Children's Brain Tumor Project

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Children's Brain Tumor Project

But for families affected by them, every case is one too many. These family foundations and their supporters drive funding, advocacy and awareness for CBTP.

The community of families that participate in the Children's Brain Tumor Project is dedicated to finding new options for treating pediatric brain tumors by supporting research at Weill Cornell Medicine. The families who participate in the Children's Brain Tumor Project (CBTP) are personally invested in finding new treatment options -- and ultimately cures -- for rare and inoperable brain tumors in children and young adults. These tumors, including DIPG, gliomatosis cerebri, and AT/RT, occur so rarely that they do not get the major funding or attention that research scientists need to find a cure. The CBTP is funded in large part by a network of families who have lost loved ones to these terrible tumors, or whose families have been threatened by such a diagnosis. Dr. Mark Souweidane and Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield, Co-Directors of the CBTP at Weill Cornell, have pioneered a neuroscientific paradigm using genomic sequencing and Convection Enhanced Delivery (CED). A Phase I clinical trial is testing the safety of using (CED) to deliver a low-toxicity drug cocktail directly to the tumor site. Bench researchers are using genomic sequencing to identify genetic mutations in each patient's tumor to identify the best drugs to combat them, and investigating new ways to stop tumor progression by blocking signals from bone marrow.

01/21/2026

Dreaming of a future in neuroscience or pediatric brain tumor research? 🌟

Our 2026 Student Summer Research Program for Undergrads is officially open for applications until February 15, 2026.

Each year, two undergraduate students are selected for an eight-week, hands-on research experience in the Children’s Brain Tumor Project lab at Weill Cornell Medicine. Students work directly with leading investigators — Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield, Dr. Nadia Dahmane, and Dr. Mark Souweidane — contributing to meaningful projects in pediatric neurooncology.

This fellowship was created to nurture the next generation of scientists and support students interested in pursuing a PhD in neuroscience or pediatric brain tumor research. If you’re eager to learn, ready to contribute, and passionate about helping children, this opportunity is for you.

💛 Apply here: https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/summerinternship/
Applications close February 15, 2026.

01/19/2026

As we get closer to the NYC Half Marathon, we’re honored to highlight one of our runners, Linda Schwartz, and the deeply personal reason she’s taking on this race. 💛

Here’s why Linda says she’s running for the Children’s Brain Tumor Project:

“I’m running the NYC Half Marathon this year for a cause that’s incredibly close to my heart – the Children’s Brain Tumor Project.

In 2020, our daughter Jessica underwent surgery at Cornell Hospital for a benign brain tumor. That experience opened our eyes to the challenges faced by families dealing with pediatric brain tumors and the critical need for research and support.

The Children’s Brain Tumor Project is doing vital work to advance research, improve treatments, and ultimately find cures for childhood brain tumors. They’re dedicated to giving kids like Jessica the best possible outcomes and supporting families through their most difficult moments.

Every mile I run will be in honor of Jessica, and every child and family fighting this battle. If you’d like to support this important cause, I’d be grateful for any donation, big or small.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of children facing brain tumors.”

Thank you, Linda, for running with purpose and heart. 💛✨
To support Linda’s run and fuel this vital research, visit the link to donate: https://cbtpfoundation.org/raceteam

01/17/2026

A Critical Setback for Pediatric Brain Tumor Research ⚠️

In March 2026, funding for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC) — the network behind groundbreaking early-phase clinical trials for children with the deadliest brain cancers — will end. As a result, several critical trials, including CAR T-cell therapy for ependymoma and a new laser ablation study, have already been halted.

The PBTC’s collaborative ecosystem has driven innovation for decades. Losing this proven infrastructure will slow progress, fragment research, and ultimately cost lives.

💛 Children with brain tumors deserve more trials, more collaboration, and more hope — not less. Join us in raising awareness, advocating for solutions, and supporting pediatric brain tumor research. Your donation can make a difference — give today: https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/

01/16/2026

Picture of Hope. Dr. Mark Souweidane with his patient, Lisha, who benefitted from his DIPG clinical trial more than ten years ago.

For families facing a DIPG diagnosis, clinical trials are their only hope. And right now, that hope is being threatened.

Dr. Mark Souweidane, one of the world’s leading neurosurgeons in DIPG research, interviewed with The Guardian to share how significant cuts in government funding are bringing clinical trials to a halt.

Souweidane completed a successful trial using convection-enhanced delivery that has helped some children live years beyond their diagnosis — with several long-term survivors, including one child still here 12 years later.

But funding cuts have halted the nationwide expansion of his most promising trial. Seven groundbreaking studies — including his — are now closed to new patients. And families who need options today are being told there are none.

This is why continued funding, advocacy, and awareness matter. Children don’t have time to wait. Their futures depend on keeping research moving forward.

Read more the article through the link below — and help this research move forward by contributing today.
🔗 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/15/childhood-brain-cancer-trump

01/15/2026

Driving Discovery Through Tumor Banking 💛

From 2020–2025, we collected tissue from over 250 pediatric brain tumor patients, including surgical biopsies, tumor resections, and autopsies. This invaluable resource powers groundbreaking research, enabling our team to develop new projects, collaborations, and insights into rare and often fatal pediatric brain cancers.

By integrating our in-house tumor bank with external resources like the Children’s Brain Tumor Network (CBTN) and public datasets, we can validate findings, benchmark against normal tissue, and prioritize therapeutic targets — creating robust, preclinical tools to tackle the most challenging tumors.

Every sample collected, processed, and shared builds the foundation for innovation and life-saving discoveries. 💛

🔗 Learn more about our tumor banking program and how you can support this critical research on our website: childrensbraintumorproject.org/impact

01/14/2026

Run for Kids. Run for Hope. 💛🏃‍♀️🏃

Every runner on Team CBTP runs for a reason — for a child, for a family, for hope. From marathons to 5Ks, our race teams unite people across the world to advance pediatric brain tumor research and change lives.

Throughout the year, we collect interest forms for races where CBTP is a charity partner, including three World Major Marathons — giving supporters the chance to run some of the world’s most iconic courses while making a real impact.

Team CBTP is the only charity team exclusively dedicated to funding life-saving research at Weill Cornell Medicine. For guaranteed-entry races, runners commit to a fundraising minimum, with benefits that vary per event.

‼️And right now, we have just two NYC Half Marathon spots available — and they won’t last. If you’ve ever dreamed of running the NYC Half, this is your moment. Secure your bib, run one of the most exciting courses in the country, and make every step count for kids who need us. 💛

💛 Sign up to join Team CBTP and run with purpose before the last two spots are gone: teamcbtp.org

01/12/2026

Celebrating 2025: Peer-Reviewed Progress ✨

Peer-reviewed publications are the gold standard in science — every method, result, and conclusion is carefully examined by independent experts before being shared with the world. This rigorous process ensures the integrity of discoveries that can transform lives.

In 2025, our team’s peer-reviewed papers advanced pediatric brain tumor research, validated our findings, and strengthened our impact in the scientific community. These studies are paving the way for new treatments and brighter futures for children facing brain cancer.

💛 Curious about the breakthroughs we published this year? Visit our website to explore our 2025 peer-reviewed publications and learn more about the science driving hope. 🔗 childrensbraintumorproject.org/impact

01/07/2026

Loved seeing the photos from this year’s No Laughing Matter Gala and don’t want to miss out next time? 💕

Save the date: October 22, 2026 — an unforgettable evening supporting life-saving pediatric brain tumor research. Your support of Light Up the Lab helps fuel breakthroughs that bring hope and brighter futures for children and families. ✨

Even from afar, you can join the mission — helping light the path toward new discoveries, treatments, and brighter tomorrows.

💛 Learn more about the gala and how you can support this important work on our website: https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/

01/06/2026

A powerful moment for pediatric brain tumor research 💛

On January 3, the Cristian Rivera Foundation presented a record-breaking $365,000 gift — the largest in the foundation’s history — to support DIPG research at Weill Cornell Medicine. The gift was presented by John Gungie Rivera and Kenan Thompson to Dr. Mark Souweidane, Co-Director of the Children’s Brain Tumor Project.

This extraordinary contribution will directly advance innovative research focused on developing more effective, targeted treatments for children diagnosed with DIPG — a rare and devastating pediatric brain tumor. It’s a powerful reminder of what’s possible when families, advocates, and researchers come together with a shared commitment to change outcomes.

💛 We are deeply grateful to the Cristian Rivera Foundation and its community for their unwavering dedication to honoring Cristian’s legacy and driving progress toward a cure.

🔗 https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/2026/01/05/crf-365000-donation/

01/05/2026

Have you been dreaming about running for a cause in the NYC Half Marathon — or even the Berlin Marathon? 🏃‍♀️
We’ve got spots for both.

Join the Children’s Brain Tumor Project Marathon Team and turn your miles into meaningful impact. Every step you take fuels research, supports families, and brings us closer to better outcomes for children facing rare and aggressive brain tumors.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign — this is it.
Run with purpose. Run with heart. Run for the kids. 💕

Secure your spot today and help light the path toward hope.
🔗 teamcbtp.org

12/31/2025

Looking ahead to 2026: more discoveries, more hope, more children’s lives changed.

As the year winds down, there’s still time to make a difference — your last-minute donation to Children’s Brain Tumor Project helps fuel life-saving research and brings brighter futures within reach.

Every tax-deductible contribution, big or small, supports Dr. Mark Souweidane and Jeffrey P. Greenfield MD, PhD in their mission to cure childhood brain tumors. 💛

Donate today and help us start 2026 with hope, progress, and new possibilities.
🔗 lightupthelab.org to donate
🔗 childrensbraintumorproject.org/impact to read the 2025 Impact Report

12/30/2025

Every child with a brain tumor reminds us why this work matters — and why your support matters now more than ever. Dr. Mark Souweidane and Jeffrey P. Greenfield MD, PhD are at the forefront of life-saving research, working tirelessly to find cures and give children brighter futures.

This year’s Light Up the Lab initiative is already shining bright, honoring brave kids and funding critical research — but time is running out to make your year-end, tax-deductible contribution. Every gift helps sustain discoveries that can change lives.

💛 Honor these children, support pioneering research, and make your donation today.

🔗 lightupthab.org

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The families who participate in the Children's Brain Tumor Project (CBTP) are personally invested in finding new treatment options -- and ultimately cures -- for rare and inoperable brain tumors in children and young adults. These tumors, including DIPG, gliomatosis cerebri, and AT/RT, occur so rarely that they do not get the major funding or attention that research scientists need to find a cure. But for families affected by them, every case is one too many. The CBTP is funded in large part by a network of families who have lost loved ones to these terrible tumors, or whose families have been threatened by such a diagnosis. These family foundations and their supporters drive funding, advocacy and awareness for CBTP. Dr. Mark Souweidane and Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield, Co-Directors of the CBTP at Weill Cornell, have pioneered a neuroscientific paradigm using genomic sequencing and Convection Enhanced Delivery (CED). A Phase I clinical trial is testing the safety of using (CED) to deliver a low-toxicity drug cocktail directly to the tumor site. Bench researchers are using genomic sequencing to identify genetic mutations in each patient's tumor to identify the best drugs to combat them, and investigating new ways to stop tumor progression by blocking signals from bone marrow.