Tampa General Hospital Expands Neurosurgery Team with Expert in Brain Repair and Neuro-Oncology

A clinical and research expert in neurosurgery and neuro-oncology, Dr. David Voce, joins the top performing TGH Neuroscience Institute and TGH Cancer Institute.

 

Tampa, FL (Sept. 11, 2024) – Tampa General Hospital’s (TGH) renowned Neuroscience Institute continues to strengthen its program with the addition of neurosurgeon Dr. David Voce. He joins TGH and USF Health as an assistant professor in the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery & Brain Repair in the Division of Cranial and Neuro-Oncology.

 

“The addition of Dr. Voce to our leading academic health system bolsters our strong and well-established team that continues to make Tampa General a destination for patients seeking top quality neurosurgical care,” said Dr. Harry van Loveren, chief of the TGH Neuroscience Institute for Neurosurgery, professor and chair of the Department of Neurosurgery & Brain Repair at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. “He brings immense experience in the field of neurosurgery and neuro-oncology, so this is a vital addition to our team and how we can better serve patients.’’

Voce’s passion for neurosurgery and neuro-oncology began as a child, after his father was diagnosed and later passed away from glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. His personal experience fueled his career in medicine beginning with earning a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience in 2008 from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he graduated magna cum laude. In 2014, he earned his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. While in medical school, Voce conducted two years of research as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellow investigating NF-kB’s role in temozolomide resistance in malignant glioma and was awarded the Leon O. Jacobson Basic Science Research Award for conducting the most meritorious research by a medical student.

“We are excited to have Dr. Voce join our team of highly skilled neurosurgeons focused on complex brain tumors,” said Dr. Eduardo Sotomayor, vice president and executive director of the TGH Cancer Institute. “The addition of another outstanding physician-scientist to our neuro-oncology team expands our clinical and research expertise, solidifying Tampa General’s footprint as a national and global leader in cancer care.”

Voce completed his neurosurgical residency training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. During his neurosurgical training, Voce was awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute F32 grant on glioblastoma research. The grant provided two years of fellowship support for postdoctoral researcher. Following his residency, Voce completed a neurosurgical oncology fellowship in the Department of Neurological Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York City to gain additional training in the care of patients with brain and spine tumors. 

 

“Through my father’s battle with glioblastoma, I learned more about the field of neurosurgery and neuro-oncology and it’s become my mission to find better treatment and cures for neurological conditions, particularly brain cancers,” Voce said. “Tampa General Hospital is without question one of the finest academic health systems in the country and it is an honor to join the Neuroscience Institute and the Cancer Institute team as we work together to change patients’ lives for the better.’’

“Dr. Voce’s clinical and research expertise in neurosurgery continues to build on the world-class care the TGH Neuroscience Institute provides and we are honored he will extend this high-quality care to patients across West-Central Florida and beyond,” said Tom Cairo, senior administrator, Neurosciences Institute and Orthopaedics Institute, at Tampa General. In addition to his clinical and research work in neuro-oncology, Voce brings expertise in awake craniotomy, glioma surgery, benign tumors and laser therapy.

Beginning in 2027, Voce and the neurosciences team will operate and work within the 565,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Taneja Surgical, Neuroscience & Transplant Tower now under construction. The 12-story building, including plaza level, will provide 144 patient beds, 32 operating suites and increased ICU capacity. In addition, there will be space for education and training, emergency response and sterile processing, along with two floors reserved for future growth. This building is the flagship of Tampa General’s $550 million Master Facility Plan, which was designed to meet the growing need for care in the region and across Florida.

The TGH Neuroscience Institute is one of the top neurology and spine programs in the U.S., according to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2023 list of “Hospitals and Health Systems with Spine and Neuroscience Programs to Know.” It also received a “high performing” designation for Neurology & Neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report for 2024-2025, awarded to only the top 10% of hospitals in the nation. The center is also one of the busiest functional neurosurgery programs in the U.S. and is one of the most trusted centers in the country for the medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the cranial nerves. The TGH Neuroscience Institute offers a full spectrum of care for neurological problems and provides comprehensive treatment for children and adults affected by a neurological disorder or disease, including the most complex neurological issues. Its neuroscience intensive care unit is one of the largest in the nation, staffed by neurocritical care intensivists 24/7. For more information, click here.