“To understand neurology is to understand man himself" — by Wilder Penfield (1891–1976), one of the founding fathers of awake brain surgery

Geert-Jan Rutten is full professor of Computational Neurosurgery in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. His research focuses on the structure–function relationship in the human brain, a question that has fascinated him since his early background in physics. As a neurosurgeon, he has built a research program at Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital over the past 15 years with two central lines: cognition & well-being in brain tumor patients, and advanced MRI techniques for mapping brain connectivity. Together with TU Eindhoven and Tilburg University, these projects have developed into a strong interdisciplinary infrastructure. By combining cognitive neuroscience, medical imaging, mathematics, and computer science, his research seeks to better understand how brain networks are altered by tumors and surgery, and how this translates into cognitive outcomes and quality of life. His ambition is to further strengthen this bridge between clinic and technology, fostering collaborations that are both scientifically innovative and clinically meaningful.

Geert-Jan Rutten studied Physics at Utrecht University before completing his medical degree and neurosurgical training at University Medical Center Utrecht and Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital. His PhD (2002) focused on presurgical identification of language areas using functional MRI, laying the foundation for his long-standing interest in brain mapping. Since 2007 he has worked as a neurosurgeon in Tilburg, where he developed a research group on brain tumors, cognition, and advanced neuroimaging. He is (co-)applicant on several national grants from NWO and ZonMw, most recently as principal investigator of the ZonMw MedZO grant. His career has consistently centered on integrating clinical practice with both technological innovation and insights from neuroscience and neuropsychology on cognition and human functioning.