UCSF Brain Tumor Center

The UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery is home to one of the largest programs for brain tumor clinical care and research in the world. Brain tumor surgeons at UCSF have led the development of techniques that are today the standard of care in the field, including those for brain mapping, minimally invasive and open skull base surgery, and transsphenoidal surgery.

The Department's Division of Neurological-Oncology has an international reputation for excellence in clinical trial design and testing experimental therapies for brain tumors, and approximately 200 patients are enrolled in clinical trials each year at the UCSF Brain Tumor Center. In addition to testing novel therapies, the Division of Neuro-oncology performs patient-focused outcomes research, with an emphasis on quality of life, symptom clusters, cognitive function, caregiver research, and patient and caregiver education.

Our excellence in patient care is both supported and advanced through our extensive program in basic science and translational research. We are currently funded by over 30 NIH awards, including one of only four Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) awards for brain tumors from the National Cancer Institute, which has been continuously funded since 2002. We are home to 20 research laboratories, each focused on a unique aspect of brain tumor risk, biology, diagnosis, and treatment. Additional resources include the Brain Tumor Tissue Bank, a biospecimen repository and histopathology core providing both samples and expertise in tissue studies, as well as a Preclinical Core that generates unique tumor-bearing animal models and conducts preclinical anti-tumor agent trials; both programs are available to brain tumor researchers at UCSF and worldwide.