The goal of our research group is to understand the biological mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of malignant tumors, and to identify and characterize novel molecular targets that may be used for future development of targeted therapies, including cell and gene therapy.
Our laboratory carries out basic and pre-clinical research with a strong translational profile. Our ultimate goal is to generate deliverables that can be tested in the clinical setting.

The specific aims of the laboratory are:

1. to establish relevant orthotopic animal models for the study of human brain tumors
2. to study the interaction between tumor and stromal cells, with an emphasis on tumor angiogenesis
3. to isolate, characterize and target the cancer initiating cells
4. to identify and characterize novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets