Research and Neurosurgery Research Education Fund (NREF)

Chairs: Dan Cahill, MD, and Gelareh Zadeh, MD

Members: Kalil Abdullah, MD, Frank Attenello, MD, Chetan Bettegowda, MD, PhD, Thomas Beaumont, MD, Orin Bloch, MD, Desmond Brown, MD, Bryan Choi, MD, PhD, Sunit Das, MD, PhD, Mahua Dey, MD, Peter Fecci, MD, PhD, Dominique Higgins, MD, PhD, Benjamin Himes, MD, Albert Kim, MD, PhD, Betty Kim, MD, PhD, and Dan Orringer, MD.

The Research Subcommittee for the Tumor Section of the AANS/CNS is pleased to present this report, highlighting the past year.

Acknowledgment of Prior Chairs

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the prior chair Dr. Maryam Rahman and co-chair Dr. Chetan Bettegowda, for their outstanding leadership and dedication. Their efforts in establishing momentum for the “Career Development for the Neurosurgeon-Scientist” event at the CNS, sponsored by the Tumor Section, have been instrumental. This in-person didactic and interactive event covered crucial topics such as submitting IND/IDE, translational research lab development and grant writing. The event was well-attended and received excellent feedback, setting a strong foundation for future initiatives.

Congratulations to Research Award Recipients

We are delighted to congratulate the recipients of the 2024-25 Academic Year Section-Sponsored research awards:

Adip G. Bhargav, MD, University of Kansas Medical Center

Award: 2024-25 NREF & AANS/CNS Section on Tumors Research Fellowship Grant

Sponsor: David Akhavan, MD, PhD

Project Title: Enhancing CAR-T Cell Therapy by Reprogramming Tumor-associated Macrophages using a Novel Nanosponge against GBM

Arushi Tripathy, MD, University of Michigan

Award: 2024-25 NREF & Andrew T. Parsa Research Fellowship Grant

Sponsor: Daniel Wahl, MD

Project Title: Defining spatial transcriptional mediators of DNA repair in glioblastoma as a mechanism of treatment resistance

Benjamin T. Himes, MD, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine

Award: 2024-25 B*CURED & NREF Young Clinician Investigator Award

Sponsor: XingXing Zang, PhD

Project Title: The role of B7-H3 in glioblastoma extracellular vesicles in tumor-mediated immune suppression

 

These awards recognize the exceptional proposals and potential of these individuals in advancing research and clinical practice in neurosurgery. We appreciate and look forward to their contributions to the field.