Dr Michael Biggs OAM, MBBS, FRACS MBA

Dr Michael Biggs OAM has been a leading Sydney based Neurosurgeon specialising in brain tumours; base of skull tumours including meningioma and acoustic neuroma; treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm; spinal surgery; and peripheral nerve surgery including carpal tunnel release, ulnar nerve decompression, meralgia paraesthetica, common peroneal nerve palsy, brachial plexus reconstruction and neurogenic tumours (schwannomas and neurofibromas).

He attended Sydney University graduating MBBS in January 1985. Having chosen and been selected to train in Neurosurgery, he underwent advanced neurosurgical training at St Vincent’s , Royal North Shore and Prince of Wales Hospitals in Sydney. At the completion of his training he undertook overseas fellowships in Toronto, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and New Orleans.

On returning to Sydney he took up a consultant Neurosurgical appointment at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital in September 1993. Dr Biggs established the Neurosurgical Unit at North Shore Private Hospital when the Hospital opened in July 1998, and was Head of Department of Neurosurgery from July 1998 until April 2015. During this time the Neurosurgical Unit grew to having 9 Neurosurgeons performing 1500 operations per year.

He co-founded and Deputy Chaired The Brain Cancer Group in 1998, a charity to raise funds for research, education and support for brain cancer patients and their families.

In 2019 Michael was awarded an OAM for services to Medicine, particularly Neurosurgery.

He has chosen to participate in the development and leadership of Atomic Oncology and has agreed to join the Board of Directors as an Executive Director.

Michael was appointed Atomic Oncology’s Chief Medical Officer in August 2022.

Publications

Biggs, M., Fagan, P., Sheehy, J., Bentivoglio, P., Doust, B., & Tonkin, J. (1991). Meningioma of the Posterior Skull

Base. Skull Base, 1(01), 43-50. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1056978

Fryer, J., Biggs, M., Katz, I., Braziers, D., & Shakespeare, T. (1998). Intracranial epithelioid hemangioendothelioma arising at site of previously excised atypical meningioma. Pathology, 30(2), 95-99. doi: 10.1080/00313029800169026

Ferch, R., Biggs, M., & Morgan, M. (1999). The zygomaticotemporal approach with medial petrosectomy for intradural lesions. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 6(4), 340-343. doi: 10.1016/s0967-5868(99)90060-7

Marx, G., Pavlakis, N., McCowatt, S., Boyle, F., Levi, J., & Bell, D. et al. (2001). Phase II study of thalidomide in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. Neuro Oncol Journal, 54(1), 31-38.

Yuile, P., Dent, O., Cook, R., Biggs, M., & Little, N. (2002). Survival of Glioblastoma patients related to presenting symptoms, brain site and treatment variables. Abstract published in: Radiotherapy & Oncology. Vol 64 (Supplement 1) S296, Sept. 2002

Yuile, P., Dent, O., Cook, R., Biggs, M., & Little, N. (2006). Survival of glioblastoma patients related to presenting symptoms, brain site and treatment variables. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 13(7), 747-751. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2005.10.011

Smith, S., Simpson, J., Brewer, J., Sekhon, L., Biggs, M., Cook, R. and Little, N. (2006). The presence of necrosis and/or microvascular proliferation does not influence survival of patients with anaplastic oligodendroglial tumours: review of 98 patients. Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 80(1), pp.75-82.

McDonald, K., O'Sullivan, M., Parkinson, J., Shaw, J., Payne, C., Brewer, J., Young, L., Reader, D., Wheeler, H., Cook, R., Biggs, M., Little, N., Teo, C., Stone, G. and Robinson, B. (2007). IQGAP1 and IGFBP2. Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, 66(5), pp.405-417.

Parkinson, J., Wheeler, H., Clarkson, A., McKenzie, C., Biggs, M., Little, N., Cook, R., Messina, M., Robinson, B. and McDonald, K. (2007). Variation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation in serial samples in glioblastoma. Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 87(1), pp.71-78.

Ball, J. and Biggs, M. (2007). Operative steps in management of benign nerve sheath tumors. Neurosurgical Focus, 22(6), pp.1-4.

Payne, C., Maleki, S., Messina, M., O'Sullivan, M., Stone, G., Hall, N., Parkinson, J., Wheeler, H., Cook, R., Biggs, M., Little, N., Teo, C., Robinson, B. and McDonald, K. (2008). Loss of prostaglandin D2 synthase: a key molecular event in the transition of a low-grade astrocytoma to an anaplastic astrocytoma. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 7(10), pp.3420- 3428.

Matar, E., Cook, R., Fowler, A., Biggs, M., Little, N., Wheeler, H., Robinson, B. and McDonald, K. (2010). Post-contrast enhancement as a clinical indicator of prognosis in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 17(8), pp.993-996.

McDonald, K., McDonnell, J., Muntoni, A., Henson, J., Hegi, M., von Deimling, A., Wheeler, H., Cook, R., Biggs, M., Little, N., Robinson, B., Reddel, R. and Royds, J. (2010). Presence of Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres Mechanism in Patients With Glioblastoma Identifies a Less Aggressive Tumor Type With Longer Survival. Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, 69(7), pp.729-736.

Fowler, A., Thomson, D., Giles, K., Maleki, S., Mreich, E., Wheeler, H., Leedman, P., Biggs, M., Cook, R., Little, N., Robinson, B. and McDonald, K. (2011). miR-124a is frequently down-regulated in glioblastoma and is involved in migration and invasion. European Journal of Cancer, 47(6), pp.953-963.

Gonzalvo, A., Fowler, A., Cook, R., Little, N., Wheeler, H., McDonald, K. and Biggs, M. (2011). Schwannomatosis, sporadic schwannomatosis, and familial schwannomatosis: a surgical series with long-term follow-up. Journal of Neurosurgery, 114(3), pp.756-762.

Parkinson, J., Afaghi, V., Payne, C., Buckland, M., Brewer, J., Biggs, M., Little, N., Wheeler, H., Cook, R. and McDonald, K. (2011). Single Centre Experience in Oligodendroglioma over 20 years – impact Of molecular and clinical factors on outcome. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 18(3), pp.329-333.