars Award RecipientStanford School of Medicine 
- 2015Boldrey AwardSan Francisco Neurological Society 
- 2014Annual BCI Research Award FinalistBCI Award Foundation 
- 2014Distinguished ScholarNational Center for Adaptive Neurotechnologies (NCAN) 
- 2013Newman AwardSan Francisco Neurological Society 
- 2012Kaiser AwardSan Francisco Neurological Society 
- 2010Daniel H. Cannon Leadership AwardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity 
- 2009NASA Graduate Student Reasearchers ProjectNASA - Johnson Space Center 
- 2006Neurological Surgery Training GrantNIH   
- 2004Poncin Fellowship AwardPoncin Foundation 
- 2000Balfour FellowSigma Chi Fraternity 
- 2000Medical Scientist Training ProgramNIH   
- 1999NASA Research FellowJohnson Space Center 
- 1998Provost’s ScholarUniversity of California, San Diego 
- 1996National Merit ScholarNational Merit Scholarship Corporation 
- 1996Regent ScholarUniversity of California 
Professional memberships
- 2016 - presentFounding MemberBrain-Computer Interface (BCI) Society 
- 2015 - presentMemberAmerican Physiological Society 
- 2011 - presentMemberAmerican Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) 
- 2011 - presentMemberCongress of Neurological Surgery 
- 2010Member of the National Welfare BoardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter 
- 2009Member of the National Welfare BoardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter 
- 2008Executive Member-at-Large of the National Welfare BoardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter 
- 2007Executive Member-at-Large of the National Welfare BoardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter 
- 2006Executive Member-at-Large of the National Welfare BoardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter 
- 2005Member of the National Welfare BoardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter 
- 2005 - presentMemberIEEE 
- 2004Member of the National Welfare BoardPhi Chi Medical Fraternity, Epsilon Kappa Chapter 
- 2004 - presentMemberSociety for Neuroscience 
- 2003 - 2004Senator from the Physics DepartmentUniversity of Washington, Graduate Student Senate 
- 2000 - 2001Academic Advisor to Upsilon Upsilon ChapterSigma Chi Fraternity, Iota Chi Chapter 
- 2000 - 2001MemberSigma Chi Fraternity, Iota Chi Chapter 
Publications
Research activities