CNS Tumors
Thomas Merchant, DO, PhD
Member, St. Jude Faculty
Chair, Radiation Oncology Department
Baddia J. Rashid Endowed Chair in Radiation Oncology
Chairman, Radiation Oncology Discipline, Children’s Oncology Group
Dr. Merchant is currently the Chair of Radiation Oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee where he has practiced since 1996. The subject of his research has been the application of advanced radiotherapy methods in the treatment of children with cancer. His focus has been in pediatric neuro-oncology where he has designed new treatments for children with brain tumors and modeled radiation-related CNS effects. The broad long-term goal of his research has been to increase the cure rates for the most common brain tumors and reduce or eliminate the side effects of radiation therapy. His work in the area of conformal radiation therapy for pediatric CNS tumors has provided the basis for the dose, volume and normal tissue tolerance guidelines used in most of the national cooperative group brain tumor trials for children with medulloblastoma, ependymoma, low-grade glioma and craniopharyngioma. His work has recently been highlighted in a number of oncology journals including Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics.
Anita Mahajan, MD
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Professor
Medical Director, Proton Therapy Center
Department of Radiation Oncology
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics. Section of Hematology-Oncology
Baylor College of Medicine
Torunn Yock, MD
Director. Pediatric Radiation Oncology
Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
Chair, Radiation Oncology Quality Assurance