NSGR - Fetal Neurosurgical Management of Myelomeningocele - Peter A. Chiarelli, MD

About the presenter: 

Peter A. Chiarelli, MD
Attending Pediatric Neurosurgeon;
Associate Professor; Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's

Peter A. Chiarelli, MD, DPhil, is a pediatric neurosurgeon and associate professor of neurological surgery at Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s. Dr. Chiarelli helps direct the Phoenix Children’s Hydrocephalus Program and serves as director of advanced research in neurosurgical illness at Phoenix Children’s. He specializes in treating children with tumors of the brain and spine, as well as spina bifida, Chiari malformation, hydrocephalus and neurotrauma.

A Phoenix native, Dr. Chiarelli was a Rhodes Scholar and earned a doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Oxford in England before obtaining his medical degree through Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He completed his neurological surgery residency and pediatric neurosurgery fellowship in Seattle at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital.

As a pediatric neurosurgeon focused on neuroimaging research and applied physics and chemistry, Dr. Chiarelli aims to combine his clinical expertise, surgical experience and background in neurological research to improve patient care. His multidisciplinary approach integrates fundamental scientific investigation with clinical practice to advance the diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions.

Advances in human brain imaging have contributed to significant improvements in neurosurgical practice and patient outcomes over the past century. Neurological conditions, including Chiari malformation, have benefited from large-scale studies examining clinical outcomes and best practices over the past decade. Advanced imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), continue to improve the understanding and management of Chiari malformation.

Dr. Chiarelli’s research has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Southern California Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Hydrocephalus Association, the Rudi Schulte Research Institute and several other foundations.

In 2024, Dr. Chiarelli received the Hydrocephalus Association Innovator Award. He also has been recognized as a Top Doc by Los Angeles magazine and Pasadena Magazine throughout his academic career.