Pediatric Neurosurgery Laboratory

Children’s Memorial Hospital’s Division of Neurosurgery offers extensive experience, leading-edge technologies, and a commitment to clinical, translational, and basic science research in a multidisciplinary setting. Physicians are involved in basic research in cooperation with the Developmental Biology Program and the Cancer Biology and Epigenomics Program of the research center.

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Mission and Vision of the Pediatric Neurosurgery Laboratory

The mission of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Children’s Memorial Medical Center is to give the highest quality clinical care to pediatric patients who have an illness or injury that affects the brain or spine through state of the art neurosurgical techniques and translational medicine. This care is backed by innovative basic science research in the fields of stem cell biology and nano-medicine by a group of dedicated individuals who are competent, confident and caring.

The laboratory is headed by Tadanori Tomita, MD, Division head, Neurosurgery; Director, Falk Brain Tumor Center; Yeager Professor and Chairman of Pediatric Neurosurgery; Professor and Vice-chair of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

 The laboratory consists of three teams of researchers:

Developmental Neurobiology
Shekhar Mayanil, PhD 

  • Spina bifida research, including neural tube and neurobiology research 
  • Hydrocephalus studies are ongoing 
  • Epigenetic mechanisms of regulation of gene expression 

Translational Neurosurgical Oncology
Guifa Xi, MD, PhD 

  • Interstitial chemotherapy to treat malignant brain tumors 
  • Epigenetic mechanism research on drug resistance during malignant brain tumors chemotherapeutic process 
  • Application of nanotechnology in brain tumor treatment 
  • Nano-Diamonds 
  • Magnetic nano-particles 
Simone T. Sredni, MD, PhD
  • Diagnosis and biology of pediatric solid tumors 
  • Epigenetic mechanisms of regulation of gene expression 

A new Center of Excellence devoted to nanotechnology research is being developed.

Funding sources:

  • Spastic Paralysis Research Foundation of Illinois-Eastern Iowa District of Kiwanis 
  • State of Illinois Excellence in Academic Medicine award 
  • Spina Bifida Association 
  • Chou Funds 
  • Falk Foundation 
  • Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research 
Research Interests

Recent Publications