About Us
Thank you very much for visiting the Columbia University Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Fund website. We trust that this site will give you a clear understanding of our goals and direction. Since our inception in 2004, we have been dedicated to advancing the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of children’s brain tumors through the support of scientific investigations. We have also strived to increase awareness of this condition and provide pertinent information for patients and their families.
Pediatric brain tumors have surpassed leukemia as the leading cause of cancer death in children. Over 3,000 new cases of childhood primary brain tumors are diagnosed each year, with over 70% occurring in children less than 15 years of age. Pediatric neurosurgeons at Columbia University are committed to furthering the understanding and advancing the treatment of brain tumors in children and adolescents. Through a combination of basic laboratory studies and clinical data from the operating room, neurosurgeons at Columbia University are providing answers to the difficult problems faced by children and their families. Our program is actively involved in basic and translational research of brain tumors. In addition to world-class surgical care, physicians are pushing the frontiers of neurosurgery to provide safer treatments and better solutions to problems once deemed hopeless.
Pediatric brain tumor research holds much promise, with tremendous potential to improve the lives of afflicted children. It is only with financial support, however, that we will be able to carry out meaningful research and advance our knowledge of these diseases. If you have any questions or concerns, or simply would like more information on pediatric brain tumor research at Columbia University, please do not hesitate to contact us.
| Ricardo J. Komotar, M.D. | Jeffrey N. Bruce, M.D. |
| Founder & Co-Director, Annual Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery |
Co-Director, Annual Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament
Professor of Neurosurgery |
Dr. Ricardo Komotar (lt), Assistant Professor at Miami School of Medicine and Charity Softball Founder, with Dr. Robert Solomon (rt), Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at CUMC and NYP, a softball charity sponsor