Meet Our Experts

I clinically focus on treating patients with primary central nervous system tumors and metastatic cancers to the brain and spinal cord, leptomeningeal metastases, tumors associated with neurocutaneous syndromes, and neurological complications of cancer and chemotherapy. Areas of interest include clinical trials of targeted chemotherapeutics in molecularly-selected subtypes of glioma and meningioma, overcoming tumoral immunosuppression and lymphocyte sequestration in glioblastoma, and providing treatments for the long-term neurocognitive effects of cranial irradiation. I also have an interest in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) brain tumor population and childhood cancer survivors.

As a neurologist-oncologist, I diagnose and treat patients with tumors affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves as well as those with neurologic complications from cancer and its associated treatment. I believe each patient is unique and deserves a thorough, thoughtful and compassionate approach to best manage these complex diseases. I work closely with all members of our multidisciplinary team to provide care with a goal to treat the entire individual and never treat just a disease. I see patients both at our downtown campus as well as at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital.

As a neuro-oncologist, I see patients with both primary brain tumors and brain metastases from other systemic cancers. I am also our Disease Team leader for neurologic cancers where I help lead and organize our available clinical trials for brain tumors. Through a team approach, I work to provide advocacy and state of the art care for my brain tumor patients and give access to cutting edge clinical trials and science.

As a neuro-oncologist, I care for patients with primary brain tumors and spinal cord tumors as well as central nervous system (CNS) metastases.

I am the co-director of the Institute. As a neuro-oncologist, I treat patients using medical means.

I specialize in the radiotherapeutic management of brain and spine tumors, and provide patients with expertise in proton therapy, Gamma Knife radiosurgery, and intensity-modulated radiotherapy. My research focuses on developing advanced radiotherapy techniques to avoid treatment-related cognitive side effects, and I have served as the national Principal Investigator or Co-Chair on several NCI-sponsored clinical trials for patients with brain metastases, glioblastoma, low-grade glioma, and meningioma.

I’m the lead radiation oncologist for the neuro-oncology, genitourinary oncology and pediatric oncology programs at Northwestern Medicine. In my 22 years at Northwestern, I’ve been actively involved in national and international radiation oncology clinical trials for a variety of adult and pediatric tumors. I’m currently the chair of the radiation oncology discipline in the Children’s Oncology Group, which is the largest clinical research organization in the world for childhood malignancies. In addition to clinical research, I’m actively involved in translational research involving radiation physics and molecular biology. I’ve received research awards from the American Cancer Society and the National Institutes of Health as principal investigator (R21 and R01 grants) and co-investigator (U10, U54, R42 grants).

I am Professor and Chairman of Radiation Oncology at Feinberg School of Medicine. He has served in leadership roles for various local, regional, and national organizations. Currently, I am a board member for NBTI. I have co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles and abstracts and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for numerous journals. I have done pioneering work on swallowing disorders in head and neck cancers as well as the use of innovative technologies and novel agents with radiation to improve treatment outcome. My research has been funded through NIH, NSF, ACS and various foundations.

Dr. Nesbit is a Health System Clinician of Radiation Oncology. He received his undergraduate degree from Whitman College in 2011 and his MD from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in 2016. Following his internship in Internal Medicine at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, OR, he completed his residency training in Radiation Oncology at Northwestern University in 2021. He has now joined the faculty with Northwestern Radiation Oncology, treating patients at Northwestern Memorial Hospital as well as at the Northwestern Medicine Proton Center.

As a neurologic radiation oncologist, I primarily specialize in the treatment of benign and malignant brain tumors, brain metastases, vascular lesions (such as AVMs) and spinal cord tumors. I have expertise in the use of GammaKnife/stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), spine stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) and image-guided highly-conformal radiotherapy. I am actively involved in translational research and bringing novel therapeutics to the clinic. I am also active in national clinical trial cooperative groups, helping design innovative new clinical studies. I oversee the neurologic-oncologic education in the radiation oncology department and for radiation oncology in the Feinberg medical student core curriculum.

Tarita Thomas, MD, PhD, MBA is a board-certified radiation oncologist. She specializes in a variety of radiotherapy and radiosurgical techniques, including intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and MRI guided radiation therapy with adaptive planning.

Dr. Thomas' research is focused on lung cancer, head and neck cancer as well as neurologic cancer. She is also interested in quality and process improvement in cancer care. She has been involved with national committees for developing clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes for patients.

Dr. Ahrendsen earned his MD and PhD from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. He then completed a combined Anatomic Pathology/Neuropathology residency & fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, where he also served as chief resident. He also completed a fellowship in Forensic Pathology at the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. His research interests include molecular diagnostics of brain tumors and the utilization of post-mortem tissue to better understand human neurologic disease.

As a diagnostic neuropathologist, my clinical practice is at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital, with clinical and research interests focused on the diffuse gliomas, including glioblastoma. I am particularly interested in the molecular classification of diffuse gliomas and participate in initiatives to improve the clinical diagnosis and management of patients with these diseases, including TCGA Working Groups; the WHO Classification; CAP/ASCO Guidelines; and the AJCC Expert Panel. I also direct a basic and translational research lab that investigates mechanisms of glioma progression, including the contributions of hypoxia, genetics, tumor micro-environment and glioma stem cells.

Dr. Castellani received his MD from Wayne State University. He completed anatomic pathology residency at Wayne State University and a neuropathology fellowship at Case Western Reserve University. He was formerly a tenured professor at the University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Medicine, and has directed neuropathology divisions at the University of Maryland Medical Center, Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine, and West Virginia University, before accepting a position as Professor of Pathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in 2021. 

I am a board-certified neuropathologist who conducts original research on the effects of key mutations in brain tumors. As the director of molecular diagnostics in brain tumors, I provide cutting-edge genetic testing of tissue biopsies, which greatly enhances diagnostic and prognostic accuracy and improves therapeutic strategies. Our tumor bank is one of the most active in the country, supporting world-class research with high-quality biospecimens.

My primary research is in the field of neurophysiologic monitoring during cerebral aneurysm surgery in particular and neurophysiologic monitoring in head and spine surgeries in general. Anesthesia for awake brain surgery.

As a nurse I educate patients on their complex disease and treatment course, work closely with the physicians and collaborate care with our multidisciplinary team.

As a nurse clinician, I interact daily with patients about a variety of things. I also co-facilitate the Brain Tumor Support Group at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

As a nurse clinician, I interact daily with patients about a variety of things. I also co-facilitate the Brain Tumor Support Group at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

As the dedicated social worker for the Malnati Brain Tumor Institute, I have worked alongside the physicians, advance practice providers, and other clinical staff to provide supportive care for patients and their loved ones as they undergo treatment for brain tumors since 2016. I provide clinical medical case management and psychosocial care related to a patient's diagnosis. I have a particular interest in identifying ways to improve quality of life despite the challenging limitations of a brain tumor diagnosis. In addition to my work in clinic, I co-facilitate the MBTI Monthly Support Group.

I provide minimally invasive endoscopic access and reconstruction for resection of anterior cranial base tumors. My focus is on the ENT- Neurosurgery team to advance techniques and minimize surgical trauma and improve post operative recovery. I have published on intraoperative techniques of CT scanning and computerized navigation, working to develop and implement the best technical advances and surgical techniques leads to better outcomes and recovery after surgery.

I am an otolaryngologist with clinical interests and fellowship training in the surgical treatment of both benign and malignant tumors of the skullbase, nasal passages and paranasal sinuses. I am also a clinician scientist interested in mechanisms of inflammation and repair in the upper airway. I work in collaboration with the neurosurgeons of the BTI to biopsy or remove brain and skullbase tumors using endoscopic, minimally invasive approaches to the brain and skullbase.

I am board certified in Otolaryngology and fellowship-trained in rhinology and anterior skull base surgery. I am a member of the Board of Directors for the American Rhinologic Society, which is the premier society that advocates for clinical and basic science research and advances in treatment for patients with sinus tumors. I serve on the Rhinology & Paranasal Sinus Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. I currently see patients with sinus tumors and cancers that would benefit from minimally invasive surgical techniques.

I am a board certified Otolaryngologist, with subspecialty certification in Neurotology.

I specialize in treatment of cancer and tumors of the skull base including tumors of the nose, sinuses, and other soft tissue and bony structures just below the brain.

Dr. Cherayil is an adult neuro-ophthalmologist whose clinical interests include ocular myasthenia gravis, idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), nystagmus, double vision, ocular motor cranial nerve palsies, ptosis, anisocoria, central vision loss, and optic neuropathy of any cause but especially inflammatory optic neuritis due to MS, MOGAD, NMO, or sarcoidosis.  Her research interests include long-term care of ocular myasthenia, course and treatment of MOGAD-related optic neuritis, and she is actively involved in clinical trials in these areas. 

As an ophthalmology-trained neuro-ophthalmologist, I work closely with patients to discuss the cause of and management approaches to vision changes related to brain cancer and tumors. Symptoms addressed range from visual field deficits, vision loss, and transient visual changes to double vision. 

As a neuro-ophthalmologist I have expertise in all matters of brain tumor related vision problems including vision loss, visual field defects and the management of double vision.

As a neuroradiologist, I manage, ensure quality of, and interpret your MRI and CT exams.

I specialize in CT and MR imaging of the central nervous system including the brain and spinal cord. I also perform spine procedures including image-guided biopsy and steroid injections.

As a neuroradiologist, I manage, ensure quality of, and interpret your MRI and CT exams.

As a Diagnostic Neuroradiologist, I am involved in cross sectional imaging of the brain, spine and head and neck, employing high quality computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), for the diagnosis and treatment planning for patients.

I treat pediatric tumor and cancer patients, particularly those affecting the central nervous system and musculoskeletal system. I have a particular interest in the diagnosis and treatment of long term effects of therapy for childhood central nervous system tumors.

I specialize in retinoblastoma, pediatric lymphoma (both Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin subtypes and post-transplantation lymphomas), and histiocytic disorders, such as Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) and Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). I also head the multidisciplinary Cancer Predisposition Program at Lurie Children's Hospital.