John A. Boockvar
| John A. Boockvar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Alma mater | University of Pennsylvania, SUNY Downstate Medical Center |
| Occupation | Professor of Neurological Surgery, Director of the Brain Tumor Center, Director of the Pituitary/Neuroendocrine Center, and Director of the Acoustic Neuroma Program of the Division of Neurological Surgery |
| Employer | Lenox Hill Hospital |
| Known for | Cancer research |
| Title | MD |
John A. Boockvar is an American neurosurgeon. He is a professor of neurological surgery at the Hoftstra-North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, and director of the Brain Tumor Center, Pituitary/Neuroendocrine Center and the Acoustic Neuroma Program of the Division of Neurological Surgery and the New York Head and Neck Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital (New York City). He is also a board-certified adult neurosurgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital.[1]
Education
Boockvar received a B.A. degree from the University of Pennsylvania and earned his M.D., summa cum laude, from the SUNY Downstate Medical Center. He was a surgical intern and resident at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Boockvar did his post-doctoral research training in neuro-oncology at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center and directed the University of Pennsylvania pituitary and skull base laboratory and completed a dedicated complex spine surgery fellowship.[2]
Career
Boockvar joined the North Shore-LIJ Health System in 2014 as a neurosurgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital and the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. He is director of the Brain Tumor Center, Pituitary/Neuroendocrine Center, the Acoustic Neuroma Program of the Division of Neurological Surgery, and the New York Head and Neck Institute at Lenox Hill and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospitals. Boockvar is professor of neurological surgery at the Hofstra-North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and the Director of the Brain Tumor Biotech Center.
As director of the Brain Tumor Center, Boockvar also heads the neuro-oncology research program at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. There he continues his work in primary and metastatic brain tumors, meningiomas, pituitary tumors, acoustic neuromas, spinal and peripheral nerve sheath tumors, skull base and endoscopic surgery, minimally invasive spinal surgery, and complex spinal disorders. Prior to joining the North Shore-LIJ Health System, Boockvar was a professor of neurological surgery and neuroscience and the co-director of the brain and spine tumor program at the Weill Cornell Medical College and a neurosurgeon at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Research
Boockvar currently co-directs the Laboratory for Brain Tumor Biology and Therapy at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. His laboratory interests have focused on adult human neural stem cell biology as it relates to brain tumor formation and resistance to therapy. Boockvar is a world expert on blood brain barrier disruption to improve the delivery of therapeutics to the human brain. Boockvar is the principal investigator of several cutting edge clinical trials using blood brain barrier disruption to deliver high dose chemotherapy for patients with malignant brain tumors that have been featured in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Boockvar has served as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Current Stem Cell Research and Therapy and is an editorial board member of the Journal of Neuro-Oncology, Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery, and Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery. Boockvar directs the Brain Tumor Biotech Center at the Institute that seeks to bridge the translational gap between basic and clinical science for patients with malignant brain tumors. Boockvar's laboratory has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and he was recently awarded the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Pinnacle Partners Award for his research into brain tumors. He has also won research awards from Voices Against Brain Cancer, the American Brain Tumor Association, the Starr Foundation, Anspach Companies, and the Adelson Foundation.
Clinical Trials
Boockvar runs a series of clinical trials including:
Phase I Trial of Super-Selective Intraarterial Carotid Infusion of Cetuximab (Erbitux) for Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Glioblastoma Multiforme and Anaplastic Astrocytoma
Superselective Intraarterial Cerebral Infusion (SIACI) is a technique that can effectively increase the concentration of drug delivered to the brain while sparing the body of systemic side effects. One currently used drug called, Cetuximab (Erbitux) has been shown to be active in human brain tumors but its actual CNS penetration is unknown. This phase I clinical research trial will test the hypothesis that Cetuximab can be safely used by direct intracranial superselective intraarterial infusion up to a dose of 250mg/m2 to ultimately enhance survival of patients with relapsed/refractory GBM/AA. By achieving the aims of this study the investigators will determine the toxicity profile and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of SIACI Cetuximab. The investigators expect that this study will provide important information regarding the utility of SIACI Cetuximab therapy for malignant glioma, and may alter the way these drugs are delivered to the investigators patients in the near future.
Phase I Trial Of Super-Selective Intraarterial Cerebral Infusion Of Temozolomide (Temodar) For Treatment Of Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme And Anaplastic Astrocytoma
This phase I clinical research trial will test the hypothesis that Temozolomide can be safely used by Superselective Intraarterial Cerebral Infusion (SIACI) up to a dose of 250mg/m2 to ultimately enhance survival of patients with newly diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme and Anaplastic Astrocytoma. Data suggests that Temozolomide is active in newly diagnosed GBM but that current response rates can be improved and toxicity with systemic delivery could be avoided with selective delivery techniques such as SIACI. Phase I Trial of Super-Selective Intraarterial Intracranial Infusion of Bevacizumab (Avastin) for Treatment of Vestibular Schwannoma PI: John Boockvar, MD A recent study showed that IV Bevacizumab (Avastin) treatment was followed by clinically meaningful hearing improvement, tumor-volume reduction, or both in some, but not all, patients with vestibular schwannoma who were at risk for complete hearing loss or brainstem compression from growing VS. Because of these promising results in preliminary studies of IV Bevacizumab and because of our significant experience with the safety of intraarterial chemotherapy, this novel study will offer a safe treatment for patients with VS. This will be the only center in the United States where this trial is being offered.
Phase I/II Trial of Repeated Super-Selective Intraarterial Cerebral Infusion of Bevacizumab (Avastin) for Treatment of Relapsed/Refractory Glioblastoma Multiforme and Anaplastic Astrocytoma
This phase I/II clinical research trial will test the hypothesis that repeated direct intracranial superselective intraarterial infusion Bevacizumab (15mg/kg) can be safely administered to enhance survival of patients with relapsed/refractory Glioblastoma Multiform and Anaplastic Astrocytoma. The current standard of care for recurring GBM is for patients to receive Bevacizumab (Avastin) intravenously (IV) at 10mg/kg every two weeks until their tumor grows more than 25%. By achieving the aims of this study we will determine if IV therapy with Bevacizumab should be combined with repeated selected intra-arterial Bevacizumab to improve progression free and overall survival.
Phase I/II Trial Of Repeated Super-Selective Intraarterial Cerebral Infusion Of Bevacizumab (Avastin) Plus Carboplatin (Paraplatin) For Treatment Of Relapsed/Refractory Glioblastoma Multiforme And Anaplastic Astrocytoma
This phase I/II clinical research trial is an extension of our Phase I IA Avastin trial in that we seek to test the hypothesis that repeated dosing of intra-arterial Bevacizumab is safe and effective in the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma. Additionally we will analyze if a combination with IA Carboplatin will further improve the treatment response. By achieving the aims of this study we will also determine if IV therapy with Bevacizumab with IV Carboplatin should be combined with repeated selected intra-arterial Bevacizumab plus Carboplatin to improve progression free and overall survival.
Phase I/II Trial Of Repeated Super-Selective Intraarterial Intracranial Infusion Of Cetuximab (Erbitux) For Treatment Of Relapsed/Refractory Glioblastoma Multiforme And Anaplastic Astrocytoma PI: John Boockvar, MD
This phase I/II clinical research trial is an extension of that trial in that we seek to test the hypothesis that repeated dosing of intra-arterial Cetuximab is safe and effective in the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma. By achieving the aims of this study we will also determine if IV therapy with Cetuximab should be combined with repeated selected intra-arterial Cetuximab to improve progression free and overall survival. We expect that this project will provide important information regarding the utility of repeated SIACI Cetuximab therapy for malignant glioma, and may alter the way these drugs are delivered to our patients in the near future.
Phase I/II Trial of Repeated Superselective Intraarterial Cerebral Infusion of Bevacizumab (Avastin) for Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma Multiforme
This phase I/II clinical research trial will test the hypothesis that repeated direct intracranial intraarterial infusion of Bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) can be safely administered to enhance survival of subjects with newly diagnosed Glioblastoma multiforme while they receive standard of care. We expect that this project will provide important information regarding the utility of repeated SIACI Bevacizumab therapy for newly diagnosed malignant glioma, and may alter the way these drugs are delivered to our patients in the future.
For a full list of Boockvar's publications see http://www.lenoxhillhospital.org/departments.aspx?id=3142
Biopharmaceutical industry
Since 2010 he has been a Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of ImmunoCellular Therapeutics.[3]
References
- ↑ http://www.lenoxhillhospital.org/departments.aspx?id=3142
- ↑ http://health.usnews.com/doctors/john-boockvar-26239
- ↑ "John Boockvar: Executive Profile & Biography - Businessweek". investing.businessweek.com. Retrieved 19 March 2012.