Cutting Edge. Neurosurgeon Zachary Levine, 37, is a pioneer in the use of deep-brain stimulation, a treatment for neurological disorders in which misfiring nerve cells are tamed by electrodes implanted in the brain and connected to a generator in the chest. After surgery, patients have walked away from wheelchairs; some with Parkinson's stop shaking. Based at the Washington Brain & Spine Institute, Levine also holds a patent for cellular transplantation for neurodegenerative diseases. But he's not all business: "My parents taught me how to be a good doctor and a good person. Enjoying nature with my wife and little girls keeps me balanced."
Washingtonian staff contributing to this section were Chuck Conconi, Sherri Dalphonse, Susan Davidson, Mary Clare Fleury, Cynthia Hacinli, Thomas Head, Stephanie Jones, Ann Limpert, Drew Lindsay, Chad Lorenz, Leslie Milk, William O'Sullivan, Cindy Rich, and Jeremy Stahl. Also contributing were writers Cathy Alter, Ann Cochran, and Jenny Sullivan.
