Christopher C. Giza

Professor and Chief,
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital

Dr. Giza graduated from Dartmouth College, received his M.D. from West Virginia University and completed Adult and Pediatric Neurology training at UCLA. He worked on the Yosemite Search and Rescue team before joining the UCLA Brain Injury Research Center (1998). He served on the California State Athletic Commission (2005-2015), and as an advisor for the Department of Defense traveling to Afghanistan in 2011. He founded and directs the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT & Operation Mend-Wounded Warrior Project Balanced Recovery And Integrated Neuroscience (BRAIN) intensive TBI treatment program. He co-authored concussion/mild TBI guidelines for the American Academy of Neurology (AAN 2013), Centers for Disease Control (CDC 2018), Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation Living Guideline (ONF 2018-present) and the Concussion in Sport Group (CISG 2017, 2023), where he is also on the Board of Directors and is the Chair of the CISG Education Committee. He serves on the concussion advisory committees for Major League Soccer (MLS), the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). Dr. Giza is a clinical consultant for MLS/USSF, National Hockey League/Players Association (NHL/NHLPA), NBA, Los Angeles Lakers and the National Football League (NFL) Neurological Care Program. His research focuses on translational aspects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and persistent post-concussive symptoms, including mechanisms of plasticity, stress, exercise and migraine. Dr. Giza is Professor and Chief of Pediatric Neurology at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital.