James R. Doty, MD
James R. Doty, MD, Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery at Stanford University and a pioneer in both neurosurgical innovation and the scientific study of compassion, died on July 16, 2025. He was 69. Dr. Doty’s death occurred after prolonged hospitalization for medical complications from surgery in 2024. Over the course of his career, Dr. Doty combined technical expertise with a deep commitment to advancing the understanding of human empathy, leaving an enduring impact on both medicine and society.
Dr. Doty graduated from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1981, subsequently completing training at Tripler Army Medical Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Board-certified in neurologic surgery in 1990, he was a leading authority in complex spine and brain surgery. At Stanford, he was an early enthusiast of stereotactic radiosurgery and played a key role in the development and adoption of the CyberKnife, a technology now integral to the management of brain and spinal tumors.
Beyond his clinical contributions, Dr. Doty was an entrepreneur and innovator who helped guide Accuray, the company that developed the CyberKnife, to regulatory approval and public offering. Dr. Doty was committed to philanthropy and a conviction that medical and scientific progress must be accompanied by social responsibility.
In 2007, Dr. Doty founded the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University, with the support of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Under Dr. Doty’s leadership, the center became a leading institution dedicated to the interdisciplinary study of compassion, integrating neuroscience, psychology, economics, and contemplative traditions.
Dr. Doty’s 2024 memoir, Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart, reflected his personal journey and commitment to resilience and empathy. In it, he observed: “Each of us has this ability to change how we respond to life’s circumstances and, by doing so, change how the world responds to us”—a statement that has inspired clinicians, researchers, and the broader public alike.
Frank Liddy, a friend of Dr. Doty’s from Belfast, shared these reflections in a memorial published by Belfast Media: “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle, and in doing so, it makes the world a brighter place. Jim lit countless candles in his lifetime, and the world truly is brighter because of him.”
