Ivy Blog

As a research technician in our preclinical lab, James McNamara assists identifying and targeting therapeutic vulnerabilities using preclinical models of GBM. Learn more about James’ work at the Ivy Center and his inspirations for joining the neuroscience field.

Highlighted in this month’s “Staff Spotlight" is Aja Pedersen, our new Administrative Coordinator supporting Dr. Mehta's and her team. Aja shares what it means to her to work at the Ivy Center and why she chose to work in the medical field

As a PhD candidate in our preclinical lab, Costanza Lo Cascio has dedicated years towards studying glioblastoma. Costanza's research paper was recently published and identified a specific enzyme that can be exploited to develop more targeted therapies when treating this deadly cancer.

As a research technician in our preclinical lab, Ernesto Luna Melendez assists in the analysis of a patient's tumor and evaluates whether novel treatment regiments are effective in killing glioblastoma cells. Learn more about Ernesto's work at the Ivy Center and his inspirations for joining the neuroscience field.

As a research technician in our Preclinical Lab, Connor White plays an important role in ensuring that only new promising targets with excellent brain penetration properties move into our Phase 0 trials.

As a research technician, Jennifer Molloy plays a fundamental role in the Ivy Center's pharmacodynamic lab. With her background in biological sciences and experience as a research intern at the University of Arizona, Jen assists in the facilitation of collection and analysis of tissue for our Phase 0 clinical trials. Jen's passion for science and research makes her a invaluable asset for the Ivy Center team.

World-renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Robert F. Spetzler, recalls his sister-in-law's diagnosis with glioblastoma and the personal connections that guided him through his career.

Artak Tovmasyan, PharmD, PhD, joined our team two years ago from Duke University with an extensive background in pharmaceutical chemistry making him a fierce asset to the Ivy Center's Phase 0 clinical trials program. As the director of the Ivy Center's Pharmacokinetics core, Dr. Tovmasyan is leading his laboratory in providing data to enable the most efficient treatment regimens for brain tumor patients.

As a neurosurgical resident, Charuta is paving the way for women in her field. At the age of seven, Charuta’s mother was diagnosed with a glioma. Since that moment, Charuta has committed her life to helping others who have been diagnosed with brain cancer.

As an Ivy Navigator, Lynnea is a Phase 0 patient's first point of contact when they begin the initial process of enrolling in a study. Patients are guided by her as she helps to explain next steps and ease their stress as they prepare to meet the rest of their treatment team. Learn more about Lynnea and how she landed at the Ivy Center.