Our Team

The Section currently has 5 full-time faculty members, plus a nurse practitioner Patricia Murphy, PNP, and pediatric neuro-oncology fellow. Under the direction of Dr. Fisher, with Sonia Partap, MD, MS, Cynthia Campen, MD, MS, Michelle Monje, MD, PhD, and Yoon Jae-Cho, MD, our Pediatric Neuro-Oncology program evaluates 50 new cases of brain and spine tumors annually plus follows a cohort of over 500 children already diagnosed with central nervous system tumors. These children are cared for by a comprehensive team of pediatric neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, neuropathologists, neuroradiologists, neuropsychologists, pediatric radiation oncologists, and palliative care specialists, as well as an extensive school re-entry program and psychosocial support program. In addition to COG clinical trials (www.childrensoncologygroup.org), we participate fully in multi-institutional trials as one of the selected research sites in the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (www.pbtc.org).  We also conduct trials through the Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network (http://www.cern-foundation.org), limited academic institution groups, and several pharmaceutical companies testing novel therapeutics.  Dr. Partap oversees the portfolio of trials.

Our Center for Children’s Brain Tumors, under the direction of Dr. Fisher, Dr. Michael S.B. Edwards, and Dr. Matthew Scott, provides the bridge of translational research between Stanford scientists and Packard clinicians, and research opportunities for faculty, fellows,and others interested in the neurosciences and cancer biology of brain tumors.  Dr. Monje runs a laboratory with focus on stem cell biology in childhood brain tumors, and Dr. Cho’s lab examines pediatric brain tumor genomics.  Dr. Fisher’s work in epidemiology explores etiology of brain tumors and other childhood cancers.  Dr. Campen has an expertise, too, in epidemiology plus an interest in neurlogical late effects of chilhood cancer.