Department of Neurosurgery

Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center

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Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center

Overview

The Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center at Lifespan combines multidisciplinary clinical care with cutting-edge basic research in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial benign and malignant tumors. Our team of specialized neurosurgeons, neuro-oncologists, and radiation oncologists share deep expertise in the treatment of acoustic neuromas, pituitary tumors, meningiomas, metastatic disease, gliomas and lymphomas.

We offer a range of treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, and advanced radiation therapies, such as Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Gamma Knife and CyberKnife. Our division has a dedicated laboratory for brain tumor research, collaborating with leading academic institutions to develop novel treatments for our patients.

Specialty Team

Neurosurgery Department Team

  • Clark C. Chen, MD, PhD

    Clark C. Chen, MD, PhD

    Professor of Neurosurgery, Director, Brain Tumor Program, Co-Director, Stereotactic Radiosurgery Program
  • Deus Cielo, MD

    Deus J. Cielo, MD

    Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Vice-Chair for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, Director, Peripheral Nerve Surgery Division, Co – Director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery Program, Director, Memorial Hospital Neurosurgery Program
  • Curtis E. Doberstein, MD

    Curtis E. Doberstein, MD

    Professor of Neurosurgery, Executive Vice Chair, Clinical Operations, Director, Cerebrovascular and Skull-base Surgery Division, Director, Neurosurgery Residency Training Program
  • Prakash Sampath, MD

    Prakash Sampath, MD

    Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, Director, Robotic Neurosurgery, Director, Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Director, Neurosurgery at Roger Williams Medical Center
  • Konstantina Svokos, DO, MS

    Konstantina A. Svokos, DO, MS

    Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics, Director of Fetal Neurosurgery, Co-Director, Neuroplastics, Co-Director, Center for Surgical Treatment of the Developing Brain and Spine, Pediatric Neurosurgeon

Neuro-oncologists

  • Heinrich Elinzano, MD

    Heinrich Elinzano, MD

    Associate Professor of Neurology and Medicine, Clinician Educator, Co-Director, Brain Cancer Committee, Co-Director, Brown University Oncology Research Group, Neuro-Oncology Medical Lead, Lifespan Cancer Institute
  • Eric T. Wong, MD

    Eric T. Wong, MD

    Professor of Neurology, Medicine, Neurosurgery & Radiation Oncology, Director of Medical Neuro-Oncology

Pathologists

Radiation Oncologists

  • Jaroslaw T. Hepel, MD

    Jaroslaw T. Hepel, MD

    Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology and Neurosurgery, Director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital
  • Kara Leonard, MD

    Kara Leonard, MD

    Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Associate Program Director, Radiation Oncology Residency, Tufts University School of Medicine

Conditions We Treat

Benign tumors:
acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannoma), pituitary tumors (or pituitary adenoma), meningiomas

Malignant tumors:
metastatic cancers, gliomas, lymphomas, chordomas, chondrosarcomas, esthesioneuroblastoma

Research

Molecular Neuroscience and Neuro-Oncology Laboratory

Neurosurgery Department
Glioma cell migration
Glioblastoma stem cells
RNA regulation of glioblastoma
2D and 3D co-culture models

The Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Research Laboratory

CAR-T cells in glioblastoma

 

Robert Langer, PhD (MIT)
Hydrogels and drug delivery

Irving Weinberg, MD, PhD
Advanced MRI and magnetic nanoparticles in drug delivery
Bodour Salhia, PhD (USC)
Epigenetics of metastasis

Jack Elias, MD (Brown University)
The role of chitosome and inflammation in cancer

Ou Chen, Phd (Brown University)
Development of nanoparticles for drug delivery and tumor detection department of nanoparticles for glioma discovery / therapy

Jonghwan Lee, Phd (Brown Univeristy)
optical coherence tomography (OCT) in glioma

Technology

CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery System

TrueBeam Radiotherapy System