VOGM Genetics Research Consortium

07/09/2024

Thank you to the Aneurysm and AVM Foundation (TAAF) for supporting our study!☺️ The Aneurysm and AVM Foundation

04/06/2024

The Vein of Galen Malformation Genetics Research Consortium (VOGM-GRC) is a multi-institutional, international consortium of pediatric neurosurgeons, neurointerventionalists, neurologists, neurointensivists, geneticists, and molecular biologists. Our aim is to use orthogonal approaches to understand the genetic basis of VOGM. Our study’s principal investigators, Dr. Andrew Hale, a neurosurgery resident, and Dr. Jesse Jones, a neuroradiologist, both work at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and are dedicated to supporting and helping patients with VOGM as we look for more answers that help us better treat and provide quality care.

We are looking for more participants and ways to get connected to more families with VOGM. Here is a link below that lists ways to participate in the study:

Sign Up to participate in the study There will be multiple ways for centers to participate in the VOGM-GRC:

04/06/2024

Discover more about Vein of Galen Malformations (VOGM) through Dr. Andrew Hale's insightful presentation. Delve into the latest research and understanding of VOGM, and explore how the VOGM Genetics Research Consortium is contributing to advancements in the neurosurgical pediatric field.

04/06/2024

Introducing Dr. Jesse Jones, one of the principal investigators of our study! Dr. Jones, M.D., is an accomplished interventional neuroradiologist affiliated with the UAB Department of Neurosurgery. He obtained his graduate medical education from the University of California in Los Angeles, where he underwent comprehensive training in both diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology. Dr. Jones brings expertise in cerebral and spinal vascular disease, catering to both adult and pediatric patients. His research pursuits span areas such as stroke, vasospasm, and the development of biomedical devices.

You can read more about Dr. Jones in the following link: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/neurosurgery/faculty/jones

04/06/2024

Allow us to introduce Dr. Andrew Hale, one of the principal investigators of our study. Dr. Hale is currently undertaking his residency in neurological surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He holds both undergraduate and master’s degrees in biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University, where he focused on elucidating the roles of transcription factor KLF4 in tumor angiogenesis and Notch signaling, under the guidance of Mukesh K. Jain, M.D., and Anne Hamik M.D., Ph.D. Following this, he pursued his medical and doctoral degrees through the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Under the mentorship of John D. York, Ph.D., he conducted extensive research utilizing biochemical, molecular, mouse-model, and genetic methodologies to investigate the functions of lithium-sensitive phosphatases in cell signaling, metabolism, and disease.

Currently, Dr. Hale's research interests encompass quantitative human genetics and functional genomics, employing multi-omic approaches to comprehend the genetic underpinnings of conditions such as hydrocephalus, infectious diseases, intracerebral aneurysm formation and rupture, congenital cerebrovascular disorders, and epilepsy. His overall research goal is to expand the use of genetic and molecular information in the care of pediatric neurosurgical patients.

You can read more about Dr. Hale in the following link: https://www.uab.edu/medicine/neurosurgery/education/residency/current-residents/pgy-3/hale-andrew-t-m-d-ph-d