Faculty Expert Profile

Henry Brem is neurosurgeon-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital where he has developed new tools and techniques that have changed the field of neurosurgery. Brem's work led to the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the first image guidance computer system for intraoperative localization of tumors.

He also changed the surgical armamentarium against brain tumors by inventing and developing Gliadel® wafers to intraoperatively deliver chemotherapy to brain tumors. His work has shown that surgeons can accurately deliver potent therapies directly at the tumor site. Brem has changed the surgical treatment of brain tumors by introducing new approaches for targeted therapy. He developed new classes of polymers and microchips for drug delivery that are custom synthesized for the agent being developed.

The polyanhydrides, which were the first new treatments for brain tumors that the FDA had approved in 23 years, have been shown in his laboratory to be biocompatible and potent. He then designed and led the clinical trials demonstrating safety and efficacy.

Brem has used his laboratory experience to design and lead many novel multi-institutional clinical trials to prove the safety and efficacy of this approach in patients with brain tumors. His work has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1982, and is currently funded by several active grants.