Sweet, Jennifer, MD

As an academic neurosurgeon in the field of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Dr. Jennifer Sweet is dedicated to a career as a physician-scientist.

Specializing in deep brain stimulation (DBS) for neurologic and psychiatric disorders, Dr. Sweet has extensive clinical and research experience in advanced brain stimulation technologies and neuromodulation. She has been invited to present at over 120 national and international conferences and has contributed to over 65 peer-reviewed publications. She has served as PI on NIH-funded grants evaluating brain circuitry in bipolar disorder and as co-MPI on a DoD-funded grant evaluating restoration of grasp in tetraplegia.

Dr. Sweet is widely recognized as a leader in organized neurosurgery, having held positions including Board of Directors of the AANS, Vice President of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Chair of the Joint Guidelines Review Committee, President of the Neurosurgery Pain Section, and President of Women in Neurosurgery.

RESEARCH PROGRAMS

• Intracortical brain-computer interfaces for restoration of grasp in tetraplegia
• Deep brain stimulation for movement disorders (Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor)
• Brain circuitry and DBS for psychiatric disorders (bipolar disorder, depression)
• Neuromodulation for epilepsy, chronic pain, and traumatic brain injury
• Computational modeling and neuroimaging for DBS surgical targeting
• Advocacy and equity for women in neurosurgery

MAJOR PROJECTS & FUNDING

• NIH-Funded Research: Brain circuitry in bipolar disorder, PI on investigation of cingulum bundle connectivity in treatment-refractory patients for potential surgical targeting
• DoD-funded study: Co-MPI on ReHAB Study (Restoring Hand and Arm to Brain), placing intracortical and peripheral nerve electrodes to restore volitional movement in spinal cord injury
• CNS Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Guidelines: Lead author on multiple neurosurgical guidelines including occipital nerve stimulation
• Holographic deep brain stimulation neurosurgical planning: ongoing collaborative development of holographic surgical planning tools

HONORS & RECOGNITION

• • Harvard Career Advancement & Leadership Program for Women in Healthcare, Harvard, 2020
  • Neurosurgery Visiting Professor, Yale School of Medicine, 2020
  • Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS), 2019
  • Crain’s Cleveland Business Forty Under Forty Award, 2016
  • Clinical Translational Science Award, CWRU School of Medicine / Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 2015–2019
  • Neurological Institute Research Award, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 2005