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412-692-5090 Phone

412-692-5921 Fax

Ian F. Pollack, MD

Job Title Chief, Pediatric Neurosurgery

Job Title Co-director, University of Pittsburgh, Neurofibromatosis Clinic

Job Title Co-director, Brain Tumor Center, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute

Job Title Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Job Title Walter Dandy Professorship in Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery

4401 Penn Avenue, Suite Floor 2

Pittsburgh, PA 15224

412-692-5090 Phone

412-692-5921 Fax

Patient Appointment Information

Profile
Active Research Projects

Education and Training

Medical School:	1984 Johns Hopkins UniversitySchool of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Residency:	1991 University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
Fellowship:	1990 University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 1992 Van Wagenen Traveling Fellowship: Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden

Memberships

Allegheny County Medical Society
Alpha Omega Alpha
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for Cancer Research
American Association for Neurological Surgeons
American Association for Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Joint Section on Tumors
American Medical Association
American Society of Pediatric Neurosurgeons
Children's Oncology Group
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
International Brain Research Organization
Johns Hopkins Medical and Surgical Society
New York Academy of Science
Pennsylvania Medical Society
Pennsylvania Neurosurgical Society
Phi Beta Kappa
Pi Alpha (Chemistry Honor Society)
Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, Active Member
Pittsburgh Neuroscience Society
Society for Neuro-Oncology
Society for Neuroscience
Society of Surgical Oncology

Board Certifications

American Board of Neurological Surgery
American Board of Pediatric Neurosurgery
American College of Surgeons, Fellow

Awards

First place, Georgia Science Fair, "The Limits of Discriminative Sensation in the Human Hand"
First place, Georgia Science Fair, "The Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation and Photoreactivation on Ultraviolet Sensitivity in Serratia marcescens"
Westinghouse Science Talent Search, Honors Group
Alternate Position, International Science Fair
National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, Georgia Delegate
National Youth Science Camp, Georgia Delegate
National Merit Scholarship
Shell Oil Chemistry Scholarship
Kodak Chemistry Scholarship, Finalist
Stipe Society Scholarship
Phi Gamma Delta Education and Leadership Scholarship
Department Honors, Chemistry, "The Isolation and Characterization of Myelin Basic Protein from Rana pipiens"
Phi Beta Kappa
Alpha Omega Alpha
1988-1989 Competitive Medical Research Fund Grant
Preuss Award, AANS/CNS Joint Section on Tumors
Pittsburgh Neuroscience Society Resident Research Award
Resident Research Award, American College of Surgeons, Southwestern Pennsylvania
Van Wagenen Fellowship Award of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)
Who's Who in Science and Engineering
1991, 2002 Who's Who in Health Care and Medicine
Young Clinician Investigator Award of the AANS
Listed in "The Best Doctors in America: Northeast Region"
Fellowship, American College of Surgeons
Listed in "The Best Doctors in America"
National Registry of "Who's Who"
America's Top Doctors
2002-2003 Castle Connolly's America's Top Doctors
Wichmann Foundation Brain Tumor Research Award
Center for Study of Services Top Doctors
Steven J. Bryant Brain Tumor Research Award
Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Clinical Investigator Award
International Health Professional of the Year, IBC, Cambridge, UK
2004-2005 America's Top Doctors, Castle Connolly
Who's Who in America, Marquis
American Society for Clinical Investigation
America's Top Cancer Doctors, Castle Connolly

Publications

Pollack IF. Current Concepts: Brain tumors in children, N Engl J Med 331: 1500-1507, 1994.
Pollack IF, Finkelstein SD, Woods J, Burnham J, Holmes EJ, Hamilton RL, Yates AJ, Boyett JM, Finlay JL, Sposto R. Expression of p53 and prognosis in malignant gliomas in children. N Engl J Med 346: 420-427, 2002.
Pollack IF, Jakacki RI, Blaney SM, Hancock ML, Kieran MW, Phillips P, Kun LE, Friedman H, Packer R, Banerjee A, Geyer JR, Goldman S, Young-Poussaint T, Krasin MJ, Wang Y, Hayes M, Murgo A, Weiner S, Boyett JM. Phase I trial of imatinib in children with newly diagnosed brainstem and recurrent malignant gliomas: A Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium report. Neuro-Oncology 9: 145-160, 2007

View Dr. Pollack's full list of publications from PubMed.

Research Interests

The Role of Growth Factor and Second Messenger Pathways in the Proliferation of Astrocytic Tumors
Molecular Markers of Glioma Behavior and Therapeutic Responsiveness
The Efficacy of Signal Transduction Inhibition as a Therapeutic Strategy for Patients with Recurrent Malignant Gliomas
Clinical Studies in Children with Brain Tumors
Prognostic Factors for Children with Brain Tumors
The Refinement of Surgical Techniques in Craniofacial Surgery

Biography Summary

Pediatric neurosurgeon Ian Pollack, MD, has a mission: to find a cure for childhood brain tumors. As head of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s neuro-oncology tumor board, Dr. Pollack is dedicated to innovative treatments and cures for brain tumors in children through clinical trials and laboratory research at Children’s Rangos Research Center.

Through funding by the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Pollack is conducting several research studies to examine factors that control or regulate growth of pediatric brain tumors. One of his primary research projects is exploring the use of signal transduction inhibitors, or chemical compounds, that slow or stop the growth of brain tumors. In laboratory trials, several chemical compounds have proved effective in slowing tumor growth–and in many cases have eliminated tumors completely. As a result of Dr. Pollack’s findings, one of the compounds has received approval for clinical testing in patients with malignant brain tumors.

Dr. Pollack also is researching new approaches for treating brain tumors in children by examining brain tumor samples at the genetic level. The goal of this study is to identify which types of tumors may respond successfully to standard treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation or surgery, and which tumors may require alternative treatments.

In addition to pediatric neuro-oncology, Dr. Pollack also provides clinical treatment to children with craniofacial disorders. In children with craniosynostosis, a premature closure of the cranial sutures, Dr. Pollack performs various procedures to reshape skull bones for more normal cranial growth and avoid damage to vital brain structures. He currently is professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, co-director of the Brain Tumor Center at the university’s Cancer Institute and chair of the Brain Tumor Strategy Group of the Children’s Oncology Group, an international multi-institutional consortium that studies ways to improve cancer treatment for children. Dr. Pollack has been listed among “The Best Doctors in America,” “Who’s Who in Science and Engineering” and “Who’s Who in Health Care and Medicine.”

Active Research Projects / Grants

Molecular Markers as Predictors of Outcome in Gliomas
Novel Treatment Strategies for Central Nervous System Tumors
Novel Treatment Approaches for Pediatric Brain Tumors - Pediatric Brain Tumor Clinical Trials Consortium
Children's Cancer Group Brain Tumor Resource Laboratory
Children's Cancer Group Brain Tumor Strategy Group Chair Grant
Molecular Markers of Prognosis for Pediatric Astrocytomas
NABTC member institution grant
Cancer Center Support Grant (Herberman, Center Director)

Last Update
June 10, 2008

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