The Division of Neurosurgery

The Division of Neurosurgery's world-class clinical and research team, led by Leslie Sutton, M.D., Phillip (Jay) Storm, M.D., Adam Resnick, Ph.D., and Gregory Heuer, M.D., Ph.D., uses advanced diagnostic tools to identify, treat and research brain tumors and related conditions. Ranked among the top three pediatric neurology centers in the nation by U.S.News & World Report, the Division manages approximately 1,000 cases a year, of which 150 200 are tumor patients, making it one of the busiest divisions in the country. We believe that attacking pediatric cancers at the molecular level ultimately may lead to better outcomes than traditional surgical, radiation and chemotherapy treatments. It may even lead to a cure.

This year, Daisy Day, the largest annual daytime fundraiser in the Philadelphia area, will raise funds to support our neurosurgery clinicians and researchers in this work, which includes:

Gene Research and Therapies

Division of Neurosurgery investigators have made exciting breakthroughs in recent years. Among their accomplishments was contributing to a landmark study that analyzed all the protein-coding genes in the DNA sequence of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children. The research team discovered new alterations in the genes that suppress tumors — key factors in the development of the cancer. Evidence suggests that there are five to 10 times fewer such mutations in pediatric medulloblastoma compared to most adult brain tumors. As a result, discovery and development of drugs targeting the affected genes and pathways may be especially effective in slowing or stopping the progression of cancer in children.

The Division's research team, including neuro-oncologist Angela Sievert, M.D., M.P.H., also recently identified a mutation in a gene called B-RAF. This mutation is found in many gliomas, one of the deadliest types of brain tumors in children. Interestingly, the skin cancer melanoma also has a B-RAF gene alteration. Partnering with pharmaceutical companies that have developed drugs to treat skin cancer, Drs. Storm and Resnick are now pioneering efforts to treat gliomas with B-RAF-selective therapies. Gene Research and Therapies

Neuroscience Lab

Founded by Jay Storm, M.D., and Adam Resnick, Ph.D., the Neuroscience and Brain Tumor Lab pursues cuttingedge molecular and translational research into the causes of pediatric brain tumors. The lab's efforts are directed at better understanding these diseases on a molecular level, identifying targeted drug therapies for pediatric brain cancers and finding new ways to deliver those treatments.

Childhood Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (CBTTC)

Based at CHOP, the CBTTC collects pediatric brain tumor samples from tumors both common and rare, and performs molecular and genetic analysis on them to create a rich database of information. This database is fueling brain tumor research, both at CHOP and at other participating centers. Under the joint leadership of Pathology, Neuro-Oncology and Neurosurgery, the CBTTC program is a collaborative effort to discover and develop new childhood brain tumor treatments.

Gilles Mendel, honored designer at the 2011 Daisy Day Luncheon.