DR. HIROSHI MOROOKA
Chief of Neurosurgery
Okayama, Japan
Dr. Hiroshi Morooka was born on August 28, 1946 in the city of Okayama, Japan. The son of Shigeru and Akiko Morooka, he married Michiko Ninomiya in 1976, and the couple has three children, Takatoshi, Hanako and Teruko. Michiko is Director and Chief of Pediatrics at Morooka Neurosurgical & Pediatric Clinic.
His son, Takatoshi M.D. is an orthopedic surgeon at Hyogo Medical School; his eldest daughter Hanako M.D. is a cardiologist at the University of Kinki Medical School; his second daughter Teruko Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist at the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine.
In 1971 Dr. Morooka graduated from the Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine with a Medical Doctorate degree, and in 1978 he received his Ph.D. He is now a Diplomate of the Japanese Board of Neurological Surgery.
Dr. Morooka began his career as a Clinical Assistant in Neurosurgery at the University of Okayama Medical School, holding this position from 1972 to 1977. For the next two years he serve as a Research Associate of Neurology at the University of Miami Medical School. Dr. Morooka was an instructor of Neurosurgery, and he was an Assistant Professor for two years following that. He continued to progress in his career, and from 1987 until 1992 he was Chief of Neurosurgery at Okayama Rousai Hospital.
During the 1990's Dr. Morooka served as Chief of Neurosurgery at Bizen City Hospital, and since 1996 he has been Chief of Neurosurgery at Okayama Saidaiji Hospital. He is President and Chief of Neurosurgery at Morooka Neurosurgical & Pediatric Clinic, Okayama, Japan (2008-present). Notably, through his work he established that histochemical demonstration of free radicals in ischemic brain edema and protective effects of human recombinant superoxide dismutase (free radical scavenger) on ischemic neuronal damage, 1993. In addition to teaching and practicing medicine, Dr. Morooka has written several books. He is the author of Cytoprotection & Biology, published in 1988, Medical Biochemical & Chemical Aspects of Free Radicals and Intracranial Pressure VII, both published in 1989, and Brain Edema IX, published in 1993. Dr. Morooka has also attended the annual symposium on risk factors in cerebrovascular disease. He has presented a report on the role of the sympathetic neurotransmitter as the significant platelet activator of strokes at the 10th biennial meeting of the International Society for Free Radical Research in Kyoto in 2000. He also published a paper for the sake of reducing risk of stroke in the weekly magazine, Shinchyo, from January until June 2019.
As a recognized professional in his field, Dr. Morooka has received various honors, including a National Research Grant in 1981, a Professional Award, from the BWW Society and Institute for the Advancement of Positive Global Solutions, Calif, 2003, the Legion of Honor Award, United Cultural Convention, NC 2005, Research Prof. Award, International Biographical Center, Cambridge, England, 2015.
He is also a member of the Japan Neurological Society; the Societas Neurologica Japonica; the New York Academy of Sciences; the American Heart Association; the American Chemical Society; and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award (2017).