Kristopher Gray Hooten, MD

As a neurosurgeon, Dr. Kristopher Hooten diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord and other parts of the nervous system. He has specialized expertise in neurotrauma (traumatic injuries to the brain or spinal cord), pediatric neurosurgery and spinal deformities.

Dr. Hooten is passionate about surgical quality improvement, education and translational research. He is dedicated to enhancing trauma care on both military and civilian fronts through integrated, high-impact partnerships.

Throughout his career, Dr. Hooten has been committed to advancing care in the fields of:

• Neurodegenerative diseases (occurring when nerve cells in the brain or peripheral nervous system lose function over time and ultimately die)
• Neuroinflammation (inflammation of nervous tissue)
• Neuroregeneration (the ability of the nervous system to repair itself after damage or injury)

Previously, Dr. Hooten served as chief of neurosurgery and the surgical subspecialties division at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he helped establish a groundbreaking military-civilian pediatric neurotrauma program for the state. Currently, he serves as clinical assistant professor of neurosurgery at University of Maryland School of Medicine through a landmark military-civilian partnership between University of Maryland Medical Center’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

A distinguished member of the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Dr. Hooten holds the prestigious role of American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Surgeon Champion for the U.S. Army. He was the first American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery-certified pediatric neurosurgeon in the U.S. Military. He was also the last neurosurgeon deployed to Afghanistan, marking a historic contribution to military medicine.