Rate My Professor Mitchell Hansen

Associate Professor Mitchell Hansen is a Conjoint Associate Professor in the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Newcastle, appointed in 2020. He holds degrees including BSc, MBBS from the University of Sydney, Graduate Diploma in Science, PhD focusing on purinergic neurotransmission in basic science, and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS). Hansen completed Australian neurosurgical training in Sydney and undertook fellowships in complex spine surgery at John Hunter Hospital and the AO Spine Fellowship at Toronto Western Hospital, Canada. He has held appointments at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Westmead Adult Hospital, Westmead Children’s Hospital, John Hunter Hospital, and Royal North Shore Hospital. Currently, he practices as an adult and paediatric neurosurgeon at John Hunter Hospital and in the private sector at several hospitals, including as Director of Neurosurgery at Newcastle Private Hospital and Director of the AO Spine Centre at John Hunter Hospital. His areas of practice encompass a wide range including children, trauma, cranial and spine surgery, degenerative spine disorders, spine trauma and tumours, spinal cord, peripheral nerve decompression, cerebrovascular, base of skull, and neuromuscular conditions.

Hansen's research interests lie in neurosurgery, with affiliation to the Injury and Trauma research program at the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), where he has 27 publications. His PhD investigated purinergic neurotransmission, and he has contributed to brain cancer research initiatives such as the Mark Hughes Foundation biobank. An enthusiastic teacher, he collaborates across disciplines and regularly provides presentations and training to other surgeons. He serves in prominent leadership roles, including as President of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia, Chair of AO Spine Australia and New Zealand, and Neurosurgical Education Officer for AO Spine in the Asia Pacific region. His work demonstrates significant impact in clinical neurosurgery, education, and research within the field.