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.

BTC Research Investigators

Riccardo Barrile, PhD

Glioblastoma

Customized tumor modeling platform

Biplab DasGupta, PhD

Cancer signaling & metabolism

Brain development and glioblastoma

Pankaj Desai, PhD

Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics

Drug Metabolism

Repurposed therapeutics & Glioblastoma

Matthew Garrett, MD, PhD

IDH1 mutant glioma

Glioblastoma

Transcriptional control Olig2

Timothy Phoenix, PhD

Pediatric brain tumors

Tumor-vascular interactions

Mouse models and preclinical testing

Daniel Pomeranz Krummel, PhD

RNA-based therapeutics

GABAa receptor

Focused ultrasound drug delivery

David R. Plas, PhD

Tumor metabolism

Signaling control

Experimental therapeutics

Xiaoyang Qi, PhD

Glioblastoma

Brain metastases & Phospholipid targeting

Therapeutic discovery & Novel imaging modality

Atsuo Sasaki PhD

Metastatic tumors & Glioblastoma

Nucleotide metabolism & Repurposed therapeutics

Soma Sengupta, MD, PhD

Neuro-oncology & Clinical trials

GABAa receptor

Brain metastasis – melanoma & lung Glioblastoma Medulloblastoma

Andrew Steckl, PhD

Glioblastoma

Drug delivery nanomaterials

Chenran Wang, PhD

Tuberous Sclerosis

Glioblastoma

Breast cancer brain metastasis & Autophagy & Bioenergy

Organization and Membership

The Brain Tumor Center is directed by Dr. Mario Zuccarello MD, Department of Neurosurgery.  Dr. Soma Sengupta MD PhD is the BTC Associate Director for Clinical Trials, and Dr. David Plas is the BTC Associate Director for Research.

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.
• BTC Associate Research Investigators are members who have significant research effort in Brain Tumors