Charles Reginald Watts MD PhD

Neurocritical Care

Chair of Neurosurgery Health Partners/Park Nicollet - Methodist Hospital St. Louis Park, MN

Summary

Dr. Charles Watts is a neurosurgeon based in St. Louis Park, MN, specializing in neurosurgical procedures with a subspecialty in neurocritical care. He completed his medical education at Creighton University School of Medicine and furthered his training with internships, residencies, and a fellowship at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Watts has held multiple positions, including roles at the Mayo Clinic and M Health Fairview, with his experience extending into general and pediatric neurosurgery as well as trauma/critical care. His research interests include vertebral stress fractures, neurosurgical oncology, and spine surgery. He has authored various publications and received several honors, such as the Silver Quality Fellow award from Mayo Clinic.

University of MinnesotaResidency, Neurological Surgery, 2000 - 2006
University of MinnesotaFellowship, Surgical Critical Care, 2003 - 2004
M Health FairviewInternship, Preliminary Year, 2000 - 2001
Creighton University School of MedicineClass of 2000
University of Minnesota/College of Biological SciencesPh.D, Biophysical Chemistry, 1991 - 1998

OH State Medical License Current
WI State Medical License 2014 - 2027
MN State Medical License 2003 - 2026
American Board of Neurological Surgery Neurological Surgery
American Board of Surgery Surgical Critical Care
The Society of Neurological Surgeon: Committee on Advanced and Sub-specialty TrainingNeurocritical Care
United Council of Neurological SubspecialtiesNeurocritical Care

Silver Quality Fellow Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 2017
CMS Meaningful Use Stage 2 Certification Access Profiler Enterprise, EMRConnect, 2014, 2017
CMS Meaningful Use Stage 2 Certification PowerChart (Clinical), Cerner Corporation, 2014, 2017

PubMed

Chlorotoxin does not target matrix metalloproteinase-2 in glioblastoma.
Eli Blaney, Meron Demeke, Seraphine Kamayirese, Louise Monga, Laura A Hansen
Plos One. 2026-01-01
1 citations
Does chlorotoxin target matrix metalloproteinase-2 in glioblastoma?
Eli Blaney, Meron Demeke, Seraphine Kamayirese, Louise Monga, Laura A Hansen
Biorxiv. 2025-07-16
Developing a Standardized Process to Visualize, Analyze, and Communicate NSQIP Data Using an Advanced Visual Data Analytics Tool.
Linda C Alongi, Brady Alsaker, David J Willis, William A Burns, Charles R Watts
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety. 2025-05-01

Journal Articles

Cervical Total Disc Replacement: better outcomes and cost savings
Charles R. Watts, Minnesota Physician Volume XXX, No. 9, 12/1/2016
Targeted temperature management: Improving outcomes in neurocritical care
Charles R. Watts, Minnesota Physician Volume XXX, No. 3, 6/1/2016
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: Diagnosis and Treatment of a Reversible Cause of Dementia.
Watts, C. R.; Hames, E, Minnesota Physician, Vol. XXV, No. 5

Books/Book Chapters

Peptides 1999: Frontiers of Peptide Science.
Chapter: Determination of Specific Peptide Micelle Interactions Using NMR Spectroscopy
Page 402 - 403Kallick, D. A.; Watts, C. REditors: Barany, G.; Fields, G. B.Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands
Peptides 1998: Proceedings of the 25th European Peptide Symposium.
Chapter: Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Analogs of Human Epidermal Growth Factors: Conformation and Receptor Binding Properties
Page 402 - 403Watts, C. R.; Lovas, S.; Murphy, R. FEditors: Bajusz, S,; Hudecz, F.Akademiai Kiado, Hungary
Peptides 1998: Proceedings of the 25th European Peptide Symposium.
Chapter: Conformational Space Comparison of GnRH and GnRH-III
Page 426 - 427Watts, C. R.; Lovas, S.; Murphy, R. FEditors: Bajusz, S.; Hudecz, F.Akademiai Kiado, Hungary

Abstracts/Posters

Misfolding and Oligomerization of Amyloid B(1−40)
Lovas, S and Watts, C. R., 2015 American Peptide Symposium, Orlando, FL, 6/2015
Higher Dose Requirements for Melanoma and Renal Cell Carcinoma in Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases.
Lin, D.; Watts, C. R.; Watanabi, Y.; Sperduto, P.; Hunt, M, 75th Anniversary William T. Peyton Society, Minneapolis, MN
Intracranial Operative Anatomy, Techniques and Instrumentation: an Introduction.
Watts, C. R, Minnesota State Assembly of Surgical Technologists, Bloomington, MN

Lectures

Sedation and Analgesia in Neuro ICU Patients
Mayo Clinic Neuro and Intensive Critical Care: Review and Hands-on Workshops, Orlando, Fl - 5/2015

Other

The Investigation of Molecular Recognition via Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and Computational Modeling.
Watts, C. R, 1998, Ph.D. Dissertation
University of Minnesota, College of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry

Alzheimer’s Dementia, Lessons in Life, and IntegrityJanuary 2026
Is Clinical Research the Missing Outlet in Your Medical Career?March 2026
Lessons Beyond the Lake: Reflections on Wilderness, Work, and RenewalFebruary 2026

Investigation of Amyloid Beta AggregationMayo Clinic Health System – Franciscan Healthcare Foundation2015–2016

Neurosurgery/Neurocritical Care Representative, Society of Critical Care Medicine - Board Review Item Writing Committee (Adult) 2015 - Present
Neurosurgery/Neurocritical Care Representative, Society of Critical Care Medicine - Advanced Knowledge Assessment Committee (Adult) 2015 - Present
South West Wisconsin Representative, Mayo Clinic Health System - Surgical and Procedural Committee 2014 - Present
South West Wisconsin Representative, Mayo Clinic Health System - Regional Patient Safety Committee 2014 - Present
Surgical Subspeciality Representative, Mayo Clinic Health System - Personnel Committee 2014 - Present