Overview
The Waitkus Laboratory is a team of researchers focused on understanding the molecular biology of malignant brain tumors. We work alongside clinician-scientists in the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke to investigate the mechanisms by which brain tumors arise, progress, and recur.
Adult and pediatric malignant gliomas are caused by specific sets of genetic mutations that allow tumor cells to (1) proliferate indefinitely, (2) obtain and utilize nutrients to grow, and (3) evade normal anti-tumor protective mechanisms, such as programed cell death and immune surveillance. In the Waitkus Laboratory, our overarching goal is to better understand the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and progression of malignant gliomas. We aim to use this knowledge to develop improved methods for glioma diagnosis, prognostication, and treatment