The team at the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy is committed to finding better treatments, and eventually, a cure for brain cancer.
In their quest to do this, they are discovering fundamental insights into neuro-oncologic diseases. They are translating their scientific discoveries and new technologies into innovative treatments to help people with brain tumors, including clinical trials, or research studies.
The ReMission Alliance, a 15-institution powerhouse spanning the U.S. and Canada, launched in 2019 with UF as the central hub for manufacturing patient-specific immunotherapies and coordinating multicenter trials. As one of the only centers in the southeastern United States and the only one in Florida offering access to these research protocols, the University of Florida Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy provides a broad array of in-house developed immunotherapy trials for malignant brain tumors, including adult glioblastoma and pediatric gliomas.
A $100 million commitment is intended to accelerate translational research on immunotherapy for glioblastoma and pediatric tumors, bridging lab discoveries with clinical data to overcome the blood-brain barrier and double survival in pilot studies, as seen in our enhanced mRNA cancer vaccine study.
Many people may be referred to us by other treatment teams, or they are searching for new treatment options on their own. Clinical trials can offer a new option, and many times, a new option equals hope.
At UF Health, we are spearheading novel therapies that have the potential to prolong life and/or enhance one's quality of life. Our teams are offering the most advanced immunotherapy treatments available anywhere else in the world. Our scientists are also pioneers in Optune therapies, chemotherapies and ablation therapies.
Immunotherapy uses natural or lab-made substances to boost the immune system, but brain cancer is difficult to treat due to the blood-brain barrier and a highly suppressive tumor environment. Despite these challenges, UF Health has developed innovative immunologic treatments for both pediatric and adult malignant brain tumors.
Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat cancer, but the brain's protective barrier often blocks these medicines. At UF Health, specialists use a laser system that not only targets tumors but also temporarily opens the blood-brain barrier, allowing vital chemotherapy drugs to reach the brain.
Alternating electric field therapy, or tumor-treating fields (TTFields), uses low-intensity electrical fields to treat cancer, primarily glioblastoma. Its potential for treating other brain tumor types is also being studied.
The ReMission Alliance is a consortium of over 15 premier institutions worldwide that involve translational research spanning from laboratory work to multi-institutional clinical trials evaluating novel cancer immunotherapy approaches. This alliance, led by UF Health, has a sole focus of bringing together neuro-oncology experts to find a cure for brain cancer.
