Dr. Arnold Etame
Neurological Surgeon & Scientist in Neuro-Oncology

Dr. Arnold Etame is a Neurological Surgeon and Scientist specializing in Neuro-Oncology/Neurosurgical Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center and serves as an Assistant Professor of Oncology at the University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine. His clinical practice focuses on management of primary and metastatic tumors of the brain, spine and peripheral nerves. He has developed innovative techniques for maximum-safe resection of malignant brain tumors such as glioblastoma.  He performs a substantial number of surgeries in eloquent and non-eloquent regions of the brain with image-guided stereotactic techniques entailing functional MRI and DTI tractography neuro-navigation. He also directs a very active awake-brain tumor resection program for patients with tumors close to critical areas for speech and movement. He runs a multidisciplinary stereotactic radiosurgery program for brain and spine metastatic tumors. His research focuses on mechanisms of resistance in brain cancers and also on enhanced delivery of targeted therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier for malignant and metastatic brain tumors using nanotechnology and focused ultrasound disruption of the blood-brain barrier. He is a principal investigator for clinical trial protocols in patients with malignant brain tumors most notably vaccines for glioblastoma.

 

Dr. Etame received his BS degree in Chemistry Magna Cum Laude from the State University New York (SUNY) at New Paltz. He subsequently completed his MD degree with Distinction in Research from the University of Iowa College of Medicine where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, and the Gold Humanism Medical Society. His neurosurgery specialization was completed at the University of Michigan. Under the mentorship of the renowned neurosurgeon and scientist Dr. James Rutka, Dr. Etame was awarded a Neuro-Oncology Research Fellowship with the Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. During this time, Dr. Etame also pursued and completed his PhD in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. His work focused on optimizing nanoparticle-based delivery strategies across the blood-brain barrier for subsequent targeting of invasive pathways in malignant gliomas. He has received numerous awards including the prestigious Wilder Penfield Fellowship Award from the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He has authored several peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.

 

Dr. Etame is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and a member of Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS). He is a diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery (ABNS).

Experience
Moffitt Cancer Center
2012 - present
Attending Neurosurgeon & Staff Scientist

Tampa, Florida

University of South Florida
2012 - present
Assistant Professor of Oncological Sciences - Morsani College of Medicine

Tampa, Florida

University of Michigan - Health System
2005 - 2012
Resident Neurosurgeon

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Labatt Brain Tumour Centre - The Hospital for Sick Children
2009 - 2011
Neurosurgical Oncology Research Fellow

Toronto, Canada

Education
University of Toronto
2012
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
University of Iowa - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine
2005
Doctor of Medicine (MD) - Distinction in Research
  • Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society
  • Gold Humanism Medical Society
State University of New York at New Paltz
1995
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemistry
  • Magna Cum Laude
Awards
Skills
Oncology
Neurology & Neurosurgery
Clinical Research & Trials
Board Certified
Medical Education
Brain Injury & Brain Cancer