New frontiers in translational research in neuro-oncology and the blood-brain barrier: report of the tenth annual Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Consortium Meeting

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) presents a major obstacle to the treatment of malignant brain tumors and other central nervous system (CNS) diseases. For this reason, a meeting partially funded by an NIH R13 grant was convened to discuss recent advances and future directions in translational research in neuro-oncology and the BBB. Cell biology and transport across the BBB, delivery of agents to the CNS, neuroimaging, angiogenesis, immunotherapy, and gene therapy, as well as glioma, primary CNS lymphoma, and metastases to the CNS were discussed. Transport across the BBB relates to the neurovascular unit, which consists not only of endothelial cells but also of pericyte, glia, and neuronal elements.