Department Of Neurosurgery Research Program

The Department of Neurosurgery has a proud record of research accomplishments. We have investigated or have been involved with research ranging from the development of Linac Radiosurgery, improving the design of football helmets to reduce traumatic brain injury, transplantation of fetal cells for the amelioration of Parkinsonian symptoms to developing drug and immunology delivery systems to malignant brain tumors.  Currently, our research encompasses stem cell research, neuro-oncology and neuro-vascular issues.  

Dr. Stephen Davies' research interests are primarily focused on investigating the molecular and cell biology of the traumatically injured adult central nervous system.  His research team at UCDHSC is currently developing two, complementary approaches to repairing the injured adult CNS: 1) suppression or removal of scar tissue to promote axon growth across sites of injury and 2) development of neural precursor (stem cell-like) technologies to generate different types of central nervous system glia suitable for repairing the injured brain and spinal cord.
For more detailed information about Dr. Davies' research, please click here.

Research in Dr. Jeannette Davies’ lab is focused on the development of treatments for malignant gliomas. Gliomas produce several unique cell surface and extra-cellular matrix proteins that allow them to grow rapidly, subvert the body’s normal immune system response, and invade (migrate through) normal brain tissue. Many of these proteins are also likely to be involved in the metastasis of peripheral tumors, such as lung cancer or melanoma, into the brain. Therefore we are working to identify and characterize these proteins, and test the ability of different peptides and synthetic molecules to block their function. We also work closely with Dr. Stephen Davies and his laboratory to develop treatments for traumatic spinal cord and brain injury.

Dr. Judith Gault is in the midst of investigating the the genetic componets of  cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs).  CCM’s are a common genetic disease (0.5% of the population harbors them) predisposing patients to a lifetime risk of hemorrhagic stroke and epilepsy.  Germline mutations have been identified in three genes.  We have recently discovered several biallelic somatic and germline CCM1 truncating mutations in the vascular endothelial cells of CCMs.  Somatic mutations appear to be a fundamental mechanism of lesion formation and will likely explain the relationship between heritable and sporadic CCM lesions.  The types of somatic and heritable mutations may related propensity of a lesion to bleed and clinical manifestations.

Dr Michael Graner’s research focuses on the immunology and biology of brain tumors. From a clinical perspective, he is interested in vaccine design and implementation, which includes the search for appropriate combinations of therapies to enhance immune responses or to downplay the role of tumor-induced immune suppression. He is a patent-holder on a vaccine process that generates a material from tumors that is enriched for a class of proteins called chaperones (sometimes called stress proteins or heat shock proteins). These proteins are potent immune stimulators that also carry antigenic components from the tumor that lead to activated immune responder cells specifically targeting the tumor. This vaccine is a personalized therapy that is made from the patient’s own tumor. We are moving this vaccine towards a clinical trial in both human and canine patients, the latter in conjunction with collaborators at the Animal Cancer Center at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

At a more basic/translational science level, we are also interested in the biologic and immunologic activities of exosomes and microvesicles. These are “tiny fat balls” that are released from most all cell types, but tumor cells are quite prodigious at it. Dr Graner’s group was the first to identify these vesicles from brain tumor cells, and they have also demonstrated their presence in the sera of patients with high grade gliomas. Because exosomes and microvesicles contain a sampling of the lipids, proteins, and RNAs of the tumor cells, the vesicles may be useful as tumor biomarkers found in an accessible compartment, blood. Also, the fat balls have profound influences on immune responses and tumor growth, particularly in terms of modulation of the microenvironment to the benefit of the tumor. We have gathered together an eclectic group of researchers on this campus, and from Colorado State and Colorado School of Mines, to study the biology, biochemistry, and immunology of these vesicles from the atomic level to the level of individual patients.