Chen Buxbaum, MD

About the Investigator:

Dr. Buxbaum is a neuro-oncologist at Rambam Medical Center who treats patients suffering from primary central nervous system tumors and the side effects of cancer treatments. After obtaining a medical degree and starting to treat patients, Dr. Buxbaum began to encounter pediatric neuroblastoma cases on a regular basis and, therefore, became determined to seek a remedy for this deadly disease. To that end, Dr. Buxbaum is also pursuing a PhD degree in order to translate research into real-world treatments for these patients.

About the Research:

Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that forms from immature nerve cells. It most often occurs in children younger than 5 years of age and is thought to begin before birth. Despite the best medical care, half of these patients still face poor outcomes. One of the main challenges is the lack of good animal models to study the disease.

Dr. Buxbaum’s research project aims to create a better mouse model using young mice to more accurately represent the conditions in which neuroblastoma develops. With this improved model, Dr. Buxbaum will study the immune environment around the tumors to understand how the disease progresses. This should provide a new foundation for testing treatments before they are used in humans, potentially leading to better outcomes for children with neuroblastoma.