Cancer Neuroscience Program

The Cancer Neuroscience Program is a groundbreaking research initiative uniting oncology and neuroscience to understand the interactions of the nervous system with cancer. This program is the only one of its kind in the country to take a comprehensive, systems-wide approach in exploring the intricate interplay between the nervous system and cancer progression while also addressing its profound impact on patient well-being throughout the entire treatment journey — before, during, and after therapy.

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. Additionally, the insights gained will help define a pathway to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life by addressing the neurological effects of cancer and its treatment from both physical and mental perspectives. By taking this innovative approach, we will advance our understanding not only in cancer, but also in other neurological and neurodegenerative diseases to achieve a more patient-centered approach to disease treatment and survivorship care.

The program was created and is currently led by Jim Ray, Ph.D., Vinay Puduvalli, M.D., and Frederick Lang, M.D., who, despite their diverse scientific backgrounds, recognized the growing importance of the interaction between the nervous system and various cancers. Together, they envisioned a comprehensive, one-of-a-kind program to address all aspects of cancer neuroscience. They also recognized the unique opportunity for MD Anderson to take on a leadership role in this field. Jian Hu, Ph.D. joined the program as the scientific director and has since helped expand the program. The combined strengths of the leaders and the goals of the program have facilitated its designation as a signature priority program at MD Anderson.