The Sports Institute at UW Medicine Announces New Director and Name Change
December 18th, 2018
Seattle – The Sports Institute at UW Medicine, formerly the UW Medicine Sports Health and Safety Institute, has announced that Dr. Samuel Browd, UW School of Medicine professor of neurological surgery, has become the new director of the institute.
Appointed earlier this year, Browd succeeds founding director Dr. Stanley Herring, clinical professor in the UW School of Medicine Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, and Neurological Surgery, who will remain in a key leadership position as the institute’s senior medical advisor.
“The Sports Institute has a unique role within the sports safety community thanks to its position within UW Medicine and its deep bench of experts with wide-ranging experience,” said Browd. “There’s no question: The Sports Institute can transform the current approach to sports safety and become a world leader in helping people to lead active, healthy lifestyles. Our new name reflects our ambition, commitment and deep desire for building partnerships across sectors.”
The Sports Institute at UW Medicine was created to bring together experts and evidence-based approaches and research from across medicine, policy, science and technology to improve safety in sports and expand participation. Since its founding, the institute has led first-of-its-kind efforts to legislate safe return to play across all 50 states and to advance best practices in sports safety.
“With an extensive research background, Dr. Browd brings a record of thoughtful and disruptive innovation to the institute,” said Dr. Richard G. Ellenbogen, chair of the UW School of Medicine Department of Neurological Surgery and co-founder of The Sports Institute. “The Sports Institute’s expanded scope reflects the scientific and practical approach to sports safety that Dr. Browd has championed throughout his career.”
Browd is an adjunct professor of bioengineering and an affiliate faculty member of the Foster School of Business. He has founded four venture-backed biomedical startups out of the University of Washington. Browd is also an attending pediatric neurosurgeon at Seattle Children’s Hospital and medical director of the Seattle Children’s Sport Concussion Program. He serves as Seattle Children’s Director of Hydrocephalus and Surgical Director of the Tone Management Program.
About Dr. Samuel Browd
Dr. Samuel R. Browd, M.D., Ph.D., FACS, FAANS, FAAP, is a professor of neurological surgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine and an attending neurosurgeon at Seattle Children’s Hospital. He is the director of the Sports Institute at UW Medicine and medical director of the Seattle Children’s Sports Concussion Program. He also serves as Seattle Children’s Director of Hydrocephalus and Surgical Director of the Tone Management Program.
Dr. Browd is adjunct professor of bioengineering and an affiliate faculty member of the Foster School of Business. He serves as an unaffiliated neurologic consultant to the NFL and as an independent neurologic consultant to the Seattle Seahawks. He completed a combined M.D. and Ph.D at the University of Florida studying neuroplasticity and learning, and his current research interests include concussion, hydrocephalus, and biomedical engineering solutions in neurological surgery and sports safety.
Dr. Browd has co-founded and serves as chief medical officer of four venture- backed biomedical startups out of the UW. He serves as a UW Presidential Entrepreneurial Faculty Fellow and is on the advisory board of CoMotion, the commercialization arm of the UW. He teaches at the Foster School of Business and lectures internationally on biomedical innovation and commercialization.
Dr. Browd was recognized as the University of Washington School of Medicine inventor of the year in 2016.
About The Sports Institute
The Sports Institute at UW Medicine works to improve safety in sports and expand participation. Since its founding, the institute has led first-of-its-kind efforts to legislate safe return to play across all 50 states and to advance best practices in sports safety. Based in Seattle, Washington, The Sports Institute brings together experts and evidence-based approaches and research from medicine, policy, science and technology, while partnering with innovators, educators and advocates to encourage play and to make sports safer. The Sports Institute is part of UW Medicine, one of the world’s leading centers for patient care, medical education and research.