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Our Center
Led by the collaborative efforts of C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Rogel Cancer Center and more than 1,500 dedicated donors, the Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center (CC-PBTC) was established at Michigan Medicine in 2018 to pool the diverse ideas and knowledge that can solve childhood brain cancers.
The center was launched under the leadership of Valerie Opipari, M.D., former chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and Karin Muraszko, M.D., former chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, and now is under the guidance of Donna Martin, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics, and Eric Fearon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Rogel Cancer Center.
The center brings together unmatched expertise from across the University of Michigan (U-M) Health departments of pediatrics, radiology, neurosurgery, radiation, oncology, genetics, and pathology and U-M schools of engineering and public health — as well as renowned international collaborators.
As a national center of excellence for pediatric brain cancer, the CC-PBTC has significantly expanded Michigan Medicine’s clinical and research capacity, delivering great promise in the search for cures.
We’re already on the cusp of breakthroughs. We are doing pivotal research on diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and high-grade gliomas, closing gaps in understanding their causes and mechanisms. We are also working to develop innovative treatments for DIPG and other pediatric brain tumors.
Our efforts and progress are inspired by Chad Carr, the grandson of former U-M football coach Lloyd Carr. Chad was diagnosed with DIPG three days before his 4th birthday. He endured 30 rounds of chemotherapy and a clinical trial before dying of the inoperable brain tumor at the age of 5.
The incredible contributions from our community of generous and dedicated supporters are helping us lead the way in advancing the understanding of pediatric brain tumors, improving therapies and moving us closer to finding much-needed cures.
The time is now — and Michigan is the place — for conquering DIPG, gliomas and other pediatric brain tumors.
