A/Prof. Santosh Isaac Poonnoose

• A/Professor of Neurosurgery, Flinders University
• A/Professor of Neurosurgery, Adelaide University
• Vice President, Neurosurgical Research Foundation (NRF)
• Chair, NRF Scientific Committee
• Member, SET Training Board - Neurosurgical Society of Australia and New Zealand

Founder & Director, SA Neurological Tumour Bank (SANTB)

Founding Board Member, Brain Tumour Research SA (BTRSA)

We are dedicated to providing the highest standard of evidence-based surgical care, grounded in compassion and clinical integrity. Our focus is entirely on achieving the best possible outcomes through thoughtful, patient-focused decision-making. We firmly believe that quality and judgment are reflected in our clinical results, not our ees. To support our community, we are committed to keeping our care accessible, fair, and financially transparent.

For more information, see our Fees & Transparency page.

Medical Board of South Australia — Registration No: 17496

As an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Neurosurgery at Flinders University, Dr. Poonnoose is deeply committed to medical education and clinical mentorship.

His teaching portfolio is vast and active, involving:

Advanced Fellowships: Providing hands-on, highly specialized mentorship to the training Spinal Fellow and designated Neurosurgical trainees.

National Neurosurgical Training Leadership: Serving on the Neurosurgical Surgical Education and Training (SET) Board of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, where he contributes to the governance, assessment, and strategic direction of neurosurgical training across Australia and New Zealand. In this role, he is actively involved in the highly competitive selection process for entry into the five-year Neurosurgical SET Program, helping identify and appoint the next generation of neurosurgeons for Australasia. The overarching objective of the SET Program is to produce competent, independent specialist neurosurgeons with the experience, knowledge, technical skills, professional attributes, and leadership capabilities required to provide the highest standards of safe, ethical, and comprehensive neurosurgical care.

Junior Medical Officers & Students: Overseeing and instructing junior medical doctors and medical students during their critical neurosurgical rotations.

Translational Research Leadership: As the Director of the South Australian Neurological Tumour Bank and Vice President and Chair of the Neurosurgical Research Foundation (NRF) Scientific Committee, he directly guides emerging clinicians and researchers in cutting-edge neuro-oncology studies and trial delivery.

Through this intersection of advanced academic teaching, clinical supervision, and rigorous research mentorship, Dr. Poonnoose plays a vital role in shaping the future of neurosurgical care and surgical judgment in South Australia.

Dr Santosh Poonnoose has maintained a strong commitment to clinical research throughout his career. This was recognised early with the award of the Best Paper in Neurology at the 49th Annual Conference of the Neurological Society of India in Chennai for his work on the clinical and radiological response of intracranial tuberculomas to anti-tuberculous therapy. This recognition at one of India's premier neuroscience meetings reflects an enduring interest in research, innovation, and evidence-based patient care that continues to underpin his clinical and academic practice today.