Richard G. Fessler, MD, PhD, received his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago. At University of Chicago, Fessler completed an internship in general surgery and a residency in neurosurgery, as well as postdoctoral research fellowships in neurological surgery and psychiatry. Fessler is a board-certified neurosurgeon who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery. He is dedicated to finding innovative methods to repair spinal cord injuries, and he has been a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery. Fessler has made significant contributions to endoscopic and microendoscopic surgical developments, including microendoscopic discectomy and microendoscopic compression of lumbar stenosis. He has a special interest in spinal cord transplantation and was the first physician in the United States to perform human embryonic spinal cord transplantation.