Who We Are
Neurological Surgery
What is Neurosurgery?
When most people hear the word "neurosurgery" they automatically think of brain surgery. However, neurosurgery encompasses far more than the brain. Neurological Surgery, or neurosurgery, is the medical specialty involving surgery or procedures of the entire nervous system, including the brain, spine and spinal cord, as well as the nerves that travel through all parts of the body (hands, legs, arms, face). After graduating from college, a neurosurgeon must complete four years of medical school and then another seven years of postdoctoral training focused on neurosurgery. While much of that time is spent learning the techniques of procedures, even more important is knowing when — and when not — to apply them.
David W. Lowry, MD
David W. Lowry, MD, is a neurological surgeon at the Brain + Spine Center who evaluates referred patients to determine whether surgery would be right for them, and also whether other less invasive treatment options might work even better.
Dr. Lowry graduated from Hope College, where he now serves on the board of trustees. While in medical school at Johns Hopkins he worked in the laboratory of Henry Brem, MD, a pioneer in using biodegradable polymer wafers to deliver drugs and other agents directly to the brain while bypassing the blood-brain-barrier. While at the University of Pittsburgh following medical school, Dr. Lowry completed his internship and neurosurgery residency over seven years and obtained his MBA. He then practiced in Grand Rapids for four years before starting the Brain + Spine Center in Holland, Michigan. Dr. Lowry lives in Holland with his wife, who is also a physician, and their three young sons. Along with them, he enjoys biking, kayaking and sailing his Sunfish sailboat on Lake Michigan.
While collaborating with other providers at Brain + Spine to provide the highest quality of clinical neurosurgery to today's patients, for tomorrow's patients he collaborates with others to pursue medical innovation. He is a co-founder and scientific advisory board member of Northstar Neuroscience, a medical device company committed to developing innovative medical technologies that restore function and quality of life. Northstar is developing a cortical brain stimulation system to help people who suffer from several neurological disorders. Locally, he is working with others on TransCorp Spine, an early stage medical device company developing spinal applications. He was also a co-founder of LaunchCyte, an incubator that creates, seeds, and harvests life sciences innovation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has also served as a consultant for venture capital firms such as the Mayfield Fund and New Enterprise Associates (NEA) as well as for some of their portfolio companies at work on neuroscience medical devices.
M. Adam Kremer, MD
M. Adam Kremer, MD is a board certified neurological surgeon at the Brain + Spine Center. He evaluates patients to determine whether surgery would be right for them or whether other treatment options might work even better.
Dr. Kremer graduated from Vanderbilt University with honors. While there he performed research with the Department of Anaesthesiology, evaluating the effects of nicotine on the development of children; with the Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, evaluating cystic fibrosis; and with the Department of Chemistry, publishing in the Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy. He volunteered at the VA Medical Center in Nashville.
He attended Vanderbilt Medical School and continued his interests in research, studying the genetics of liver regeneration under Dr. William E. Russell. He worked at the Mental Health Cooperative under Dr. Roy Q. Sanders, providing emergency psychiatric care to adults and children. Dr. Kremer was involved in researching the neurobiology of antidepressant medications under Dr. Richard C. Shelton. He completed neurosurgery residency at Vanderbilt under Dr. George S. Allen. His research involved working with Neol B. Tulipan to develop an animal model for Chiari malformation.
Dr. Kremer’s training included performing complex spinal surgery and brain surgery at Vanderbilt Medical Center, as well as at St. Thomas Hospital treating patients with routine degenerative and painful spinal conditions. Since January 2004, Dr. Kremer has treated more than 3,000 patients with spinal problems, including pinched nerves, disk ruptures, bone spurs, fractures, cysts, and tumors.
Dr. Kremer says, “I treat patients with compassion. I encourage patients to actively participate in their medical care. I believe patient education is extremely important for a positive surgical outcome. When patients are well informed, participate in treatment decisions, and communicate openly with their doctor, they help make their care as effective as possible.”
The Kremer family includes Dr. Kremer’s wife and their three children. His personal interests include fly fishing, golf, rock climbing, and bow hunting.
Scott M. Tuinstra, PA-C, MS
What is a PA (Physician Assistant), and what does he do?
Physician assistants are health care professionals licensed to practice medicine with physician supervision. As part of their comprehensive responsibilities, PAs provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services and conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, counsel on preventive health care, assist in surgery, and write prescriptions. A PA's practice may also include education, research, and administrative services.
PA students are taught, as are medical students, to diagnose and treat medical problems. After graduating from college, physician assistants are educated for two or more years in classroom and laboratory instruction in the basic medical and behavioral sciences (such as anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology, clinical medicine, and physical diagnosis), followed by clinical rotations in internal medicine, family medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, and geriatric medicine.
Upon graduation, physician assistants take a national certification examination developed by the National Commission on Certification of PAs in conjunction with the National Board of Medical Examiners. Graduation from an accredited physician assistant program and passage of the national certifying exam are required for state licensure. In addition to all the above, Scott Tuinstra, PA-C holds a Master of Science (MS) degree.
Scott graduated from Hope College in 1998 with an undergraduate degree in Chemistry. He then completed his graduate Physician Assistant training in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he received a Master's Degree in Physician Assistant Studies.Following graduation, he worked in private practice neurosurgery in Evansville, Indiana, for 2 years before joining Dr. Lowry. Since joining the Brain + Spine Center, Scott has regularly collaborated with other professionals in the community on several medical innovation projects. Aside from spending time with his wife and son, Scott enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, which include windsurfing, scuba diving, and running.
Jefferson D. Alferink, PA-C
Jefferson joined the Brain and Spine Center in April 2009. He is a Certified Physician’s Assistant who got his degree at St. Francis University in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1999.
