Abstract: In this presentation, we will discuss the development of novel nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles-based therapeutics for malignant brain tumors. We will also discuss how a burst of radiation therapy can prime gliomas for nanotherapeutics uptake and how to leverage this phenomena to overcome tumor immune suppression.

Biography: Dr. Bakhos Tannous is an internationally renowned scientist, educator and administrative leader. Dr. Tannous has created a legacy of multidisciplinary team to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in cancer in general and brain tumors in particular including new views for diagnosis and therapy. He is a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and act as the Director for the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Center, the Experimental Therapeutics Unit, and the Postdoctoral Division at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He is a member of the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and server as Co-Director of the Molecular Neurogenetics Unit-East and Director of the MGH Viral Vector Production Facility. His research interest includes imaging, high throughput discovery of gene/cell/drug therapies for pediatric and adult malignant brain tumors, with a primary focus on cancer stem cells, as well as blood-based cancer diagnostics. Dr. Tannous received many prestigious awards such as the Young Investigator Award from the Society for Molecular Imaging for 3 years in a row, National Cancer Institute Howard Temin Pathway to Independence Award in cancer research, Outstanding Investigator Award from the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, Several Partners in Excellence Awards and Innovation Awards, Beirut Golden Award for outstanding achievement in medicine, and several Outstanding Mentor Awards. He is a member of many national and international committees including Neurology Research Council, Center for Faculty Development, and Committee of Fundamental Research at the Massachusetts General Hospital, American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, European Society for Medical Oncology organizing committees, several NIH review study sections including a standing member of the NCI career development and transition to independence review panel, and has served as a reviewer for many National and International grant committees.