Yuan Pan and Nicole Brossier awarded DoD grant to study the interaction between Nf1 mutation and diet

Drs. Yuan Pan (Assistant Professor, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center) and Nicole Brossier (Assistant Professor, Washington University) were recently awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Defense NF Research Program to study the interaction between Nf1 mutation and maternal diet. Together, Drs. Pan and Brossier will study how genetic and environmental factors both individually […]

Anna Wilson Begins Medical School at Harvard

Anna Wilson has finished her two-year tenure as a postbaccalaureate researcher in the Gutmann laboratory and will move to Boston to start medical school at Harvard this fall. Anna joined the lab as an undergraduate research trainee in the fall of 2019, eventually completing her senior honors thesis before graduating Summa Cum Laude from Washington […]

Dr. Yuan Pan Awarded Gilbert Family Foundation Grant to Study Optic Gliomas

Dr. Yuan Pan, Assistant Professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, was recently awarded a three-year grant from the Gilbert Family Foundation Vision Restoration Initiative to study how NF1 mutations in brain cells called oligodendroglial cells change their interactions with the optic nerve. In this grant, Dr. Pan’s team will work with Dr. Corina Anastasaki, Research […]

Dr. Maloney Awarded IDDRC Pilot Grant to Study Social Behavior Deficits in Mice

Dr. Susan Maloney, Research Assistant Professor in Psychiatry, was recently awarded a one-year grant from the Washington University Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) to study social behavior in mice with different Nf1 gene mutations. In this grant proposal, Dr. Maloney will collaborate with Dr. Corina Anastasaki, Research Assistant Professor in Neurology, to identify the autism-related behaviors in Nf1-mutant […]

Major Biomarker Project to Help Identify Cancer Predisposition in NF1 Patients

The Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF) has announced a groundbreaking 3-year study, which it will fund for nearly $2 million, to determine if a DNA-based blood test can offer better understanding and ultimately earlier diagnosis of cancer predisposition in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. Approximately 7-15% percent of NF1 patients may develop malignant peripheral nerve sheath […]

NF Center Scholar Receives ALSF Summer Fellowship Award

Taylor John-Lewis was recently awarded a POST Summer Fellowship from Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to work on vision loss resulting from brain tumors in children with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Taylor is a rising senior at Washington University, majoring in Biology on the Neuroscience Track, with a Double Minors in Philosophy, Neuroscience, and Psychology, as well […]

NF Center Researcher Awarded Department of Defense Grant

Dr. Angela Hirbe, Assistant Professor in Medical Oncology at Washington University, was recently awarded a new grant from the Department of Defense to continue her groundbreaking research on malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). MPNSTs are highly aggressive cancers that can arise in young adults with the Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) tumor predisposition syndrome. Typically, these […]

NF Center 2016 Volume 3 Newsletter Published

The 2016 Volume 3 NF Center newsletter has been released. Read about recent fundraising events held by the families of NF Center Clinical Program patients to support NF awareness and research. Also learn about Gutmann Laboratory research grants and recent research linking NF1 to ASD trait burden.

Neurobiology of Disease in Children (NDC) Holds NF Symposium

In conjunction with this year’s Child Neurology Society meeting, the Neurobiology of Disease in Children (NDC) held its 16th annual symposium to review advances in pediatric neurologic disease. The topic for the 2016 NDC symposium was Neurofibromatosis (NF), the very same topic discussed at the first NDC symposium held in 2001.

NF Center Volume 2, 2016 Newsletter

Check out the NF Center Volume 2, 2016 newsletter (pdf) to read about the NF Center’s 3rd biennial Research Symposium, recent research driving us toward personalized treatment for people with NF1, and the JazzTimes article highlighting Beat NF, our music-motor therapy program for toddlers with NF1.

NF Center Volume 1, 2016 Newsletter

View the NF Center Volume 1, 2016 newsletter, which includes a message from esteemed Washington University NF Center director, Dr. David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, highlights last year’s progress and features plans for a successful 2016.

Washington University NF Center Fall 2015 Newsletter

Check out the fall 2015 newsletter (pdf) for some of our most popular research articles, patient stories and details about upcoming events this fall! Some of the highlights in this issue include: Researchers Separate NF1/RAS Function in Brain Stem Cells Patient Spotlight: Molly McNeill Washington University NF Center to Hold Research Symposium Also be sure to take a […]

Washington University NF Center Summer 2015 Newsletter

Check out the summer 2015 newsletter for some of our most popular research articles, recommendations to improve your child’s ability to participate in sports and other activities, details about upcoming events this summer and more! Some of the highlights in this issue include: Human Skin Cells Help Researchers Understand Learning Problems in NF1 Courtney’s Corner: Improving Strength […]

UPDATE: NF Clinical Trials – Spring 2015

Check out the NF Clinical Trials section of our website, which was recently updated to include current NF-related trials from clinicaltrials.gov. Some new studies that have been added are: NF1 Clinical Trials: Everolimus for Treatment of Disfiguring Cutaneous Lesions in Neurofibromatosis 1 CRAD001CUS232T Resiliency Training for Adolescent Neurofibromatosis Patients Via Videoconferencing With Skype NF2 Clinical Trials: Study of RAD001 […]

Washington University NF Center – Spring 2015 Newsletter

It’s officially spring, and we at the Washington University NF Center are excited to kick off another year of providing exceptional care through groundbreaking research! Check out the spring 2015 newsletter for some of our most popular recent research updates, information about our upcoming Club NF and Beat NF events and more. Some of the […]

Washington University NF Center Winter 2014 Newsletter

2014 might be winding down, but the Washington University NF Center is still hard at work in our research laboratories and at our innovative outreach programs, like Beat NF and Club NF! Check out the winter 2014 newsletter for some of our most popular research articles, a reflection on our successful fall Beat NF event and more! […]

Gutmann Delivers the 8th Annual Riley Church Lecture

David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor and Director of the Washington University Neurofibromatosis (NF) Center, was selected as the 8th Riley Church Professor. This honor was presented by Andrea and Marty Church following Dr. Gutmann’s lecture on December 5th at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Gutmann spoke on […]

UPDATE: NF Clinical Trials for the Fall 2014 Quarter

The NF Clinical Trials section of our website has been updated to reflect current trials detailed at clinicaltrials.gov. Studies that have recently been added include: NF1 Clinical Trials: Study of Everolimus With Bevacizumab to Treat Refractory Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors Effect of Lamotrigine on Cognition in NF1 NF2 Clinical Trials: Effect of Implant Position […]

Courtney’s Corner: Studying Gait, Balance & Hip Strength in Children with NF1

The kids are back in school, fall sports are in full swing, and Halloween is right around the corner – where does the time go? The last few months have been busy for me because we recently started recruiting patients to participate in a new study. The study was designed to determine whether a relationship […]

UPDATE: Clinical Research Studies at the Washington University NF Center – Fall 2014

Interested in how our current clinical studies are going? NF1 Genome Project (NF1GP) We have obtained 425 blood samples from individuals with NF1 and have already used some of the samples in new studies. These include a study looking at the differences in DNA between people with NF1 who develop brain tumors and people with NF1 who do not […]