MBBS(Lond), BSc, MSc (Edin), DPhil (Oxon), FEBNS, FRCSEd (SN)

The doctor

Introduction

Welcome to my professional website. I am Dr. Nektarios K. Mazarakis, a Consultant neurosurgeon and complex spinal surgeon with extensive training and experience across the United Kingdom and Ireland. My practice is dedicated to providing the highest standard of care in neurosurgery and spinal surgery, with a particular focus on complex spinal conditions, neuro-oncology, and minimally invasive techniques.

Education and Academic Background

I studied Medicine at Guys, King's & St Thomas' School of Medicine, at the University of London where I earned my MBBS with Distinction in special studies. I also hold a BSc in Psychology with Distincion from the University of Crete, a Master of Science (MSc) in Neuroscience with Distinction from the University of Edinburgh. My passion for research led me to the University of Oxford, where I completed a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in Physiology supervised by the world renowned Professor Sir Colin Blakemore. My PhD focused on brain plasticity and neurodegenerative disease.

My commitment to lifelong learning is reflected in my participation in numerous advanced courses and workshops in neurosurgery and spinal surgery across the UK and Europe.

Specialist Training and Surgical Subspecialisation

My neurosurgical training was completed through the East Midlands Rotation in the UK, a highly competitive national selection program. I have held neurosurgical trainee and fellowship positions at leading institutions, including:

Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham
Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds
Beaumont Hospital, Dublin

I have achieved dual Certificates of Completion of Training (CCT) in neurosurgery, recognized in both the United Kingdom and Greece. I am a Fellow (by examination) of the European Board of Neurosurgical Societies (FEBNS) and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCSEd SN).

Subspecialist Fellowships

My expertise is further enhanced by several prestigious fellowships:

Complex Spine Fellowship at Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds.
Complex Spine Fellowship at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham.
National Oncology Neurosurgical Fellowship at Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds
Neurosurgical Spinal Fellowship at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

Professional Experience

I was a former Consultant Neurosurgeon at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust, Brighton. I still maintain an Honorary contract with the Trust. I am also an adj. Senior Lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons Medical School in Ireland. Currently, I am assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and a neurosurgical consultant as the Ippokrateion General Hospital in Thessaloniki.

Research, Teaching, and Professional Memberships

I am actively involved in clinical research, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conferences. My research interests include neuro-oncology, spinal surgery outcomes, neuroplasticity and management of spasticity in children.

Teaching is a core part of my professional life. I regularly lecture medical students and trainees, organize clinical tutorials, clinical educational events and participate in examination and curriculum development.

I am a member of several professional societies, including:

Hellenic Neurosurgical Society
British Association of Spinal Surgeons
AO Spine
Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS)
European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS)

Commitment to Excellence

My approach combines evidence-based medicine, advanced surgical techniques which include minimally invasive and endoscopic spinal approaches and compassionate patient care. I am dedicated to delivering optimal outcomes for patients with complex neurosurgical and spinal conditions, and I look forward to supporting you on your journey to better health.

Training in neurosurgery subspecialty (clinical fellowships)

Fellowship in Complex Spine Surgery, Queens Medical Centre Hospital, Nottingham, United Kingdom (12 months)

National Fellowship in Neuro-Oncology, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, United Kingdom (9 months)

Fellowship in Complex Spine Surgery, Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, United Kingdom (14 months)

Spine Neurosurgery Fellowship, National Centre for Neurosurgery Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland (14 months)

My practice is based on two core principles: evidence-based care and a patient-centered approach. I am committed to clear communication, thoughtful decision-making, and personalized treatment that puts your needs first, so you feel informed, supported, and confident every step of the way.

Publications

1. Mazarakis NK, Robinson SD, Sinha P, Koutsarnakis C, Komaitis S, Stranjalis G, Short SC, Chumas P, Giamas G. Management of glioblastoma in elderly patients: A review of the literature. Clin Transl Radiat Oncol. 2024 Mar 10;46:100761. doi: 10.1016/j.ctro.2024.100761. PMID: 38500668; PMCID: PMC10945210.

2. Robinson SD, Wong CD, Mazarakis NK, Lorimer C, Critchley G, Chandy E. A Review of Focal Therapies for Small Cell Lung Cancer Brain Metastases. Clin Lung Cancer. 2025 Jun 10:S1525-7304(25)00132-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cllc.2025.06.003. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40615342.

3. Murphy S, Sheridan R, Mazarakis NK, Bolger C. Effects of revision lumbar microdiscectomy and scarectomy versus scarectomy micro-surgery alone in pain perception: a retrospective pilot study. Br J Neurosurg. 2025 Jun 13:1-5. doi: 10.1080/02688697.2025.2514171. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40511529.

4. Murphy S, Carey E, Dablouk L, Alomairi J, Maasarani J, Ong JB, Gupta K, Sharma RM, McCracken O, Shinyanbola D, Alrujaib A, Sheridan R, Teixeira LM, O'Byrne GP, Rafiq N, Mazarakis N, O'Brien D. Neurophobia amongst medical students: Hype or reality. Brain Spine. 2024 Nov 12;4:104134. doi: 10.1016/j.bas.2024.104134. PMID: 39687082; PMCID: PMC11647157.

5. Stephen David Robinson, Mark Samuels, William Jones, Nicolas Stewart, Murat Eravci, Nektarios K Mazarakis, Duncan Gilbert, Giles Critchley, Georgios Giamas . Confirming size-exclusion chromatography as a clinically relevant extracellular vesicles separation method from 1mL plasma through a comprehensive comparison of methods. BMC Methods 1, 7 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s44330-024-00007-2

6. Dr Stephen Robinson, Dr Katherine Ryan, Dr Louisa Black, Dr Sam Forner, Dr Nathaniel Luke Hatton, Dr Rebecca Hatton, Dr Nurjahan Aktar, Mr Haydn Lathangue, Dr David Conkey, Dr Praveen Durage, Mr Paolo de Luna, Dr Pavlos Christodoulou, Dr Timothy Hill, Ms Rachel MacArthur, Dr May Teoh, Dr Adenike Williams, Dr Jennifer Golten, Dr Tasia Aghadiuno, Dr Kohgulakuhan Yogalingam, Dr Jennifer Kahan, Dr Sanjay Dixit, Dr Samir Guglani, Dr Rachel Lewis, Dr Rafael Moleron, Dr Najmus Iqbal, Dr Nick Wadd, Dr Prashanth Bhat, Prof Georgios Giamas, Dr Nektarios Mazarakis, Dr Cressida Lorimer, Dr Edward Chandy, Prof Giles Critchley. Management of the older patient with glioblastoma in the UK: An initial report from the histo-mol GBM collaborative. Neuro-Oncology, Volume 26, Issue Supplement_7, October 2024, Pages vii5–vii6, https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noae158.019

7. S D Robinson, C Hooper, J MacColl, K Ryan, H Ajah, S T Williams, N J Aktar, H Lathangue, T Carter, D Conkey, L Rayner, M Theodoulou, B Kalra, A Fullagar, R Sen, P T T Durage, E Edlmann, K Winfield, T Hill, R MacArthur, C Cavalli, A Williams, T Norris, T Aghadiuno, G Lavelle, S Kingdon, K Yogalingham, G Stewart, S E Lau, J Kahan, L Walsh, N Mazarakis, G Giamas, E Chandy, G Critchley, Histo-Mol Collaborative. Glioblastoma in older adults, a need for bolder treatment in selected patients? Neuro-Oncology, Volume 26, Issue Supplement_5, October 2024, Page v101, https://doi.org/10.1093/neuonc/noae144.339

8. Nektarios K. Mazarakis, Christos Koutsarnakis, Spyridon Komaitis, Evangelos Drosos, Andreas K. Demetriades. Reflections on the future of telemedicine and virtual spinal clinics in the post COVID-19 era. Brain and Spine, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bas.2022.100930

9. Rosemary Lane, Chiara Cilibrasi, Jianing Chen, Kalpit Shah, Eleonora Messuti, Nektarios K. Mazarakis, Justin Stebbing, Giles Critchley, Erwei Song, Thomas Simon, and Georgios Giamas. PDGF-R inhibition induces glioblastoma cell differentiation via DUSP1/p38MAPK signalling. Oncogene (2022), May; 41(19):2749-2763. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-022-02294-x

10. Mazarakis NK & Demetriades AK. Baseline MRI and Predicitive Usefulness in Chronic Backpain Thirteen Years Later. Global Spine J. 2022; 12(5):1029-1030. DOI: 10.1177/21925682211049365. PMID: 34608811

11. Cilibrasi, C., Simon, T., Vintu, M., Tolias, C., Samuels, M.E., Mazarakis, N., Eravci, M., Stewart, N., Critchley, G.R., & Giamas, G. (2022). Definition of an Inflammatory Biomarker Signature in Plasma-Derived Extracellular Vesicles of Glioblastoma Patients. Biomedicines, 10(1) 125, https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10010125

12. Komaitis, S., Kalamatianos, T., Drosos, E., Kalyvas, A., Piagkou, M., Troupis, T.G., Mazarakis, N., Stranjalis, G., & Koutsarnakis, C. (2022). A Stepwise Laboratory Manual for the Dissection and Illustration of Major Limbic Structures. Evidence from the Klingler’s Technique. Surg Radiol Anat. 2022; 44(7): 1045-1061. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02981-0

13. M. Eldoadoa, A. Aldarragi, P. Rao, P. Sian, V. Kapoor, N.K. Mazarakis. Open Versus Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF): A Single-Centre Experience, British Journal of Surgery, Volume 109, Issue Supplement_1, March 2022, znac039.136, https://doi.org/10.1093/bjs/znac039.136

14. Stavrinou P, Drosos E, Komaitis S, Skandalakis GP, Mazarakis NK, Kalyvas AV, Troupis T, Goldbrunner R, Stranjalis G, Koutsarnakis C. Direct Comparison Between the Kawase Approach and Retrosigmoid Intradural Suprameatal Corridor to Access the Petroclival Region Using Computed Tomography Quantitative Volumetric Analysis: A Cadaveric Study. World Neurosurg. 2022 Aug 7:S1878-8750(22)01072-5. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.07.120 PMID: 35948218

15. Mazarakis, NK, Baren J., Loughenbury, PR., Koutsarnakis C., Gupta, H., Fawcett, RW. Site matters: Image-guided percutaneous sampling of intervertebral disc results in increased positive diagnostic yield in spondylodiscitis. British journal of neurosurgery (2021): 1-5.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02688697.2021.2013438

16. Koutsarnakis, C., Drosos, E., Komaitis, S., Mazarakis, N., Neromyliotis, E., Kalyvas, A., Troupis, T.G., & Stranjalis, G. (2021). Introducing the posterior condylar emissary vein as an effective surgical landmark for optimizing the standard retrosigmoid approach. An anatomo-imaging study. World neurosurgery, 158: 174-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wneu.2021.11.118

17. Mazarakis NK & Foroglou N. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality simulation and neurosurgical training: friend or foe? Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland e-journal, number 60, June 2021.

18. Koutsarnakis C, Neromyliotis E, Komaitis S, Mazarakis N, Hara DO, Stranjalis G, Chumas P. Effects of brain radiotherapy on cognitive performance in adult low-grade glioma patients: A systematic review. Radiother Oncol. 2021 May 6;160:202-211. doi: 10.1016/j.radonc.2021.04.023. PMID: 33964327.

19. Mazarakis NK, Robinson SD, Sinha P, Koutsarnakis C, Komaitis S, Stranjalis G,., Vloeberghs M. H. (2016). Spasticity secondary to Leigh syndrome managed with selective dorsal rhizotomy: a case report. Child's Nerv Syst 32(9): 1745-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-016-3071-9

20. Mazarakis N. K., Ughratdar, I., Vloeberghs, M. H. (2015). Excellent functional outcome following selective dorsal rhizotomy in a child with spasticity secondary to transverse myelitis.Child's Nerv. Syst, 31(11): 2189-91. DOI: 10.1007/s00381-015-2779-2

21. Mazarakis NK, Mo C, Renoir T, van Dellen A, Deacon R, Blakemore C, Hannan AJ (2014). Super-Enrichment' Reveals Dose-Dependent Therapeutic Effects of Environmental Stimulation in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease. J. Huntington’s Dis. 3(3): 299-309. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/jhd-140118

22. Mitchell HK, Garas G., Mazarakis N., McGlashan J. (2013). Extramedullary relapse of multiple myeloma in the thyroid cartilage. BMJ Case Rep pii: bcr2013200689. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2013-200689.

23. Grigoratos DN, Mazarakis NK, Lumsden DE, Kariyawasam S, Bhanjoo R, Gordon A, Lin J-P, Dlamini N. ( 2013 ). Good functional outcome following emergency decompressive craniectomy in a case of life threatening malignant middle cerebral artery infarction in a 14 month old infant . British Journal of Neurosurgery, 27(5):694-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/02688697.2013.776668

24. Mazarakis NK , Judd , O ., Garras , G ., Sama A . M . ( 2013 ). An unusual basal skull injury resulting in CSF leak and a novel method to repair. British Journal of Neurosurgery, 27(6) :830-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/02688697.2013.795523

25. Mazarakis N. K., Summers, F., Murray A. D., Waiter G. D., Fouyas I. P. (2011). Partial recovery from amnesia following bilateral surgical fornix transection is correlated with cortical plasticity. The British Journal of Neurosurgery, 25(5):658-661. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/02688697.2011.584982

26. Mazarakis N. K., Demetriades A. Jenkins C., Pahl C., Tolias C. (2009). Early decompressive craniectomy for traumatic brain injury may lead to a shorter stay in intensive care: A pilot study at King’s College Hospital. Proceedings of the 154th meeting of the Society of British Neurological Surgeons. The British Journal of Neurosurgery, 23(5):486-487.

27. Mazarakis N. K. & Hannan A. J. (2006). Focusing on the cerebral cortex in Huntington’s disease: Experience-dependent plasticity deficits as the cellular basis of dementia. Advances in Clinical Neuroscience Research, 6(5): 10-11.

28. Mazarakis N. K., Cybulska-Klosowicz A., Grote H., Pang T., Van Dellen A., Kossut M., Blakemore C., Hannan A. (2005). Deficits in experience-dependent cortical plasticity and sensory discrimination learning in presymptomatic Huntington’s disease mice. J. Neuroscience, 25(12), 3059-3066. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.4320-04.2005

29. Cybulska-Klosowicz, A. Mazarakis N K., Van Dellen, A., Blakemore C., Hannan, AJ and Kossut M. (2004). Impaired learning-dependent cortical plasticity in Huntington’s disease transgenic mice. Neurobiol Dis, 17(3), 427-434. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbd.2004.08.009

30. Mazarakis N. K., Nestoros J. N. (2001). The neurophysiological basis of anxiety: The role of the GABAergic system. Psychology: The journal of the Hellenic psychological society, 8, 40-59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/psy_hps.24094

31. Mazarakis N. K. & Hannan J. A. (2007). Huntington’s disease. In Handbook Neuroepidemiology for the Clinician. Feigin V. & Bennett D. (Eds). Nova Science Publishers. Pp 573-593