Ivy Blog

As a research technician in our preclinical lab, Ernesto Luna Melendez assists in the analysis of a patient's tumor and evaluates whether novel treatment regiments are effective in killing glioblastoma cells. Learn more about Ernesto's work at the Ivy Center and his inspirations for joining the neuroscience field.

In August of 2019, John VanGundy went to his primary care doctor for what he thought to be a simple sinus infection. He later learned his symptoms were being caused by something much more serious – a malignant brain tumor.

As a neurosurgical oncologist at Barrow Neurological Institute, Dr. Kris Smith was determined to improve the outcome for brain tumor patients. But when his father was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the battle against brain cancer became all the more personal.

Ryan Masales, a Canadian police officer, was diagnosed with an aggressive stage 4 brain tumor, known as glioblastoma. After exhausting all conventional treatments in Canada, Ryan and his wife, Estelize began seeking other options. It was through their research that they found the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and began their 1,500 mile journey from Canada to Arizona to enroll in a unique Ivy Phase 0 clinical trial.

Dr. Nader Sanai is an internationally recognized neurosurgical oncologist, but his experience with brain cancer doesn't date back to the start of his career. It began at a young age when his Aunt Zhilla was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Years later, Dr. Sanai found himself inspired to follow a similar path of the neurosurgeon who cared for his aunt.

In honor of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, Cindy Westphal, wife of basketball Hall of Famer, Paul Westphal, recalls her husband's journey with glioblastoma and asks for your support of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center's mission to contribute to a cure for brain cancer within this decade.

Five doctors told Melissa her brain tumor was inoperable. After thinking she had exhausted all of her options, she visited the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and her life changed forever.

As a research technician in our Preclinical Lab, Connor White plays an important role in ensuring that only new promising targets with excellent brain penetration properties move into our Phase 0 trials.

“GBM is a disease that is very, very aggressive and very difficult for patients and their families to deal with,...

As an active young mom and business owner, Andy was surprised to learn she had a heart arrhythmia called AFib. After having a cardiac ablation to treat the AFib, she started to experience a migraine for the first time and was quickly taken in for a brain scan to rule out a stroke. That’s when doctors made a shocking discovery that would turn her world upside down.