Pushing Boundaries, Breaking Barriers in Brain Cancer

Members of the Koch Institute’s Hammond lab, Yaffe lab, and Clinical Investigator Program are combining nanotechnology and novel drug combinations to treat glioblastoma. Professor Paula Hammond describes how the team’s Trojan horse approach sneaks across the blood brain barrier and packs a one-two punch that hits cancer cells while their defenses are down. Dr. Fred Lam, who contributed to this work during his time at MIT, and Hammond Lab collaborator Joelle Strahela offer perspective on the implications of this new strategy for improving patient care. Moderated by Professor Michael Yaffe, this program presents a powerful picture of how diverse perspectives can reshape the way we think about and overcome biomedical challenges. 

Featured Presenters

Paula T. Hammond, PhD

Head, MIT Department of Chemical Engineering
David H. Koch Professor of Engineering
Member, Marble Center for Cancer Nanomedicine

Fred C. Lam, MD, PhD

Clinical Scholar, Division of Neurosurgery, McMaster University, Ontario, Canada
Research Scientist, Koch Institute

Joelle Straehla, MD

Postdoctoral Researcher, Koch Institute at MIT
Instructor, Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Moderated by Michael B. Yaffe, MD, PhD

Director, Koch Institute Clinical Investigator Program
Director, MIT Center for Precision Cancer Medicine
David H. Koch Professor of Science
Professor of Biology and Biological Engineering