Catherine Flores, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurosurgery
Abstract
Malignant brain cancers are type of cancer that originate in the central nervous system. Some types of brain cancer are classified based on the type of cell they are most genetically similar to. For example, astrocytomas are genetically similar to astrocytes; oligodendrogliomas are similar to oligodendrocytes. They can also be classified based on their anatomical location. For example, medulloblastomas are primary brain cancers that arise in the cerebellum, and brainstem gliomas arise in the brainstem. The cause of primary brain tumors remains unknown. The typical treatment for the majority of brain tumor patients includes surgical removal of the mass, followed by a series of radiation and chemotherapy. Despite aggressive treatment, the outcomes can be dismal or leave patients with side effects that make life more challenging. Because of the poor outcomes, researchers around the world work vigorously to develop therapies that alter the immune system to more efficiently detect and target brain cancers. These treatments called immunotherapies have made significant impacts in other solid tumors and are currently under development to treat CNS malignancies.
Speaker Bio
Dr. Catherine Flores is an associate professor in the department of neurosurgery. As a foundational scientist, her primary focus is on the development of cell-based immunotherapies against adult and pediatric brain cancers.
Florida’s State Academic Standards for Science
SC.912.L.14.6
Explain the significance of genetic factors, environmental factors, and pathogenic agents to health from the perspectives of both individual and public health.
SC.912.L.14.26
Identify the major parts of the brain on diagrams or models.
SC.912.L.16.8
Explain the relationship between mutation, cell cycle, and uncontrolled cell growth potentially resulting in cancer.
SC.912.L.16.10
Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society and the environment, including medical and ethical issues.
SC.912.N.1.4
Identify sources of information and assess their reliability according to the strict standards of scientific investigation.
SC.912.N.1.7
Recognize the role of creativity in constructing scientific questions, methods and explanations.
