Congratulations to Dr. Jorge Armando Pena Agudelo and Dr. Maria Castro for all your hard work on this publication. Read more here
Dr. Maria Castro Joins American Brain Tumor Association Leadership
We’re thrilled to announce that Dr. Maria G. Castro has taken on a prestigious role in the brain tumor research community: Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council at the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), guiding research programs, providing scientific expertise, and supporting initiatives that propel brain tumor research and advocacy. Congratulations to Dr. Castro on these well-deserved leadership appointments!
Welcome to the lab-2026 Fall Students
Mr. Gurveer Chadha (Fall 2026), PIB/UPiN Independent Study Charlotte Kaufman (Fall 2026)
Congratulations Dr. Maria Castro on becoming a member of the Editorial Academy of the International Journal of Oncology
Professor Maria G. Castro’s scientific career has been driven by a longstanding commitment to understanding the molecularand immunological mechanisms underlying brain tumors and translating these discoveries into effective therapies. She beganher academic journey in Argentina, where she earned her BSc (Hons), MSc and PhD in Biochemistry from the NationalUniversity of La Plata. During this period, she was honored with the Professor B. Houssay ‘Summa Cum…
Community Engagement Spotlight: ABTA BT5K Run/Walk
The BIBC team “BioInnovations in Motion” participated in the ABTA BT5K Run/Walk held on June 6, 2026 at Kensington Metropark, Milford, MI. The team joined hundreds of supporters at this community event organized by the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), coming together to raise awareness and show support for individuals and families affected by brain tumors. This participation reflects the team’s ongoing commitment to community…
Spotlight on Rising Scientists!
Meet Dr. Daiana Perez Visnuk, a Postdoctoral Fellow from Dr. Pedro Lowenstein’s Lab. 1. What motivated you to pursue postdoctoral training, and what led you to join the Castro-Lowenstein Lab? I pursued postdoctoral training to expand my expertise at the interface of cancer biology, neuroscience, and biophysics, with the goal of understanding how brain tumors organize, communicate, and invade. I was drawn to the Castro-Lowenstein Lab…
Mia Zhong Awarded Prestigious 2026 IES Brain Research Foundation Mindy Nagle Summer Fellowship
Congratulations to Mia Zhong on being selected as a 2026 IES Brain Research Foundation Mindy Nagle Summer Fellow! As part of this prestigious fellowship, Mia will receive hands-on research training in the laboratory of Dr. Maria Castro at the University of Michigan Medical School during the summer of 2026. Her research project, “Genomic Instability: A New Immunological Target for Brain Cancer,” aims to investigate innovative therapeutic…
ASGCT 2025 Meeting Report Published in Molecular Therapy
The ASGCT 2025 Advancing Cell & Gene Therapies for Cancer symposium highlighted major progress in integrating oncolytic virotherapy, cellular immunotherapy, epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of the tumor immune microenvironment, and synthetic gene engineering. A post-meeting report titled “2025 Advancing Cell and Gene Therapies for Cancer” has been published, highlighting key discussions and emerging directions from the meeting. The report, authored by Paola Grandi, Maria G.…
Castro Lab Review Article Accepted in JAMA Neurology
Publication Spotlight: Castro Lab Review Article Accepted in JAMA Neurology Congratulations to the Castro Lab on the acceptance of their review article, “Gene Delivery Platforms for Glioblastoma: Recent Advances and Future Prospects“ for publication in JAMA Neurology (2026). Authored by A. Haddad, R. Ramesh, J. Armando Peña Agudelo, C. Salha, P. Prakash, S. Aghi, J. Trippett, Maria G. Castro, and M. Aghi, this review summarizes adenoviral…
NCI R01 Awarded to Dr. Pedro Lowenstein
Congratulations to Dr. Pedro Lowenstein on receiving a 5-year NCI R01 grant titled: “Disruption of Collagen Extracellular Matrix Potentiates Anti-Glioma Immune Responses.” This highly competitive award supports innovative research aimed at understanding how modulation of the collagen-rich extracellular matrix can enhance anti-tumor immune responses in glioma. The grant also includes collaborative contributions from UMich investigators Drs. Maria Castro, Joerg Lahann, Joshua Welch, and Michelle L. Hastings, highlighting strong interdisciplinary partnerships…