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Cancer Neuroscience Program

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Cancer Neuroscience Program

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Cancer Neuroscience Program

Our goal is to extend the lives and eliminate the suffering of patients through a comprehensive understanding of the interactions of the nervous system with cancer, thereby enabling a holistic treatment of both cancer and the patient.

The Cancer Neuroscience Program is an exciting, first-of-its-kind initiative bringing together the worlds of cancer research and brain science. Our goal is to uncover how the nervous system and cancer interact and how this connection affects patients not just during treatment, but throughout their entire journey from diagnosis to survivorship. By taking a truly comprehensive approach, we’re working to improve outcomes, protect brain health, and enhance quality of life for people facing cancer.

The research being done within the Cancer Neuroscience Program will allow us to elucidate the complex interactions between the nervous system and cancer, fill existing critical knowledge gaps, and develop innovative therapies for all types of cancers. In addition, the insights gained will help define new strategies to protect and restore brain health to ultimately improve cancer survivors’ quality of life by addressing the neurological effects of cancer and its treatment from both physical and mental perspectives. This approach has the goal to advance our understanding of cancer as well as contribute to broader knowledge of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases paving the way for more holistic, patient-centered care for all cancer patients.

The program was founded and is currently led by Jim Ray, Ph.D., Vinay Puduvalli, M.D., and Frederick Lang, M.D. who, despite their diverse scientific backgrounds, shared a common recognition of the critical and emerging role the nervous system plays in cancer. United by this insight, they envisioned and established a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind program dedicated to advancing the field of cancer neuroscience. Recognizing MD Anderson’s unique position to lead in this space, they built a program poised to drive innovation and discovery. Jian Hu, Ph.D., later joined as scientific director, bringing additional scientific expertise and helping to further grow and shape the program. The combined leadership and collaborative strengths of this team have propelled the program to be designated as a signature priority of the institution.

Join Us

The Cancer Neuroscience Program is always looking for faculty to join our pioneering initiative. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact us.

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Mark your Calendar

International Cancer Neuroscience Symposium

February 18–20, 2026

Learn more about the symposium

Cancer Neuroscience Program Research Themes

The program's research is organized into four interconnected scientific themes with currently funded initiatives as follows:

Neurobiology

Drives foundational neuroscience research to uncover how the nervous system influences tumor biology and how tumors, in turn, disrupt neural function.

Neural Neoplasms

Studies primary and metastatic tumors of the brain, spine, skull base and peripheral nerves.

Neurotoxicity

Examines mechanisms underlying neurotoxicity (cognitive decline, neurodegeneration) as a result of therapies with a focus on restoring brain health.

Neurobehavioral Health

Studies the relationship between social and affective biobehavioral factors (psychological, behavioral, social, environmental) and cancer biology.

What causes chemobrain? New insights

Chemobrain is a term used to describe the changes in cognitive abilities that some patients with cancer may experience, such as: Fogginess of thinking Trouble recalling recent events Feeling slower in their thought processes Mental tasks requiring more effort It commonly affects patients undergoing chemotherapy and sometimes other types of cancer treatments, and it may impact their quality of life. What we know — and don’t know —...

More about chemobrain

Cancer Neuroscience Program Advisory Boards

Overview

Advisory boards play a vital role in guiding the strategic direction and growth of the Cancer Neuroscience Program (CNP). We are guided by two advisory boards: the Scientific Advisory Board and the Program Advisory Board.

Scientific Advisory Board

The Cancer Neuroscience Program's Scientific Advisory Board is composed of leading experts and top scientists in the field who provide strategic guidance, review research progress and offer critical insights. Their expertise helps shape scientific priorities, foster innovation and ensure the highest standards of research excellence.

Frank Furnari, Ph.D.
Professor, School of Medicine
University of California San Diego

Shawn Hervey-Jumper, M.D.
Professor, Neurological Surgery
Weill Institute for Neurosciences
University of California San Francisco

Kevin Krull, Ph.D.
Chair, Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Dr. Justin Lathia | cancer neuroscience program, brain health

Justin Lathia, Ph.D.
Vice Chair, Department of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Sciences
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute

Shane Liddelow, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Neuroscience Institute
NYU Langone Medical Center

Susan Lutgendorf, Ph.D.
Professor, Psychological and Brain Sciences
University of Iowa

Minesh Mehta, M.D.
Chief of Radiation Oncology
Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute

Michelle Monje, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
Stanford University

Theodore Price, Ph.D.
Professor, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
University of Texas at Dallas

Rosalind Segal, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Neurobiology and Dean for Graduate Education
Harvard Medical School

Dr. Paola Vermeer | cancer neuroscience program | brain health research at MD Anderson

Paola Vermeer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Surgery
University of South Dakota & Sanford Research

Leanne Williams, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Stanford University

Program Advisory Board

The Program Advisory Board brings together leaders in business, brain economy and policy, fundraising, and start-ups to provide strategic oversight and guidance on program development, innovation and impact. Their diverse expertise helps shape priorities, drive sustainable growth and bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world application.