Brain Tumor Program (BTP)

Overview

The Brain Tumor Program (BTP) of the UPCI is a multi-disciplinary program that encompasses basic, clinical, and translational research as well as clinical care. The BTP includes over 25 members from 11 academic departments, the majority of whom are funded for work related to neuro-oncology; the remaining members were recruited to the BTP specifically for their expertise in central nervous system (CNS) disease and cancer.

Areas of emphasis in translational and basic research of the BTP include:

  1. Immunobiology and immunotherapy of brain tumors
  2. Signal transduction modulation as a therapeutic strategy
  3. DNA repair modulation as a therapeutic strategy
  4. Angiogenesis in CNS tumors
  5. Vector-mediated modulation of the tumor and its microenvironment

UPCI is the regional referral center for patients with primary central nervous system tumors, and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is a major referral center for pediatric neuro-oncology. The close collaborations between the University of Pittsburgh Departments of Neurosurgery, Radiation Oncology, and Medical Oncology have resulted in one of the largest and most active centers in the country for conventional microsurgical, as well as radiosurgical and minimally invasive neuro-oncological procedures. The University of Pittsburgh is one of the few institutions with membership in both the Pediatric and Adult Brain Tumor Consortia, which are limited-institution NIH-funded groups that conduct early phase cutting-edge clinical trials for brain tumor patients. In addition, members of the BTP participate in the Children's Oncology Group (Dr. Ian Pollack is Chair of the Brain Tumor Committee) and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.