Josh Neman-Ebrahim, PhD

Dr. Josh Neman is an Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, Physiology & Neuroscience at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California (USC). Dr. Neman is the Director of the Cancer Biology & Genomics Doctoral Program and the Scientific Director of the USC Brain Tumor. As well, Dr. Neman is the Co-leader of Neuro-oncology Disease Affinity Group and Director of Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Dr. Neman received his doctoral degree at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine in Neurobiology. He then went on to complete his Cancer Biology Fellowship at the City of Hope’s Beckman Research Institute where he was a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Fellow focusing on brain tumors.

As the Director of the Laboratory of Cancer Neuroscience (www.cancerneuroscience.org), Dr. Neman’s current research investigates the biology of brain metastases (cancers that spread to the brain—i.e. breast, lung, melanoma, prostate) and pediatric brain tumors. His expertise and strengths in stem cell biology and neuroscience have allowed him to develop novel molecular, cellular, and therapeutic approach to study the bidirectional interplay between the brain and cancer cells (termed cancer neuroscience). Dr. Neman’s goal is to uncover novel mechanism used by the nervous system to promote tumor growth and spread. This will ultimately result in development of improved strategies for cancer prevention and treatment of patients with these devastating diseases.

Dr. Neman has been the recipient of multiple research awards including from National Institutes of Health (National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), CIRM, American Cancer Society, American Brain Tumor Association, STOP Cancer, METAvivor, Uncle Korry Foundation, Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and Department of Defense.

Dr. Neman is strong supporter of involving the community in his basic and translational laboratory—this involves engaging with patients, patient advocates, and their families’. He served on the Board of Directors of Susan G Komen LA County and is involved with American Brain Tumor Association at multiple levels.

For more information on Dr. Neman and his research endeavors please visit: cancerneuroscience.org

• Clinical Perspectives in Brain Metastasis Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2020 06 01; 10(6). . View in PubMed
• Isolation of Neural Stem Cells from Whole Brain Tissues of Adult Mice Curr Protoc Stem Cell Biol. 2019 06; 49(1):e80. . View in PubMed
• Targeted Transdermal Delivery of Curcumin for Breast Cancer Prevention Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 12 06; 16(24). . View in PubMed
• Inhibition of GLO1 in Glioblastoma Multiforme Increases DNA-AGEs, Stimulates RAGE Expression, and Inhibits Brain Tumor Growth in Orthotopic Mouse Models Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Jan 30; 19(2). . View in PubMed
• Regional Delivery of Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Engineered T Cells Effectively Targets HER2+ Breast Cancer Metastasis to the Brain Clin Cancer Res. 2018 01 01; 24(1):95-105. . View in PubMed
• Meeting report: Metastasis Research Society-Chinese Tumor Metastasis Society joint conference on metastasis Clin Exp Metastasis. 2017 04; 34(3-4):203-213. . View in PubMed
• Cooperation of neurotrophin receptor TrkB and Her2 in breast cancer cells facilitates brain metastases Breast Cancer Res. 2017 04 26; 19(1):51. . View in PubMed
• Inhibition of ß2-adrenergic receptor reduces triple-negative breast cancer brain metastases: The potential benefit of perioperative ß-blockade Oncol Rep. 2016 Jun; 35(6):3135-42. . View in PubMed
• Medulloblastoma initiation and spread: Where neurodevelopment, microenvironment and cancer cross pathways J Neurosci Res. 2016 12; 94(12):1511-1519. . View in PubMed
• Role of the neural niche in brain metastatic cancer Cancer Res. 2014 Aug 01; 74(15):4011-5. . View in PubMed
• Therapeutic disruption of the blood brain barrier in metastasis Neurosurgery. 2014 Apr; 74(4):N11-2. . View in PubMed
• Human breast cancer metastases to the brain display GABAergic properties in the neural niche Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014 Jan 21; 111(3):984-9. . View in PubMed
• Co-evolution of breast-to-brain metastasis and neural progenitor cells Clin Exp Metastasis. 2013 Aug; 30(6):753-68. . View in PubMed
• Lineage mapping and characterization of the native progenitor population in cellular allograft Spine J. 2013 Feb; 13(2):162-174. . View in PubMed
• Altered expression of polycomb group genes in glioblastoma multiforme PLoS One. 2013; 8(11):e80970. . View in PubMed
• A method for deriving homogenous population of oligodendrocytes from mouse embryonic stem cells Dev Neurobiol. 2012 Jun; 72(6):777-88. . View in PubMed
• Genetic mutations and tissue type lead to heterogeneous metabolic profiles in tumors Neurosurgery. 2012 Jun; 70(6):N20-1. . View in PubMed
• Cytotoxic T lymphocyte trafficking and survival in an augmented fibrin matrix carrier PLoS One. 2012; 7(4):e34652. . View in PubMed
• Clinical efficacy of stem cell mediated osteogenesis and bioceramics for bone tissue engineering Adv Exp Med Biol. 2012; 760:174-87. . View in PubMed
• Stem cell-mediated osteogenesis: therapeutic potential for bone tissue engineering Biologics. 2012; 6:47-57. . View in PubMed
• Emerging role of brain metastases in the prognosis of breast cancer patients Breast Cancer (Dove Med Press). 2011 Aug 10; 3:79-91. . View in PubMed
• Nanoplatforms for constructing new approaches to cancer treatment, imaging, and drug delivery: what should be the policy? Neuroimage. 2011 Jan; 54 Suppl 1:S106-24.. View in PubMed
• Classification of genomic changes in breast cancer brain metastasis Neurosurgery. 2010 Aug; 67(2):N18-9. . View in PubMed
• Decreasing glioma recurrence through adjuvant cancer stem cell inhibition Biologics. 2010 Jun 24; 4:157-62. . View in PubMed
• Translational emphasis: hypoxia and vasculogenesis in glioma recurrence Neurosurgery. 2010 Jun; 66(6):N20-1. . View in PubMed

• Lenz, Heinz-Josef