Brain Tumor Research Alliance of Manitoba (BTRAM) is a collaborative forum for brain tumor researchers in Manitoba who meet on a monthly basis to share research and plan new initiatives.

Objectives:

• to achieve innovation in research and advancement in brain tumor treatment by integrating clinical and basic medical science expertise and resources.
• to deliver the most advanced medical expertise and clinical care for the benefit of brain tumor patients and their relatives.
• to provide a platform for brain tumor research with advanced networking among researchers in Manitoba.
• to establish centralized data collection of all brain tumor resources in Manitoba and network with other brain tumor centers in Canada and the US.
  

Strategies:

• To establish a patient-centered care which includes advanced diagnostic strategies, molecular tumor phenotyping, comprehensive treatment options and follow-up.
• to expand an integrated central patient data base for comprehensive data analysis of genetic/ molecular/ metabolic/ proteomic profiles, clinical parameters, treatments and responses.
  
  

Promote research addressing key issues in brain tumor research:

• new diagnostic markers for early detection, prognosis and brain tumor monitoring;
• new therapeutic strategies
• the role of the stem-like compartment in tumor propagation;
• tumor cell heterogeneity;
• the effect of the tumor micro-environment on the behavior of brain tumors.
  
  

Current expertise provided by the team:

• Stem cell propagation (pediatric and adult brain tumors)
• Animal models of brain tumors and various in vitro cell models and functional assays
• Molecular aspects of chemoresistance in brain tumor and nanotherapeutics
• Advanced neuroradiology and metabolic imaging
• Blood-brain-barrier
• Brain tissue printing, mass spectrometry and proteomic analysis
• Tissue and cell procurement and clinical data bank
• Integrated Faculty Service Platform resources and high-resolution fluorescence imaging

• tentatively Wed. December 13 - Speaker TBA