University of Cincinnati
Brain Tumor Center Investigators & Members

University of Cincinnati Brain Tumor Center members specialize in discovery and translational research in disciplines including epigenetics, metabolomics, pharmaceutical sciences, cancer etiology and more.

Visit the webpages of BTC Research Investigators to learn about our research programs.

The UC Brain Tumor Center Research group is sponsored by the Department of Neurosurgery and the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute, which provide the administrative support and fundraising to support BTC Research.

Co-Directors:
Dr. Norberto Andaluz, Neurosurgery
Dr. Jonathan Forbes, Neurosurgery

Associate Directors:
Dr. David Plas, Cancer Biology
Dr. Kyle Wang, Radiation Oncology
Dr. Lalanthica Yogendran, Neurology & Rehabilitation Medicine

BTC Research Investigators

Kevin Haworth, PhD

Norberto O. Andaluz, MD

Professor of Clinical Neurosurgery and Co Director of Skull Base Neurosurgery

Skull Base Surgery

Brain Tumors

Acoustic Neuromas

James Cronk, Md PhD

Olga (Volha) Liaudanskaya, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering - Neuroscience Graduate Program Faculty

Glioblastoma & 3D brain models

Tumor-microenvironment interactions

Tumor-microenvironment interactions

Riccardo Barrile, PhD

Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Organ-on-Chip Technology: Develops laboratory models using patient-derived brain tumor cells to replicate the glioblastoma environment and study tumor behavior.

Blood-Brain Barrier Research: Investigates how brain tumors interact with blood vessels and how medications can effectively reach tumor cells.

Focused Ultrasound and Drug Repurposing: Uses focused ultrasound to improve drug delivery and evaluates existing medications and drug combinations for potential brain tumor treatments.

Pankaj Desai, PhD

Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics

Drug Metabolism

Repurposed therapeutics & Glioblastoma

Timothy Phoenix, PhD

Pediatric brain tumors

Tumor-vascular interactions

Mouse models and preclinical testing

David R. Plas, PhD

Professor

Tumor metabolism

Signaling control

Experimental therapeutics

Atsuo Sasaki PhD

Metastatic tumors & Glioblastoma

Nucleotide metabolism & Repurposed therapeutics

Organization and Membership

The Brain Tumor Center is co directed by Dr. Norberto Andaluz MD, Department of Neurosurgery and Dr. Jonothan Forbes MD, Department of Neurosurgery.

Dr. David Plas is the BTC Associate Director for Research. Dr. Kyle Wang is the BTC Associate Director for Clinical Research. Dr. Lalanthica Yogendran is the BTC Associate Director for Clinical Trials.

Membership is available to all investigators with an interest in primary or metastatic brain tumors in the clinical and research communities at University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and the Cincinnati VA Medical Center.

• BTC Research Investigators are members who are Principal Investigators on externally funded research programs focused on Brain Tumors, have Team Science Leadership in the BTC, are Principal Investigators of Clinical Trials, or who are initiating new research programs in the BTC.