Assoc. Prof. Dr. Paweł Sokal | Neuroscience | Best Researcher Award
head of department at Department of Neurosurgery, Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery, Collegium Medicum Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland
Prof. Paweł Sokal is a leading Polish neurosurgeon with a distinguished career in clinical practice, research, and academic leadership. He currently heads the Clinic of Neurosurgery, Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery at University Hospital No. 2, Dr. Jan Biziel in Bydgoszcz, affiliated with the Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. With over three decades of medical and surgical experience, Prof. Sokal is recognized for his expertise in neuromodulation, chronic pain therapy, functional neurosurgery, and neuro-oncology. His clinical practice is complemented by extensive scientific contributions and active participation in multiple professional neurosurgical societies both in Poland and internationally.
Profile
Education
Prof. Sokal’s medical education began at the Medical Academy in Bydgoszcz, where he earned his medical diploma in 1994. He received certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) in 1996, enabling him to broaden his experience through training in the United States. He earned a PhD in medical sciences from the Military Medical Faculty at the Medical University of Łódź in 2003, with a dissertation on chemotherapy outcomes in patients with oligodendrogliomas. In 2005, he completed his specialization in neurosurgery under the mentorship of Prof. Marek Harat. His academic qualifications culminated in 2016 with a habilitation in medical sciences from Nicolaus Copernicus University, with a series of publications on the neuromodulation treatment of chronic pain.
Experience
Prof. Sokal began his career with a postgraduate internship in 1994, followed by a research assistantship at the Pediatric Clinic of Columbus Hospital in Chicago. He returned to Poland to serve in internal medicine and neurosurgery roles at the 10th Military Clinical Hospital in Bydgoszcz, rising to the position of senior assistant. From 2006 to 2018, he served as a consultant in neurosurgery at the Provincial Combined Hospital in Konin and the Oncology Center in Bydgoszcz. In 2018, he became Acting Head of the Clinic of Neurosurgery and Neurology at University Hospital No. 2 in Bydgoszcz, and by 2019, he was formally appointed Head of the Clinic. In 2024, he assumed his current role as Head of the Clinic of Neurosurgery, Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgery.
Research Interest
Prof. Sokal’s research focuses on functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, neuromodulation for chronic pain, spinal surgery, and neuro-oncology. He has developed a significant academic footprint in the field of neuromodulation, contributing original research on spinal cord stimulation and deep brain stimulation techniques for treatment-resistant conditions. His interdisciplinary approach bridges clinical application and translational neuroscience, striving to enhance patient outcomes through technological innovation and evidence-based protocols.
Award
Although specific individual awards are not listed in the CV, Prof. Sokal’s academic accolades are evidenced by his habilitation, multiple leadership roles, and high citation metrics. His standing in the neurosurgical community is further demonstrated by his inclusion on the boards of esteemed scientific societies such as the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery and the European Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. These appointments reflect his peer recognition and the impact of his scientific contributions.
Publication
Prof. Sokal has authored 72 scientific publications, with a cumulative impact factor of 87.74 and 3357 points from the Polish Ministry of Science. His work has been cited extensively, with over 1,100 citations on Google Scholar.
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Earthing as a Supportive Therapy for Post-Spinal Surgery Recovery
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025-05-29
DOI: 10.3390/jcm14113844
Contributors: Paweł Sokal, Maciej Broda, Magdalena Zając, Julia Sokal -
Changes in Frontal Aslant Tract Tractography in Selected Types of Brain Tumours
Neurologia I Neurochirurgia Polska, 2024
DOI: 10.5603/PJNNS.98149
Contributors: Sara Kieronska-Siwak, Magdalena Jablonska, Paweł Sokal -
Prevalence of Ruptured Small and Very Small Aneurysms: A Retrospective Single-Centre Study
Neurologia I Neurochirurgia Polska, 2024
DOI: 10.5603/PJNNS.98021
Contributors: Paweł Sokal, Grzegorz Meder, Magdalena Jablonska, Mateusz Krakowiak, Natalia Rulewska, Sara Kieronska-Siwak, Milena Switonska, Wojciech Beuth -
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Central Neuropathic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury: A Single-Center Case Series
Journal of Pain Research, 2024
DOI: 10.2147/JPR.S462587
Contributors: Paweł Sokal, Damian Palus, Magdalena Jablonska, Oskar Puk, Sara Kieronska-Siwak -
A Rare Case of Spinal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula in a 22-Year-Old Farmer
Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 2024-11-13
DOI: 10.26444/aaem/195582
Contributors: Sara Kieronska-Siwak, Natalia Rulewska, Jan Klimowicz, Grzegorz Meder, Milena Świtońska, Paweł Sokal -
Immunomodulatory and Endocrine Effects of Deep Brain Stimulation and Spinal Cord Stimulation – A Systematic Review
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 2023
DOI: 10.1016/J.BIOPHA.2023.115732
Contributors: Oskar Puk, Magdalena Jablonska, Paweł Sokal -
Structural Connectivity Reorganization Based on DTI After Cingulotomy in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Brain Sciences, 2023
DOI: 10.3390/BRAINSCI13010044
Contributors: Sara Kieronska-Siwak, Paweł Sokal, Magdalena Jablonska, Marcin Rudas, Agnieszka Bylinka
Conclusion
Prof. Paweł Sokal is a vital figure in modern neurosurgery, combining surgical excellence with academic leadership and cutting-edge research. His career reflects a commitment to advancing patient care through innovation in functional and stereotactic neurosurgery, with a particular emphasis on treating chronic pain and complex neurological conditions. Through his scholarly output, international collaboration, and role in shaping neurosurgical practice in Poland and beyond, Prof. Sokal continues to influence both the present and future landscape of neurosurgical science.