Executive Director, WCMISST-2026
Dear Colleagues,
It is with great pride and enthusiasm that I welcome you to the 7th World Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Techniques (WCMISST-2026). Having been part of WCMISST from the very beginning, I’ve had the privilege of watching this congress grow from its first hour into a globally recognized platform for innovation, collaboration, and clinical excellence.
As Executive Director, I am deeply committed to continuing this tradition-driving minimally invasive spine surgery forward, always with the goal of improving patient outcomes through the safest, most advanced, and most effective techniques. My decades of work in organizing international surgical forums have shown me the power of shared knowledge and cross-border partnerships, and I believe WCMISST remains a vital space where these forces converge.
I look forward to welcoming you in person and working together as we shape the future of spine care-one idea, one innovation, and one patient at a time.
Warm regards,
Prof. Gun Choi, MD, PhD
Executive Director, WCMISST-2026
gunchoi.ed@wcmisst2026.org
President, WCMISST 2026
Dear Colleagues,
It is a great honor to welcome you to the 7th World Congress of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and Techniques (WCMISST-2026). This congress has long served as a global platform for advancing innovation in spine surgery, and I am excited to help lead its continued evolution at a time when the demand for evidence-based, precision-driven care is greater than ever.
One of our core priorities this year is the development and application of real-world data to better understand and respond to the needs of practicing spine surgeons. To that end, I anticipate WCMISST 2026 will feature live surveys during educational and cadaver lab sessions, giving us a unique opportunity to identify emerging trends, capture real-time feedback, and shape the future of minimally invasive spine techniques from the ground up.
We look forward to engaging with you in meaningful, practice-driven discussions and building a global consensus on what comes next in spine care.
Best regards,
Prof. Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, MD
President, WCMISST-2026
kai-uwe.president@wcmisst2026.org
Scientific Program Director, WCMISST-2026
Dear Colleagues,
It’s my privilege to introduce myself as Scientific Program Director for WCMISST-2026. I bring over three decades of experience as an orthopedic spine and hand surgeon, with leadership roles that include Deputy Editor of the International Journal of Spine Surgery and Chair of major policy and reimbursement task forces. Throughout my career, I’ve been dedicated to translating complex healthcare systems into actionable solutions for practicing spine surgeons.
At WCMISST-2026, I will use that experience to help shape a program that truly serves the day-to-day needs of the practicing surgeon—from technique optimization to real-world policy navigation. Working closely with Executive Director Prof. Gun Choi, Congress President Prof. Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, and Chair of Translational Science & Innovation Prof. Kenneth Blum, I aim to ensure our scientific agenda is grounded in practical relevance while remaining on the cutting edge of surgical advancement.
Expect a focused, data-driven, and clinically meaningful experience-built to empower your practice and elevate patient outcomes.
Warmly,
Dr. Morgan P. Lorio, MD, FACS
Scientific Program Director, WCMISST-2026
Chair, Translational Science & Innovation, WCMISST-2026.
Dear Colleagues,
I am delighted to introduce myself as Founding President of USG United Scientific Group, a nonprofit Organization from Plano, TX and Chair of Translational Science & Innovation for WCMISST 2026. My lifelong work in neuropsychopharmacology and neurogenetics-from the discovery of the dopamine D2 receptor’s association with addiction in 1990 to the development of the Reward Deficiency Syndrome framework and personalized genetic testing (GARS) has been dedicated to translating molecular science into meaningful clinical practice.
I have long appreciated the unique role that spine surgeons play in addressing the structural foundations of chronic pain. The shift within the spine surgery community toward more targeted, precise, and individualized care strongly aligns with my own translational vision. I see tremendous synergy in the collaboration between surgical innovation, precision medicine, and non-addictive pharmacogenetic strategies.
At WCMISST-2026, my role is to help elevate the scientific depth of the congress so that it not only advances surgical techniques but also meaningfully interfaces with professionals in related fields-including pain medicine, anesthesiology, and neuroscience. I am committed to helping WCMISST gain broader recognition as the premier international platform where surgical, interventional, and medical approaches to spine and pain care converge, guided by genetics, epigenetics, and systems-based precision medicine.
Together, we can move toward a future where spine surgeons remain central and highly relevant in multidisciplinary pain management-and lead the way in delivering safer, more personalized, and more effective solutions for our patients.
Sincerely,
Prof. Kenneth Blum, PhD
Founding President of USG United Scientific Group
Chair, WCMISST 2026 Translational Science & Innovation
