Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield: Advisory Council Spotlight

As a pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Jeffrey P. Greenfield is a strong proponent of transitional neurosurgery: caring for patients with specific conditions from childhood through adulthood. Compassionate clinical care, research and education are all central to his philosophy.

Dr. Greenfield is the co-director of the Weill Cornell Medicine Children’s Brain Tumor Project (CBTP), a Gift from a Child (GFAC) Center of Excellence. In addition to his work at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Greenfield works at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Founded in 2011, the goal of the CBTP is to bring hope to the hundreds of patients and families confronted with the heartbreaking diagnoses of inoperable pediatric brain cancer each year. Because these cancers are so rare, they do not get the funding or attention that research scientists need to find a cure. Dr. Greenfield and other researchers at the Children’s Brain Tumor Project are working with GFAC to change that reality.

Dr. Greenfield and his CBTP co-director Dr. Mark Souweidane advocate for post-mortem tissue donation through the Legacy Donation program at Weill Cornell Medicine. They perform molecular, cellular, and genetic analysis on tissue samples, each of which provides a wealth of information. Tissue samples are a critical part of Dr. Greenfield’s research.

At CBTP Dr. Greenfield directs multiple research projects focusing on novel approaches and innovative care for children with rare and inoperable brain tumors. This research has been widely published and he has received national awards from neurosurgical societies.

Dr. Greenfield’s research focuses in part on precision medicine: developing tools and algorithms to tailor therapies targeting specific mutations discovered through tumor biopsies. The goal of precision medicine is to create effective drugs and treatments developed for a specific patient’s tumor. Tissue donation is vital in reaching this goal. The more tumor data Dr. Greenfield and his fellow researchers can collect and analyze through tissue donation, the better they are able to develop personalized treatments for current and future patients.

On his work with pediatric patients, Dr. Greenfield said, “I truly draw inspiration from my young patients every day. As we make treatment decisions with our patients and their families, we always keep in mind the goal of a happy, productive childhood and their continued physical, emotional, and intellectual development.”

GFAC is proud to partner with such a trailblazing and compassionate physician in our work to cure pediatric brain cancer.

Watch Dr. Greenfield discuss his connection with his patients and their families.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzviKXepO6o&t=2s