The Peter Black Research Fund

In addition to his commitment to providing expert and compassionate care for patients with brain tumors, Dr. Black is committed to understanding and possibly curing some of the neurosurgical issues that afflict these patients. He devotes considerable time and resources to laboratory efforts in two major areas: the biology of brain tumors and imaging of the brain.

In the area of brain tumor biology, Dr. Black and his laboratory staff are trying to pinpoint the reasons why brain tumors grow and developing new methods to arrest their growth. His laboratory is looking at the molecular changes that lead to tumor growth for both meningiomas and gliomas. The laboratory is also investigating new ways of stopping growth using new agents that stop invasion and angiogenesis and using treatment applications that use microspheres or other techniques to deliver molecular therapy. The Black lab is a translational research laboratory that tries to apply new scientific discoveries to patient care quickly.

A second area of research for Dr. Black is new technology that produces better images of the brain for use in planning and performing surgery. Using a three-dimensional picture of the brain to navigate within it Dr. Black and his colleagues can accurately identify the best way to remove a tumor with a minimum of disruption and damage to healthy parts of the brain. This technology becomes particularly powerful when used in conjunction with the use of magnetic resource imaging (MRI) to guide the surgeon's work during surgery. Dr. Black is a world pioneer in intraoperative imaging using the device at the BWH. Essentially, this revolutionary technology allows a surgeon such as Dr. Black to get a real-time MRI as he performs surgery and use that MRI as his “eyes” while he is operating.

Dr. Black's research in the biology and treatment of brain tumors is exciting and has already made a difference in the way these tumors are handled. You can help him in this hopeful and ambitious work. Your donation to the Peter Black Research Fund will fund this research and keep alive the expectation that one day brain tumors will not threaten the lives of our friends and family members.

For questions, please contact Dr. Black's office at 617-525-7796.


To donate, please print and fill out this form.  Checks can be made
out and mailed to:

The Peter Black Research Fund
Department of Neurosurgery
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston , MA 02115