mark richardson phd

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Mark Richardson, MD, PhD

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Contact Information

Boston, MA Phone: 617-726-8849

View Location Details

About Mark Richardson, MD, PhD

Dr. Richardson completed the MD-PhD program at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Medical College of Virginia and neurosurgical residency at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Richardson's clinical expertise includes awake brain mapping during epilepsy and DBS surgery, robotic-assisted stereotactic surgery, and network surgery approaches to epilepsy, including Responsive Neurostimulation. He was Director of Epilepsy and Movement Disorders Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) from 2011-2019, establishing an internationally recognized intraoperative MRI neurosurgery program, encompassing DBS for movement disorders, gene therapy clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease, and laser thermal ablation for epilepsy. Dr. Richardson is an active consultant on several pioneering clinical trials of brain modulation, in the areas of both closed-loop brain stimulation and gene therapy. Dr. Richardson is recognized internationally for his work, having published numerous related papers and book chapters, and frequently speaking at national and international meetings. He is a member of the Executive Board of the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.Dr. Richardson also is a neuroscientist who founded the Brain Modulation Lab, which applies a systems neuroscience approach to improving surgical treatments for epilepsy and movement disorders, largely via research using intracranial recording and stimulation.

Departments, Centers, & Programs:

• Neurosurgery, Pediatric
• Functional Neurosurgery Center

Clinical Interests:

• Brain tumors
• Deep brain stimulation
• Epilepsy surgery
• Functional neurosurgery
• Gene transfer
• Movement disorders
• Neurosurgery
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Parkinson's disease
• Seizure disorders
• Tremor; essential tremor; medication-related tremor
• Adult & Pediatrics

Mass General Neurosurgery 55 Fruit St. Wang Ambulatory Care Center Suite 745 Boston , MA   02114 Phone: 617-726-8849 Fax: 617-724-5924

Medical Education

• MD, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
• Residency, UC San Francisco

American Board Certifications

• Neurological Surgery, American Board of Neurological Surgery

Accepted Insurance Plans

• Beech Street
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
• Commonwealth Care Alliance
• Fallon Health
• Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
• Maine Community Health Options
• Mass General Brigham Health Plan
• Medicaid CT
• Medicaid ME
• Medicaid NH
• Medicaid RI
• Medicaid VT
• Medicare ACO
• Senior Whole Health
• Tufts Health Plan
• United Health Care
• WellSense NH

Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.

Dr. Richardson, who is also Visiting Associate Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, directs the Brain Modulation Lab ,  a human systems neuroscience lab studying brain electrophysiology and cognition in patients undergoing surgery for epilepsy, movement disorders, and psychiatric diseases. The overall goal of this work is to facilitate the development and optimization of electrical and biological brain modulation therapies, by filling critical gaps in our understanding of human brain function.  The lab has received NIH BRAIN Initiative funding to study brain networks involved in  speech production and to develop computational methods for closed-loop brain stimulation. Unique contributions of the Brain Modulation Lab include the first studies describing simultaneous cortical and subcortical recordings during speech, and the first study describing biomarkers of therapeutic responsive neurostimulation for epilepsy. 

Publications

http://bit.ly/RMRpubs

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A Top Hospital in America

Mass General is recognized as a top hospital on the U.S. News Best Hospitals Honor Roll for 2024-2025.

The Precision and Safety of Deep Brain Stimulation

Learn how deep brain stimulation is used to treat those with movement disorders and how new technologies enhance surgical outcomes.

BRAIN MODULATION LAB MASS GENERAL NEUROSURGERY

BRAIN MODULATION LAB

HUMAN SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE

We are a human systems neuroscience lab studying brain electrophysiology and behavior in patients undergoing surgery for epilepsy, movement disorders, and psychiatric disease. The goal of our work is to facilitate the development and optimization of electrical and biological brain modulation therapies, by filling critical gaps in our understanding of human brain function.  

RESEARCH THEMES

Basal Ganglia-Cortical Dynam ics in Human Behavior 

Intraoperatively, we collect simultaneously rec orded cortical ECoG, subcortical MER/LFP, and behavioral data to study interactions between the cortex and basal ganglia that encode specific components of motor control.

STN and STN-Cortical Codin g of Speech Production

BRAIN Initiative U01

Cortical-Basal Ganglia Speech Networks

Deep Neural Network Approaches for Closed-loop DBS

CRNCS in collaboration with ICNeuromodulation Neumann Group - Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Closed-Loop Brain Stimulatio n for Epilepsy

The lab's initial work in brain stimulation for epilepsy involved sensing-enabled DBS (PC+S and RC+S) in a nonhuman primate with idiopathic epilepsy. Subsequently, in order to better understand data recorded during  responsive neurostimulation in our epilepsy patients, we built BRAINStim, a platform for Biophysically Rational Analysis and Informed Stimulation.

Electrographic Seizure Pattern Modulation Biomarkers in Responsive Neurostimulation for Epilepsy

NINDS Biomarkers R61

Language Processing 

In this project led by Ev Fedorenko , we are collaborating to study neural responses to language stimuli using intracranial recordings, in combination with the recent advances in computational neuroscience and machine learning, in a quest to understand human linguistic ability.

Computational Neuroscience of Language Processing in the Human Brain

Mapping the Olfactory Perception Network

With funding from Lawnboy Ventures , we are using intracranial LFP recordings to map the electrophysiological correlates of odor perception, with a goal of defining network signatures of odor categories that can be recapitulated via electrical stimulation. The goal of this project is to development an olfactory prosthesis for patients with anosmia. 

Clinical Innovation in Functional Neurosurgery​

The lab's resources, including surgical databases, are leveraged to innovate and advance neurosurgical strategies and technical approaches to better treat epilepsy, movement disorders, and other brain diseases.

Major technological and scientific advances have opened a new era in neurosurgical therapies for people with epilepsy, movement, and psychiatric disorders. These invasive surgical procedures provide the unique ability to record and stimulate neuronal populations in precise brain regions, offering groundbreaking opportunities to explore how our brains perform a wide array of cognitive functions. To optimize these opportunities, Mass General Department of Neurosurgery and MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences developed the InBRAIN (Intracranial Brain Recording, Analysis, and Intelligent Neuromodulation) Collaboration.

FACULTY SCIENTISTS Mark Richardson, MD, PhD, FAANS Director of Functional Neurosurgery, MGH Charles Pappas Associate Professor of Neurosciences, Harvard Medical School Visiting Associate Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT Alan Bush, PhD Co--Director, Brain Modulation Lab, MGH Instructor in Neurosurgery, MGH Harvard Medical School STAFF SCIENTISTS Erin Donahue, PhD Project Manager Brain Modulation Lab Hezekiah Branch, MS Data Engineer/Data Scientist MGH-MIT InBRAIN Collaboration  CONTRIBUTING SCIENTISTS Nathan Sisterson, MD Neurosurgery Resident, MGH Ashley Walton, PhD Research Fellow MGH-MIT InBRAIN Collaboration  Matteo Vissani, PhD Harvard Research Fellow, MGH Pranav Nanda, MD Neurosurgery Resident, MGH Clemens Neudorfer, MD Harvard Research Fellow, MGH Yanming Zhu, MD PhD Student, Harvard Program in  Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology Latane Bullock, BA, BS PhD Student, Harvard Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology Ali Tafreshi, MD Neurosurgery Resident, Geisinger Health System Soumya Peri, BA Research Coordinator  

About our logo:

Brain on Holiday was created by the Italian illustrator Alberto Ruggieri , who generously granted permission for its use by the Brain Modulation Lab.

For other examples of Mr. Ruggieri's work, visit: albertoruggieri.net

Want to help sustain our work?

Send an email to [email protected]

We're located on the MGH campus, a ten-minute walk from MIT:

Thier Building, 4th floor

Massachusetts General Hospital

50 Blossom St. Boston, MA 02114

Harvard Medical School Goldenson Building, Room 101 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston MA 02115 Email: [email protected] X: @harvardbrainsci

Our team of clinicians, scientists and engineers works collaboratively to design new clinical neurotechnologies and perform high resolution neurophysiology research. 

Brain Modulation Lab

Mark Richardson, MD, PhD

BML aims to apply a systems neuroscience approach to improving surgical treatments for epilepsy and movement disorders

Sydney Cash, MD, PhD

CashLab aims to understand brain function under both normal and pathological conditions with a goal of developing techniques for diagnosing and treating devastating neuropsychiatric diseases.

Deep Brain Stimulation Program

Todd Herrington, MD, PhD

DBS is a surgically implanted device that delivers electrical stimulation to the brain. It can be a powerful treatment for brain diseases.

Alice Lam, MD, PhD

The Lam Lab aims to study the neurophysiology of neurodegeneration.

Network Stimulation Laboratory

Andreas Horn, MD, PhD

The goal of Nestim is to analyse and modulate brain networks to improve clinical treatment – predominantly in the movement disorders spectrum.

Precision Medicine Lab

Eric Rosenthal, MD

The Precision Medicine Lab aims to identify physiological biomarkers of poor outcomes and develop preventative treatments for neuronal damage following acute brain injury.

Brain Recovery Lab

Teresa Kimberley, PhD, PT, FAPTA

The Brain Recovery Lab strives to enhance the recovery of function following stroke or other neurologic disorders by maximizing the effect of rehabilitation and other neurorecovery solutions.

Center for Value-Based Health Care and Sciences

Sahar Zafar, MD, MBBS and Lidia Moura, MD, MPH, PhD

The center aims to develop health-care delivery models that improve quality of care.

Division of Neurotherapeutics

Darin Dougherty, MD

The Division of Neurotherapeutics at Mass General focuses on neurotherapeutic interventions for severe, treatment-resistant psychiatric illnesses.

McCance Center for Brain Health

Jonathan Rosand, MD, MSc

The McCance Center aims to reduce suffering and maximize human potential through better brain health for all. 

Neural Prosthethic Research Lab

Shelley Fried, PhD

The Neural Prosthethic Research Lab seeks to improve the effectiveness of neural implants by studying how and why neurons respond to artificial stimulation

Ziv Williams, MD, PhD

The Ziv Lab aims to probe the mechanisms by which complex cognitive processes are computed by neurons in the mammalian brain.

Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD

BrainGate is developing practical, groundbreaking medical devices to restore communication, mobility, and independence to people affected by neurologic disease, paralysis, or limb loss.

Catherine J. Chu, MD, MMSc, MA

The Chu Lab aims to identify biomarkers to understand the relationship between brain rhythms and symptoms, predict symptoms, and develop treatments to improve them.

David Lin, MD

LTNr aims to transform stroke rehabilitation by advancing understanding of brain mechanisms that enable post-stroke recovery.

Brian Edlow, MD

NICC aims to promote recovery of consciousness in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Paralysis Center

Justin Brown, MD

The Paralysis Center specializes in improving the lives of patients who have lost function due to any paralyzing injury.

Advances in Motion

• Neuroscience
• Neurosurgery

Forming a Collaboration Between Neurosurgeons and Neuroscientists

Video Published on June 29, 2021

In This Video

• Neurosurgeons and Massachusetts General Hospital are collaborating with the MIT Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
• Through their collaboration, researchers will create and information warehouse to advance data science surrounding the fields of neurosurgery and neuroscience
• Creating an information warehouse is complex and takes dedicated data engineers. Proximity between Mass General and MIT is a key component to the success of this collaboration

Mark Richardson, MD, PhD , director of the  Functional Neurosurgery Program  in the  Department of Neurosurgery  at Massachusetts General Hospital, talks about his collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Researchers from both institutions will create an information warehouse to advance data science surrounding neurosurgery and neuroscience.

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We're very excited about a collaboration that we have with MIT Brain and Cognitive Sciences to team some of the best neuroscientist in the world with the most cutting-edge neurosurgical techniques and advanced ways of thinking about how to optimize these opportunities. We believe that for the first time we've created an information warehouse for true collaboration between scientists at MIT with our surgeons who are scientists and their grad students and postdocs affiliated with Harvard Medical School. This is a powerful infrastructure that's going to focus around data sharing and really advanced data science because the data we work with is quite complex and takes data engineers who are dedicated just to organizing and managing the data for optimal sharing—and the physical proximity is also very important for this. So we will have scientists who never studied the brain their whole life, never been in the operating room, have never seen the human brain and students will have the opportunity to do this along with several senior investigators. So we think we're going to literally open up people's brains to the neuroscience world here at Mass General and MIT.

Visit the Functional Neurosurgery Program

Refer a patient to the Department of Neurosurgery

Related topics

Using mri to deliver gene therapy for parkinson's disease.

Massachusetts General Hospital is launching a trial of a therapeutic enzyme for Parkinson's disease using intraoperative MRI for more accurate drug delivery in the brain.

Gene and Cell Therapy , Neurodegenerative Disease , Neuroscience , Neurosurgery , Parkinson's Disease

Article December 3, 2020

The Precision and Safety of Deep Brain Stimulation

Mark Richardson, MD, PhD, director of Functional Neurosurgery in the Department of Neurosurgery, discusses the evolution and successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat those with Parkinson's disease and dystonia, and the use of robotics to enhance surgical outcomes.

Neurointerventional Imaging , Neuroscience , Neurosurgery , Parkinson's Disease , Radiology

Video February 23, 2021

Mark Richardson

Clinical associate professor.

• Title Clinical Associate Professor
• Email [email protected]
• Phone (617) 353-4662
• Education PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

Primary research activities address cognitive and affective sequelae of HIV/AIDS and their impact on adherence to treatment regimens. Additional interests include: neurobehavioral sequelae of acute and chronic substance abuse, depression and closed head injury; the impact of ethnicity and culture on psychological assessment and clinical judgement; individual and institutional factors that influence access to / utilization of mental health services.

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Astrakhan Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Astrakhan oblast: Astrakhan .

Astrakhan Oblast - Overview

Astrakhan Oblast is a federal subject of Russia, part of the Southern Federal District, situated in the Caspian Lowlands where the Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea. Astrakhan is the capital city of the region.

The population of Astrakhan Oblast is about 989,400 (2022), the area - 49,024 sq. km.

Astrakhan oblast flag

Astrakhan oblast coat of arms.

Astrakhan oblast map, Russia

Astrakhan oblast latest news and posts from our blog:.

4 March, 2020 / Astrakhan - one of the oldest cities in southern Russia .

18 May, 2019 / Colorful summer sunset in the Volga River delta .

4 April, 2019 / Cities of Russia at Night - the Views from Space .

11 May, 2017 / Astrakhan Kremlin after the Restoration .

13 December, 2016 / Astrakhan - the view from above .

More posts..

History of Astrakhan Oblast

In ancient times, the territory of the Astrakhan region was crossed by trade routes of the Persians and the Arabs. In the 8th-10th centuries, the territory belonged to the Khazar Khanate. There is a hypothesis that Itil, the capital of the Khazar Khanate, was located on this territory. It was destroyed by Prince Svyatoslav in 965.

Later, Polovtsy settled on this land. In the first half of the 13th century, the Mongol-Tatars came to the area. After them, Tatars of the Astrakhan Khanate and Kazakhs became the main population of the region.

In 1556, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the Astrakhan Khanate was annexed to the Russian state and ceased to exist. Astrakhan krai became the southeastern military outpost of Russia. In particular, in 1569, the Turks unsuccessfully besieged the fortress of Astrakhan.

In the 17th century, trade, fishing and salt industries developed in the region. In the middle of the 17th century, the uprising of Stepan Razin took place on the territory of Astrakhan region. In 1722, near the mouth of the Kutum River, a shipyard called the Astrakhan Admiralty was built. In the 1730s-1740s, the processing of silk and cotton began here.

Astrakhan Oblast was created in 1943. The region gained its current borders in 1957.

Steppe landscapes of Astrakhan Oblast

Astrakhan Oblast scenery

Author: Dvornikov Mikhail

Steppe road in the Astrakhan region

Astrakhan Oblast - Features

Astrakhan Oblast is located in the south-east of the East European Plain within the Caspian Lowlands. It is an area of deserts and semi-deserts. Astrakhan oblast borders on the Volgograd region in the north, the Republic of Kalmykia in the west and Kazakhstan in the east.

It is located on the border between Europe and Asia, the Volga River gives access to five seas. The main cities of the region are Astrakhan (518,700), Akhtubinsk (35,500), Znamensk (25,700), Harabali (17,100).

The climate of Astrakhan Oblast is continental, dry. Winters are with little snow, frequent thaws and unstable snow cover; summers are hot. January is the coldest month, the average temperature is minus 10-20 degrees Celsius. July is the hottest month - the average temperature is plus 35-45 degrees Celsius.

According to the 2010 census, the ethnic composition of the local population is the following: Russians (67.6%), Kazakhs (16.3%) and Tatars (6.6%). Orthodox Christianity is the main religion. However, Muslims also make up a significant group of the population (more than 20%). Historically, this province was a place where Kazakhs and Tatars settled. The largest Kazakh community in Russia lives in the Astrakhan region.

Astrakhan Oblast views

Paved road in Astrakhan Oblast

Author: V.Kildushov

Camels in Astrakhan Oblast

Author: Viktor Grigoriev

The Volga-Don Shipping Canal in Astrakhan Oblast

Author: Kudanov Pavel

Astrakhan Oblast - Economy

Natural resources of the region include natural gas, oil, salt, gypsum.

The industrial complex of Astrakhan, the economic center of the region, includes shipbuilding, pulp and paper industry, fish processing industry. The leading industries are fuel industry, mechanical engineering, power engineering, food industry. Astrakhan gas condensate field, the largest in the European part of Russia, is located in the area. Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant produces gas for cars, diesel and boiler fuel.

Agricultural lands make up more than 3.4 million hectares - the cultivation of tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, courgettes, cucumbers, carrots, beets, onions, cabbage, watermelons. Rice is traditionally grown along the Volga. The leading branch of livestock is sheep breeding.

The region stretches for over 400 km in the form of a narrow stripe on both sides of the Volga-Akhtubinsk flood-lands. Flooded for a long time, the territory of the delta serves as spawning-ground for such fish as sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, white sturgeon and others.

Astrakhan oblast of Russia photos

Pictures of astrakhan oblast.

Lenin Monument in Astrakhan Oblast

Bridge in Astrakhan Oblast

Author: Anatoliy Martyshkin

Church in Astrakhan Oblast

Limanskiy Khurul - the only active Buddhist temple in Astrakhan Oblast

Limanskiy Khurul in Astrakhan Oblast

Author: Moskaluk Vitaly

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UKnowledge > Graduate School > Master's Theses > 18

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Critical geopolitics of islam in astrakhan, russia: mosque construction and community building.

Meagan Lucinda Todd , University of Kentucky Follow

Date Available

Year of publication, degree name.

Master of Arts (MA)

Document Type

Arts and Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Patricia Ehrkamp

This thesis examines how and under what influences communities of Islamic faith have developed in post-Soviet Russia. My arguments are based on research conducted in Astrakhan, Russia in the summer of 2009. Astrakhan is the capital of Astrakhan Oblast in southwest Russia and has a reputation for being a multi-confessional and multi-ethnic city. Astrakhan is home to Russians, Tatars, Kazakhs, Kalmyks, and many other nationalities. I draw from interviews and newspaper analysis to examine what the local landscape of Islam looks like in Astrakhan, how has it changed since the collapse of the USSR, and what future trends are emerging. Mosque renovations and demolitions are the center of my analysis.

Drawing on scholarship in critical geopolitics and critical geographies of religion, this paper seeks to understand how the Kremlin and other levels of government influence the development of Islam locally within Astrakhan. Interviews are used to study local understandings of the changing forms of Islam in Astrakhan, and to see if locals believe that the state has been supportive to the Islamic community. My research contributes to wider scholarship on the importance of the relationship between the state and local Islamic communities for Islamic nation-building in the Russian Federation.

Recommended Citation

Todd, Meagan Lucinda, "CRITICAL GEOPOLITICS OF ISLAM IN ASTRAKHAN, RUSSIA: MOSQUE CONSTRUCTION AND COMMUNITY BUILDING" (2010). University of Kentucky Master's Theses . 18. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/gradschool_theses/18

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