In life, I have only ever done things because I felt they needed to be done. It is, however, very comforting and joyful to be acknowledged. To receive such an Honour is truly beyond my expectations and fills me with immense pride and gratitude.
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, MBE
08 January 2025
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan awarded MBE in King's New Year's Honours
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan was appointed as a consultant neurosurgeon at King’s in 2006 and is now the lead for Functional and Oncological Neurosurgery.
His expertise in brain tumour surgery, as well as deep brain stimulation for conditions including movement disorders, are recognised nationally and internationally, attracting patients for treatment, peer requests for opinions and fellows for training from all around the world.
He is the academic neurosurgery lead and Co-Chair of the Neuroscience Research Delivery Unit at King’s. He is an Elected Council Member of the Society of British Neurological Surgeons and the Immediate Past President of the British Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.
Professor Ashkan led the Glioma Genomics England Clinical Interpretation Partnership Section of the 100K Genomes Project, and was the Chair of the Neurosurgical Special Interest Group of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Despite his busy clinical commitments, as a Professor of Neurosurgery at the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences at King's College London and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Professor Ashkan has led dozens of ground-breaking research studies culminating in nearly 400 peer reviewed publications and multiple prizes and awards. His work on brain cancer vaccines received the top presentation award by the British Neuro-Oncology Society in 2022 and promises to impact the care of patients with brain tumours worldwide.
In 2020, his innovative approach to removing a brain tumour whilst his patient played the violin attracted a global audience and put neurosurgery at the forefront of public mind.
In 2018, he was voted Clinician of the Year nominated by the Brain Tumour Charity and in 2021 he was the runner-up for the UK Ground-Breaking Pioneer Award. Together with his team, he secured designation as a Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for the neuro-oncology service at King’s in 2021. In 2023, he was awarded a Doctor of Science degree, the highest academic degree in the UK, for his innovative work on deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease.
Professor Ashkan works closely with multiple charities to advocate for patients and their needs both at King’s and across the country. In his spare time he is a keen pianist, with a degree in music, and was part of the King’s recording of "O Holy night" released in Christmas 2020 to uplift the nation’s spirits during the Covid pandemic.
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Professor of Neurosurgery