Brain Tumor Foundation

NEW YORK - The Brain Tumor Foundation (BTF), the nation’s premier non-profit dedicated to providing support and guidance for brain tumor patients and their families, today announced that it will be presenting Brain Tumor InfoCon, a free informational program for patients and caregivers. The online event will feature presentations from some of the world’s leading experts in brain tumor medicine.

Brain Tumor InfoCon will take place on October 8, 2024 from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. It will feature six presentations, followed by questions and answers. The program is intended to help patients and caregivers gain a better understanding of the state of brain tumor research and treatment.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the latest in the brain tumor field,” said Dr. Nelson Oyesiku, BTF President. “The presenters will discuss advanced medical science, but in a relatable way. This promises to be a memorable evening.”

Register at https://braintumorfoundation.org/resources/2798-2/

The program features the following presentations:

• The Landscape of Neuro-oncology Trails, moderated by Soma Sengupta, MD, PhD, MBA. Dr. Sengupta is Director, Adult Neurosurgical Oncology and Assistant Professor at the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She was nominated as a Committee Member of the British Neuro-Oncology Society (BNOS). BNOS is the leading multi-professional organization in the United Kingdom, dedicated to promoting neuro-oncology research, education, and patient centered care. Dr. Sengupta spent her most formative years in the United Kingdom, where she attended the University of Wales for a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry. She then went to the University of Cambridge for medical school and a PhD in Biochemistry. During her medical training, Dr. Sengupta was an active participant in immunology research at the Cambridge Institute of Medical Research.

• Targeting Metabolism in Glioblastoma, with Dominique Higgins, MD, PhD.  Dr. Higgins is Director, Adult Neurosurgical Oncology and Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He completed a dual MD/PhD program at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, appeasing both his interests in medicine and research. While at Mayo, Dr. Higgins spent time in the tumor-focused labs, and eventually completed his PhD thesis on glioblastoma stem cells. During his time at Mayo, Dr. Higgins felt he had found his passion where both his research and clinical interests came together, and he felt he could make a mark on the progress that was being made. He went on to complete his residency training in neurosurgery at Columbia University’s Neurological Institute of New York. He also completed a brain tumor fellowship at the University of Miami, with an emphasis on minimally invasive open and endoscopic surgical treatments for brain tumors. His research focus is the treatment of malignant brain tumors, including glioblastoma. Dr. Higgins received the University of North Carolina School of Medicine DEI Grant and is also the recipient of the American Academy of Neurology Minority Scholars Fellowship and the Mayo Medical Scientist Training Program Bonner Scholarship.

• CAR-T Against B7H3 for Glioblastoma, with Yasmeen Rauf, MD. Dr. Rauf is Assistant Professor of Neurology Secondary Appointments: Neurosurgery and Internal Medicine University of North Carolina-Chapel. She is a NIH-funded neuro-oncologist. She did her neurology residency at Ohio State University and neuro-oncology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. Her main area of clinical interest is Glioblastoma. Her research interests include finding newer treatments for Glioblastoma. Her current focus of research is CAR-T for Glioblastoma. She runs a phase 1 clinical trial at UNC-Chapel Hill, using CAR-T against B7H3.

• Emerging Applications of Focused Ultrasound for Brain Tumors, with Vibhor Krishna, MD. Dr. Krishna is Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Neurological Surgery University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He is a board-certified neurosurgeon specializing in functional neurosurgery. As a surgeon-scientist, one of the most exciting areas of his work is the development of focused ultrasound (FUS) technology to treat neurological disorders. He leads an NIH-sponsored research program to optimize the technique of FUS ablation. His research has catalyzed key advancements, including the launch of a Phase-1 clinical trial of FUS in patients with treatment-refractory epilepsy, which has yielded promising initial results. He was deeply involved with the Phase-2 and Phase-3 multicenter trials that secured FDA approval for treating Parkinson's disease with FUS.

• Cytokine Microdialysis, with Edjah Nduom, MD, FAANS. Dr. Nduom is Daniel Louis Barrow Endowed Chair in Neurosurgery Professor, Department of Neurosurgery Emory University School of Medicine. A fellowship-trained and board-certified neurosurgical oncologist, Dr. Nduom's clinical specialty is the surgical management of brain and spinal cord tumors. He is particularly interested in the safe resection of malignant tumors located in eloquent areas of the brain, the brainstem and spinal cord. Dr. Nduom is a member of the Cancer Immunology Research Program at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. He holds numerous positions in national and international medical societies. Notably, he is the Scientific Program Chair and Member at Large for the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, Co-Founder of the Society for Neuro-Oncology Sub-Saharan Africa; Bylaws Chair of the Joint Tumor Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. On May 10, 2024, Dr. Nduom was appointed by President Biden to the national Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB). The NCAB complements the Cancer Moonshot and provides guidance to the NCI Director in setting the course for the national cancer research program.

About the Brain Tumor Foundation

The Brain Tumor Foundation (BTF) guides and supports patients and families during the turbulent times when their lives are touched by a brain tumor. BTF educates the public about the need for early detection, while offering support groups, medical referrals and informational events such as Brain Tumor Infocon. BTF Kids, an innovative initiative for pediatric patients and their families is a project of Brain Tumor Foundation.

For more information visit https://www.braintumorfoundation.org or call (212) 489-0600.

To register for Brain Tumor InfoCon, visit https://braintumorfoundation.org/resources/2798-2/ or call (212) 265-2401

Media Contact
Company Name: Brain Tumor Foundation
Contact Person: Schnur Associates
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Country: United States
Website: https://www.braintumorfoundation.org