Dr Michael Biggs OAM – Chief Medical Officer

Dr Michael Biggs OAM is a highly experienced Neurosurgeon (MBBS, University of Sydney) 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 was selected for advanced neurological training to be completed at St Vincents, Royal North Shore and Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, after which he undertook overseas fellowships in Toronto, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and New Orleans. On his return to Sydney in 1993, Michael took a consultant Neurosurgical appointment at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital. In 1988, he established the Neurosurgical Unit at North Shore Private Hospital, where he was Head of Department of Neurosurgery until April 2015, where they grew to a team of nine neurosurgeons, performing 1,500 surgeries every year. Michael co-founded and Deputy Chaired The Brain Cancer Group in 1998 to raise funds for research, education and support for brain cancer patients and their families. In 2019, he was awarded an OAM for services to Medicine, particularly Neurosurgery, and he has chosen to participate in the development and leadership of Atomic Oncology as an Executive Board Director. Michael was appointed Atomic Oncology’s Chief Medical Officer in August 2022.

Dr Michael Biggs’ Selected Publications
  • Meningioma of the Posterior Skull Base

    Biggs, M., Fagan, P., Sheehy, J., Bentivoglio, P., Doust, B., & Tonkin, J. (1991).. Skull Base, 1(01), 43-50. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1056978

  • Intracranial epithelioid hemangioendothelioma arising at site of previously excised atypical meningioma.

    Fryer, J., Biggs, M., Katz, I., Braziers, D., & Shakespeare, T. (1998). Pathology, 30(2), 95-99. doi: 10.1080/00313029800169026

  • The zygomaticotemporal approach with medial petrosectomy for intradural lesions.

    Ferch, R., Biggs, M., & Morgan, M. (1999). Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 6(4), 340-343. doi: 10.1016/s0967-5868(99)90060-7

  • Phase II study of thalidomide in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma multiforme.

    Marx, G., Pavlakis, N., McCowatt, S., Boyle, F., Levi, J., & Bell, D. et al. (2001). Neuro Oncol Journal, 54(1), 31-38.

  • Survival of Glioblastoma patients related to presenting symptoms, brain site and treatment variables. Abstract published in: Radiotherapy & Oncology.

    Yuile, P., Dent, O., Cook, R., Biggs, M., & Little, N. (2002). Vol 64 (Supplement 1) S296, Sept. 2002

  • Survival of glioblastoma patients related to presenting symptoms, brain site and treatment variables.

    Yuile, P., Dent, O., Cook, R., Biggs, M., & Little, N. (2006). Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 13(7), 747-751. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2005.10.011

  • The presence of necrosis and/or microvascular proliferation does not influence survival of patients with anaplastic oligodendroglial tumours: review of 98 patients.

    Smith, S., Simpson, J., Brewer, J., Sekhon, L., Biggs, M., Cook, R. and Little, N. (2006). Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 80(1), pp.75-82.

  • IQGAP1 and IGFBP2.

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

  • Variation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation in serial samples in glioblastoma.

    Parkinson, J., Wheeler, H., Clarkson, A., McKenzie, C., Biggs, M., Little, N., Cook, R., Messina, M., Robinson, B. and McDonald, K. (2007). Journal of Neuro-Oncology, 87(1), pp.71-78.

  • Operative steps in management of benign nerve sheath tumors.

    Ball, J. and Biggs, M. (2007). Neurosurgical Focus, 22(6), pp.1-4.

  • Loss of prostaglandin D2 synthase: a key molecular event in the transition of a low-grade astrocytoma to an anaplastic astrocytoma.

    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). Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 7(10), pp.3420- 3428.

  • Post-contrast enhancement as a clinical indicator of prognosis in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma.

    Matar, E., Cook, R., Fowler, A., Biggs, M., Little, N., Wheeler, H., Robinson, B. and McDonald, K. (2010). Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 17(8), pp.993-996.

  • Presence of Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres Mechanism in Patients With Glioblastoma Identifies a Less Aggressive Tumor Type With Longer Survival.

    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). Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, 69(7), pp.729-736.

  • miR-124a is frequently down-regulated in glioblastoma and is involved in migration and invasion.

    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). European Journal of Cancer, 47(6), pp.953-963.

  • Schwannomatosis, sporadic schwannomatosis, and familial schwannomatosis: a surgical series with long-term follow-up.

    Gonzalvo, A., Fowler, A., Cook, R., Little, N., Wheeler, H., McDonald, K. and Biggs, M. (2011). Journal of Neurosurgery, 114(3), pp.756-762.

  • Single Centre Experience in Oligodendroglioma over 20 years – impact of molecular and clinical factors on outcome.

    Parkinson, J., Afaghi, V., Payne, C., Buckland, M., Brewer, J., Biggs, M., Little, N., Wheeler, H., Cook, R. and McDonald, K. (2011). Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 18(3), pp.329-333.

  • Glycolysis and Fatty Acid Oxidation Inhibition Improves Survival in Glioblastoma.

    McKelvey, K.J., Wilson, E.B., Short, S., Melcher, A.A., Biggs, M., Diakos, C.I., and Howell, V.M. (2021). Frontiers in Oncology: Cancer Metabolism, 29 March 2021. doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.633210

Our team

Michael Lyon MAICD – Executive Director & CEO

Libby Paton – Clinical Research Consultant [BLAS, GAICD, MPhil (Medicine)]

Contact us

If you want to learn more or talk to us please feel free to get in touch at connect@atomiconcology.com.au