logo for CENOS

The Center of Excellence in Neuro-Oncology Sciences (CENOS) applies bold, innovative strategies in fundamental neuro-oncology research to advance knowledge, enhance treatment, and improve outcomes of children affected by malignant brain tumors. 

CENOS is led by Paul Northcott, PhD, Endowed Chair in Molecular Neuro-Oncology, Member of the Neurobiology & Brain Tumor Program and the Department of Developmental Neurobiology.

CENOS Mission

St. Jude is a global leader in conducting large, forward-thinking clinical trials for pediatric cancer. The alignment of laboratory research with clinical practice at St. Jude has enabled groundbreaking biological insights relevant to prognosis and clinical response in infants and children undergoing therapy for malignant brain tumors. CENOS aims to strengthen collaborations between researchers and clinicians to refine diagnosis, risk stratification, treatment, and response monitoring.

woman in lab

"The collaborative efforts of CENOS investigators strive toward the collective mission of St. Jude to 'cure the incurable' and profoundly enhance quality of life for those affected by childhood brain cancer."

Paul Northcott, CENOS Director

CENOS Vision

Using a multidisciplinary approach, CENOS leverages access to unprecedented clinical trial cohorts and state-of-the-art shared resources to serve as an international leader in the field of pediatric neuro-oncology, renowned for conducting impactful science.

Strategic aims

  • To execute disruptive, discovery-driven translational research in pediatric neuro-oncology.
  • Focus on learning from patients and faithful disease models, utilizing a discovery-centric approach to disentangle childhood brain tumors at their core.
  • Recruit elite scientists who study childhood brain tumors from complementary angles, mobilizing a range of innovative technologies and creative strategies to make groundbreaking discoveries.

Recent news


Selected publications


CENOS Research Groups

Suzanne Baker

Suzanne Baker Lab

Deciphering the pathogenesis and therapeutic vulnerabilities of pediatric high-grade glioma

Stephen Mack

Stephen Mack Lab

Resolving epigenetic and transcriptional mechanisms of cancer through the lens of pediatric brain tumors

Stephen Mack

Paul Northcott Lab

Leveraging genomics to resolve molecular mechanisms and enhance diagnostics of embryonal brain tumors

Join the team

We are actively recruiting talented scientists to join the CENOS team, including research faculty, staff scientists and researchers, computational biologists and data scientists, and postdoctoral research associates. To inquire about available positions, please contact us at CENOS@stjude.org