Dey Lab

04/13/2026

The “Dream Team” in action! 💫

A massive thank you to the incredible scientists, students, and their families of the Dey Lab for generously volunteering their time in making this year’s “Hands-on Brain Surgery” demonstration a total success, again! 🧠✨

We spent the day at the Carbone Cancer Center Open House, where we got to engage with our community and hopefully inspire the next generation of neurosurgeons. This work—and the mission to bridge the gap between the lab and the public—wouldn’t be possible without this amazing group.
So proud of what we’ve built together! 🧫🔬

Thanks Xiahou, .shireman , Lei, Yilong, Samantha, Cheyanne for making this THE best event

04/09/2026

Transforming Brain Tumor Care with AI 🧠🤖

The future of neuro-oncology is here. Join us for the Sixth Annual Wisconsin Primary CNS Malignancy Symposium, where we will explore the integration of Artificial Intelligence into clinical practice and research. Hear from the leading experts in the field.

From ethical considerations to AI-enabled diagnostic tools, this symposium is designed for clinicians and researchers looking to bridge the gap between emerging technology and patient outcomes.

• 📅 Date: April 24, 2026
• ⏰ Time: 7:45 AM – 1:00 PM CST
• 📍 Format: Virtual
• 🔗 Register here: go.wisc.edu/8ha0u0

Presented by UW School of Medicine and Public Health, Medical College of Wisconsin, and ThedaCare.

04/01/2026

🧠 Ever wanted to try your hand at brain surgery? Now’s your chance! 🧠

Join us at the UW Health Carbone Cancer Center Open House and learn the techniques of a neurosurgeon using our special “Jello Brain Surgery” display.

This is a unique, hands-on opportunity to:
• Use actual surgical tools to “operate” on a realistic brain model.
• Learn about the precision and skill required in cancer treatment.
• Interact directly with our world-class researchers and neuroscientists.

It’s just one of the 20+ interactive exhibits designed to bring cancer research to life for all ages.

📅 When: Sunday, April 12, 2026, from 12–4 p.m.
📍 Where: Health Sciences Learning Center, 750 Highland Avenue, Madison
🎟️ Cost: FREE!

Don’t miss out on this incredible learning experience and other exhibits, including giant inflatable organs, behind-the-scenes lab tours, and Babcock ice cream. The first 500 people receive a FREE gift!

Mark your calendars for an afternoon of discovery. Tag a friend who needs to try this!

👉 Learn more: uwhealth.org/carbone-openhouse

03/31/2026

🧠 New Insights into Cavernous Sinus Meningiomas

Don’t miss the next installment of Latest Highlights in Neurosurgical Oncology, featuring a deep dive into one of the most complex areas of skull base surgery.

Join world renowned Dr. Jacques Morcos for an expert session on the management and surgical nuances of Cavernous Sinus Meningiomas.

🗓️ Event Details
• Date: Wednesday, April 8th
• Time: 3:30 PM CST
• Host: Dr. Yoshua Esquenazi (UT Health Houston)

🎙️ Featured Panelists
• Dr. Costas Hadjipanayas
• Dr. Mahua Dey
• Dr. Spyros Karadimas
• Dr. Hussam Abou-Al-Shaar

🔗 How to Join
Join the conversation and stay at the forefront of neuro-oncology. Register or join the session directly via the link below or by scanning the QR code in the image:
👉 rebrand.ly/q5mbl6t

03/21/2026

Welcome to the Greatest Field in Medicine 🧠⚡️
Huge congratulations to the newest cohort of Neurosurgery residents! 🥂 You’ve officially matched into the most demanding, exhilarating, and rewarding specialty in existence.
The road ahead is long, and the training is legendary for its intensity—but the privilege of holding a human life (and their entire world) in your hands is a reward that words can’t quite capture.
To the Match Class of 2026:
• Prepare for the steepest learning curve of your life. 📈
• Embrace the late nights and the complex cases.
• Welcome to the family. We can't wait to see what you achieve.
Drop a 🧠 or a 🔪 in the comments if you’re joining the ranks today!

03/04/2026

🌸 Fertility. Cancer. The Questions We Don’t Ask Enough. 🌸

In our previous research on glioma and pregnancy, our team saw firsthand how deeply cancer diagnosis and treatment can impact fertility, reproductive health, and life planning.
Now, the Dey Lab is taking the next step.
We are surveying biological female cancer patients diagnosed between ages 18–49 to better understand current practice patterns surrounding fertility counseling, preservation options, and reproductive health after a cancer diagnosis.

Your voice matters.
Your experience matters.
And your story can help improve care for future patients.
If you are eligible — or know someone who may be — please consider participating and sharing this flyer.

Use the link in the comment or scan the QR code above to access the survey.
Together, we can build a future where cancer care fully supports survivorship, fertility, and reproductive choice. 💜

02/27/2026

Glioblastomas are one of the most common, yet most aggressive, forms of brain cancer. Unfortunately, treatment options are limited and patients usually die within a few years of diagnosis. Brain cancers are more difficult to access and less prevalent than other cancers, leading to less research and fewer therapeutic developments.

Dr. Mahua Dey is hoping to fill this gap. She’s developing a vaccine that trains the immune system to fight new growth of glioblastoma. This treatment would be given after tumor removal surgery with the goal of stopping the cancer from returning. This is particularly important for glioblastoma, which has a nearly 100% recurrence rate because it is impossible to completely remove all the microscopic disease with surgery.

“One of the biggest issues with brain cancer is that no matter what we do, it always comes back,” Dr. Dey says. “We can't stop you from getting a brain tumor at this time, but once you have one, we can train your immune cells to kill it before it's ready to become a tumor again.”

Her lab creates the vaccine using a patient’s own tumor cells, which are genetically modified to create an immune memory boosting signal that helps the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

02/22/2026

“We can’t stop you from getting a brain tumor yet, but we can train your immune cells to kill it before it becomes a tumor again.” …..

Big things are happening at
We are developing a vaccine that uses your own tumor tissue to fight back against brain cancer recurrence.
In preclinical testing, the results were incredible: a 100% tumor response rate.
Next stop? FDA clinical trials. 🚀
Check out the full article at the link! ⬆️

Dr. Mahua Dey, a UW Health neurosurgeon, is developing cancer vaccines, using a patient’s own tumor cells, to prevent recurrence of glioblastoma.

01/28/2026

🧠 Does age change how we fight brain cancer?
New insights on immunotherapy & glioblastoma
🔥 Hot off the press!
Our latest study in takes on a critical—and often overlooked—question in glioblastoma (GBM):
👉 What happens when immunotherapy meets the aging immune system?
🧬 Why this matters
Immunotherapy works by training your own immune system to attack cancer.
But as we age, our immune system changes (immunosenescence). GBM is more common in older adults—yet most clinical trials focus on younger patients.
🤔 The big question
Does immunotherapy work the same way across ages?
🔍 What we found
By analyzing data across multiple studies (a meta-analysis), we discovered that an aging immune system creates a different tumor environment—one that can make it harder for current immunotherapies to fully activate immune cells.
💡 The takeaway
Immunotherapy isn’t failing older patients—but a one-size-fits-all approach may be. Different immune ages may need different strategies.
🚀 Looking ahead
This is a call to design smarter, age-aware clinical trials—so breakthroughs benefit everyone, not just the young.
🧠 To beat brain cancer, we must treat the tumor and the person it’s in.
Personalized care starts with understanding the immune system—at every age. 💪🧬
👏 Huge congratulations to all the co-authors!

Immunotherapy has yet to meaningfully translate to more complex solid tumors, such as Glioblastoma (GBM), which is a disease of old age with a median diagn

01/13/2026

🔬New Publication in Nature Portfolio led by Elliot, Lingxin and Jack Shireman
🧠🧬 We can read thousands of genes in a single cell…
but still struggle to explain what that cell actually is.
That gap is now one of the biggest barriers to turning data into patient care.
So we built CASSIA.
CASSIA is an AI system that works more like a clinical team than a black box.
Multiple AI agents analyze cell data, challenge each other, and—most importantly—explain their decisions.
Why this matters ⬇️
In cancer, immunotherapy, and neuro-oncology, identifying therapy-resistant tumor cells or critical immune populations can change how we:
• design treatments
• predict recurrence
• move discoveries toward patients
AI that’s accurate but not interpretable isn’t enough.
Our goal isn’t to replace scientists and clinicians. It is to scale expertise, reduce bias, and make single-cell biology usable—not mysterious.
🔬 If AI is going to belong in medicine, it must be transparent and trustworthy.
We believe CASSIA is a step in that direction. What would make you trust AI in clinical decision-making?

Assigning cell types in single-cell RNA-seq is essential yet challenging, as it requires expertise, time, and is often subjective. Here, the authors present CASSIA, a multi-agent AI system that provides automated, interpretable, and quality-controlled annotations with high accuracy.

12/31/2025

As 2025 comes to a close, we’re grateful for a year of growth, discovery, and teamwork in the Dey Lab.
From advancing neuro-oncology research to mentoring the next generation of scientists, our work is driven by one purpose: making a meaningful difference for patients with brain tumors.
Thank you to our incredible trainees, collaborators, and patients who inspire us every day. We’re excited to keep pushing forward—together.
Onward to a new year of science, impact, and hope ✨

11/27/2025

At Dey lab, we're thankful for our patients' trust during life's toughest moments, scientists pushing boundaries for breakthroughs, students bringing fresh ideas & optimism, and our supporters who fuel our mission to conquer brain cancer. Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! We're grateful for your support!