Physician Investigator (Cl) Cancer Center, Mass General Research Institute

Associate Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School

Assistant Physician Medicine-Hematology/Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital

Associate Member Broad Institute

MD Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 2006

angiogenesis inhibitors; brain neoplasms; craniopharyngioma; meningeal carcinomatosis; poetry as topic; sacrum; vascular endothelial growth factors

The Brastianos laboratory studies genomic drivers of human brain tumors. A lack of understanding of the molecular drivers of many brain tumors has hampered the development of novel therapies for many brain cancers. Our overarching objective is to characterize molecular drivers of both primary brain tumors and brain metastases, and accelerate the development of novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases.

We recently discovered clinically significant genetic drivers in meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas, hemangioblastomas, glioneuronal tumors and brain metastases. We are currently investigating the role of these genomic drivers as potential therapeutic targets. Additionally, we are expanding our investigations to further elucidate the molecular evolution of the metastatic process to the central nervous system.