Kelsey Bertrand, MD, MSc, MBBS, FAAP

Among all childhood cancers, pediatric brain tumors are the most common cause of death, and there is a desperate need for new, innovative approaches to treat these diseases. Over the last few decades, we have gained a better understanding of the molecular drivers of these diseases, but it has been slow to translate these findings into clinical treatments. My work focuses on developing novel therapy options for children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors, primarily pediatric ependymoma and other high-risk tumors. 

Ependymomas are primary CNS tumors and are the third most common type of pediatric brain tumor. Treatment has historically included resection, if possible, as well as radiation and chemotherapy. However, recent findings suggest that the addition of chemotherapy to the treatment strategy provides little survival benefit. I am working on developing more targeted approaches to treating these tumors.  

Advances in basic research have helped us to understand that several subgroups of ependymomas exist. These subgroups contain distinct molecular features that determine overall prognosis. Although we know the drivers of some of these tumors, we still have not been able to target them. My work in this field focuses on identifying and developing novel druggable targets for ependymomas to be used in both pre-clinical studies and clinical trials. 

We are currently investigating the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy in treating pediatric brain tumors. This therapy stands to greatly benefit our patients, especially those with high-risk disease. We will continue to develop novel, effective treatments to provide better outcomes for our patients.