Research

At Children’s National Hospital, our researchers are pushing the scientific boundaries of pediatric brain tumor care, providing the latest, most promising diagnosis and treatment options to our patients.

We are unique in our focus on finding personalized cures for cancer, immune disorders and blood diseases for every child. Learn more about our research through the Center for Cancer and Immunology Research.

Examples of our research include:

• Clinical/ translational research program. This program is supported by a robust brain tumor bench research program with focused laboratories in medulloblastoma, high-grade glioma, midline diffuse glioma, diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, low-grade glioma and immunotherapy.
• Participating in groundbreaking immunologic studies. We are currently leading two national studies, funded through the Moon Shot Initiative. The Institute is involved in prestigious clinical trials to advance the science of pediatric tumor care, including T-cell immunotherapy and soon to be CAR T-cell studies. In addition, we are members of leading national and international pediatric brain tumor clinical consortia, including the Children’s Brain Tumor Tissue Network, Children’s Oncology Group’s Phase 1 Consortium, Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network,, Connect Consortium, Neurofibromatosis Clinical Trials Consortium (Department of Defense), Pacific / Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium, Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium and Remission (Immunotherapy) Consortium.
• Advancing brain tumor care and treatment. Every two years, Roger Packer, M.D., leads the efforts of the International Symposium of Neuro-Oncology, which brings together scientists and clinicians across disciplines to share research findings and discuss the latest treatment approaches for pediatric brain and central nervous system tumors. Learn more.
• Exploring cures through our brain tumor research program. Our Neuro-Oncology Research Program, which is included in the Childhood Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium, focuses on brain tumors, while our center's Medulloblastoma Special Interest Group seeks to understand the causative mechanism and improving the treatment of medulloblastoma, which is a cancerous tumor that starts in the region of the brain at the base of the skull.
• Building productive international relationships and programs. We evaluate second referrals from all across the world including the Middle East, South America, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Japan and China. In addition, we have has formal ties with leading neuro-oncologic programs world-wide including:
• Brazil
• China (Beijing and Shanghai)
• Israel
• Peru
• Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia
• Russia (Rogachev and Burdenko, Moscow)
• Sick Kids in Toronto, Canada
• University of Padua in Padua, Italy
• Coordinating tumor boards to individualize patient care. Our Neuro-Oncology team coordinates a bi-monthly national Tumor Board to collaboratively discuss and develop treatment plans for patients with participants across the United States, including the National Cancer Institute in Washington, D.C., and Yale University. In addition, we coordinate a monthly Tumor Board with Rogachev Hospital and The Burdenko Institute in Russia, and a second Tumor Board with 11 institutes in Brazil.