Avery M. Jackson III, MD, is the CEO and medical director of Michigan Neurosurgical Institute in Grand Blanc, which he founded in 2003. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American Association of Neurological Surgeons and American Academy of Spine Physicians. He also provides care at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc and McLaren Regional Medical Center in Flint, Mich.

The NeuroSpine Institute of Orlando will open its first ambulatory surgery center on March 1.

Kevin Rahn, MD, is an orthopedic spine surgeon from Fort Wayne Orthopaedic Spine Center in Indiana.

Gowriharan Thaiyananthan, MD, is board-certified neurosurgeon and the founder and medical director of the Brain and Spine Institute of California at Chapman Medical Center. He is also founder and chief neurosurgeon of BASIC Spine.

Christopher Chaput, MD, is a spine surgeon and the director of orthopedic research at Temple, Texas-based Scott & White Healthcare. He's also an assistant professor of surgery at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

John Steinmann, DO, is an orthopedic surgeon who treats traumatic spinal injuries and degenerative problems of the neck and low back. He is the director of spine trauma at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Redlands, Calif., and an assistant clinical professor at Western University.

Mark Prasarn, MD, is the chief of spine trauma and an associate professor in the department of orthopedics at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston.

Kee Kim, MD, is the chief of spinal neurosurgery at the University of California Davis Health System. He is a board-certified neurosurgeon with an expertise in dealing with challenging spinal disorders. He has experience in complex spine surgery, including tumor, infection, degenerative spine and trauma.

Here are 21 spine surgeons who are involved in stem cell research for spinal treatment.