# Henry Brem

Henry Brem, M.D. is an American neurosurgeon, researcher, educator and inventor known for introducing an image guidance computer system to deliver targeted chemotherapy to intraoperative brain tumors. As of 2023, he is the Harvey Cushing Professor, Director of the Department of Neurosurgery, Professor of Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Oncology and Biomedical Engineering Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, and Director, Hunterian Neurosurgical Research Center and Director at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. Brem has written more than 490 peer-reviewed articles, 50 books and book chapters and holds 11 patents.

## Education and career

Brem received his AB at New York University (1973) and Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Department of Biological Chemistry (1974), MD at Harvard Medical School, residencies at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (Harvard) and the Neurological Institute of New York, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.
In 1998, he became a member of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)

## Research

Brem's fields of research include neurosurgery, brain tumors, drug delivery, angiogenesis and Immunology. Brem's research on temozolomide, often linked to ribavirin, involves a combination of scientific disciplines and uncovers new connections. His work also connects epilepsy surgery with meningioma and implant chemotherapy. His carmustine research addresses wafer integration, biodistribution and cytotoxicity.
He is credited along with Robert Langer for co-inventing the Gliadel® wafer, an implantable device that enables direct chemotherapy placement during brain tumor surgery. This has led to other novel therapies, such as chemotherapy "cocktail" delivery systems by way of electrospun fiber membranes. This technology is being developed in conjunction with Andrew Steckl at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science.

### Grants

Brem has been the Principal- or Co-Investigator on 27 research studies focused on brain tumors and therapy delivery, such as controlled release polymers, brain-penetrating DNA nanoparticles, and enhancement of brain tumor immunotherapy.

### Patents

* Controlled Local Delivery of Chemotherapeutic Agents for Treating Solid Tumors Henry Brem, Robert S. Langer, Abraham J. Domb
* Cytokine Enhanced Immunotherapy for Brain Tumors Henry Brem, Drew M. Pardoll, Reid C. Thompson, Elizabeth M. Jaffee, Kam W. Leong, Matthew G. Ewend
* Antibiotic Composition for Inhibition of Angiogenesis Henry Brem, Rafael J. Tamargo, Robert A. Bok
* Vitamin D3 Analog Loaded Polymer Formulations for Cancer and Neurogenerative Disorders Martin Burke, Maria-Christina White, Jae Kyoo Lee, Mark C. Watts, Betty M. Tyler, Gary H. Posner, Henry Brem.
* Intracellular Delivery of Anionic Anti-cancer Drugs with Cationic Polymers D. Berry, G. Anderson, R Langer, B Tyler, H. Brem.
* Combination of Local Temozolomide with Local BCNU V. Renard Recinos, B. Tyler, S. Brem Sunshine, H. Brem.
* Use of Adjuvant Focused Radiation Including Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Augmenting Immune Based Therapies Against Neoplasms
* Intraoperatively Placed Markers for Post-surgical Imaging M. Lim, H. Brem, B.Tyler, J. Liauw, S. Lo
* Local Delivery Forms of Acriflavine for Treating Tumors Brem H, Mangraviti A, Olivi A, Tyler B, Raghavan T.
* Flexible Control and Guidance of Minimally Invasive Focused Ultrasound Manbachi A, Siewerdsen J, Ellens N, Zhang X, Belzberg M, Cohen A, Brem H.
* Combination of Immunotherapy with Local Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Malignancies Dimitrios M, Tyler B, Pardoll D, Brem H, Lim M

## Publications
### Books and chapters

As of 2023, Brem has written 58 book chapters and monographs. Books include: Guest Editor, Special Edition: Implant Approach to Chemotherapy, (JNO) 1995, Section Editor, Youmans Textbook of Neurological Surgery-5th Edition, 2004 ISBN 072163933X, and Section Editor, Youmans Textbook of Neurological Surgery-6th Edition, 2011.

### Peer-reviewed articles

According to Google Scholar, Brem has, as of 2024, been cited 42,023 times, has an h-index of 102 and an i10-index of 350. His 10 most cited works include:
* Detection of circulating tumor DNA in early-and late-stage human malignancies, doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3007094. PMID 24553385 4,173 citations
* Placebo-controlled trial of safety and efficacy of intraoperative controlled delivery by biodegradable polymers of chemotherapy for recurrent gliomas, doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(95)90755-6 PMID 7723496 1,646 citations
* Bone morphogenetic proteins inhibit the tumorigenic potential of human brain tumour-initiating cells, doi: 10.1038/nature05349. PMID 17151667 1,403 citations
* Anti-PD-1 blockade and stereotactic radiation produce long-term survival in mice with intracranial gliomas, doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2012.12.025 PMID 23462419 919 citations
* Survival following surgery and prognostic factors for recently diagnosed malignant glioma: data from the Glioma Outcomes Project, doi: 10.3171/jns.2003.99.3.0467. PMID 12959431 855 citations
* Independent association of extent of resection with survival in patients with malignant brain astrocytoma, doi: 10.3171/2008.4.17536 PMID 18847342 828 citations
* Polylactic acid (PLA) controlled delivery carriers for biomedical applications, doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2016.06.018 PMID 27426411 734 citations
* Interstitial chemotherapy with drug polymer implants for the treatment of recurrent gliomas, doi: 10.3171/jns.1991.74.3.0441. PMID 1993909 645 citations
* Multi-pulse drug delivery from a resorbable polymeric microchip device, doi: 10.1038/nmat998 PMID 14619935 626 citations
* Extent of surgical resection is independently associated with survival in patients with hemispheric infiltrating low-grade gliomas, doi: 10.1227/01.NEU.0000325729.41085.73 PMID 18981880 595 citations