Markus Bredel, MD, PhD

Brain and Spine

My NIH-funded basic and translational research is dedicated to understanding the genetics of brain tumors with a particular focus on human gliomas. This incredibly challenging disease highlights both the application of cutting-edge scientific medicine and its limitations as these tumors evade the most targeted therapies. Yet, advances in genome-wide analyses, an ever-increasing production of molecularly targeted/immune directed therapies, and building momentum for understanding the stem-cell component of this disease all mark the present as a time of great promise for new treatment benefits to arise.

Our work integrates complex molecular tumor data generated by the complementary and iterative application of data-driven (systems biology) and hypothesis-drive research (functional genetics/molecular biology) approaches and corresponding clinical patient profiles. Our work aims to translate to the clinic. Our focus lies on the characterization of cooperative and compensatory gene alterations and their roles and mechanisms in sign align pathway deregulation and pathogenesis of brain tumors. We combine complex genomic network analysis from patient tumor samples with both in vitro and in vivo models to identify new therapeutic strategies. We also aim to use high-dimensional tumor profiling to benefit the patient in providing prognostic information and adding in therapeutic decision-making.

As a member of the NRG Brain Tumor Working Group, I have been involved in the profiling of glioma study patient samples for prognostic and predictive biomarkers. I have been the PI on high-impact medical publications in The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, The Lancet Oncology, The Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Journal of Clinical Oncology. My research has been honored by multiple research awards, including awards from ASCO, AACR, and AANS. Our characterization of a novel tumor suppressor gene in brain cancer (published in NEJM) has been named one of the top clinical cancer research advances of the year by ASCO. Our research is highly collaborative in nature as we maintain a very interactive network of national and international research alliances and work within the brain tumor field to offer patients new hope, educate and train the next generation of brain tumor scientists, and advance the general body of knowledge concerning the origins and nature of these challenging neoplasms.

In terms of clinical research, I’m particularly interested in advanced radiosurgery applications for brain metastases and movement disorders. As such, I’m currently leading a prospective phase I dose escalation/de-escalation study of pre-operative stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases that has been completed and showed a substantially reduced risk of leptomeningeal dissemination compared to post-operative radiosurgery. I have also developed an advanced stereotactic radiosurgery program for movement disorders at UAB that couples novel, frameless linear-accelerator-based radiosurgery technologies and cutting-edge image-guided targeting.

I am currently the Principal Investigator of an investigator-initiated, funded functional radio surgery clinical trial for patients with medically refractory essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s Disease. This trial led to the FDA 510(K) approval of the Varian TrueBeam/Edge radiosurgery platform for the treatment of essential tremor. I have performed the first frameless radio surgical pallidotomy for dystonia worldwide.

1997               Rhone-Poulenc-Rorer Young Investigator Award 1997 of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

1997-2001     Scholar, German National Merit Foundation

1999-2000     Hölderlin Foreign Exchange Scholar, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen and Halbach-Foundation and German National Merit Foundation

2001               M.D., with honors, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

2001               Ph.D., summa cum laude, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

2002               Lifeline Column, The Lancet

2002               Benjamin Franklin Award (best doctoral thesis), Free University of Berlin, Germany

2003               Preuss Research Award 2003, American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), Section on Tumors

2003               Venia legendi (Experimental Neuro-oncology), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

2003-05         Scholar, Emmy-Noether Excellence Program, German Research Foundation

2005               Finalist, Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter-Young Investigator Award 2005, Paul-Ehrlich-Society, Germany

2006               German Pfizer Research Award for Medicine, University of Freiburg

2006               Merit Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)

2007-09         Zell Scholar, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

2008               Lea Charitable Trust Award, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

2009               Visiting Professor, Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

2009               Keynote Speaker, O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center Research Retreat, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

2009               Eleanor Wood Prince Award, The Women’s Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL

2009-12         Scholar, Max-Eder Young Investigator Program, German Cancer Aid

2010               American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) Young Investigator Award, presented at the 78th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Philadelphia, PA

2010-14         Leonard B. Holman Research Pathway, American Board of Radiology (ABR)

2011               Journal of Neuro-Oncology Award, presented at the 79th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), Denver, CO

2011-              Billy Grey Chair of Research, National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS)

2013               Visiting Professor, Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

2013               Visiting Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

2014               Roentgen Research Award, Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

2014               U10 NCTN Executive Committee for the NCI National Clinical Trials Network - Network Lead Academic Participating Sites (LAPS)

2017               Visiting Professor, Winship Cancer Institute and Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA

2018               Award of Tenure, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL

2018               Residents’ Faculty Choice Award, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL

2019               2019 UAB Minority Health & Health Disparities Research Center (MHRC) Excellence in Mentoring Award, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL

Dr. Bredel is Chairman and Sylvester Professor of Radiation Oncology of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Bredel is a board-certified, German-American physician-scientist who focuses clinically and scientifically on central nervous system (CNS) tumors and movement and other functional disorders of the brain. Dr. Bredel previously held academic faculty positions at Stanford University School of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, the University of Freiburg in Germany, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine. In his role as Chairman, Dr. Bredel leads efforts to strategically position the Department for a successful future, making new inroads, maintaining and expanding its preeminent role in international radiation oncology, promoting and advancing career development, and supporting the tripartite mission of Sylvester and the Miller School of Medicine in life-changing and compassionate cancer care, groundbreaking and transformative research, and educating the next generation of radiation oncologists and scientists.

An NIH R01-funded physician-scientist, Dr. Bredel’s nationally acclaimed work has contributed greatly to the understanding of brain tumor genetics, with a particular focus on human gliomas. He served as the Billy Grey Chair of Research of the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS). The principal investigator on high-impact studies published in esteemed journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, The Lancet Oncology, The Journal of Clinical Investigation, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Cell Reports Medicine, his research team’s characterization of a novel tumor suppressor gene in brain cancer was named one of the top clinical cancer research advances of the year by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Dr. Bredel served on The Lancet Oncology editorial board and associate editor of multiple other peer-reviewed scientific journals. He chaired the Central Nervous System Tumors Program Subcommittee of ASCO. As a member of the NRG Oncology Brain Tumor Working Group, he has led groundbreaking research identifying prognostic and predictive biomarkers in glioma patients.

Dr. Bredel has unique clinical expertise in CNS tumors and a particular interest in advanced radiosurgery for brain metastases and movement disorders. He is part of the CNS Radiation Oncology group, which led the development of HyperArc, an advanced radiosurgery technology for treating brain metastases. In addition to all forms of fractionated external beam radiation therapy, including proton beam therapy and adaptive radiation therapy, he performs a large number of radiosurgery procedures for brain and spine tumors and developed an advanced stereotactic radiosurgery program for movement disorders. The Food and Drug Administration’s 510(K) approval of the Varian TrueBeam/Edge radiosurgery platform for the treatment of essential tremor stemmed from a clinical trial for which he was principal investigator. Dr. Bredel also performed the world’s first frameless radio surgical pallidotomy for dystonia.

An acclaimed educator who values inclusive excellence, Dr. Bredel is part of the Graduate Faculty and intensively involved in the mentoring, education, and training of students of various academic levels, including undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants and associates in his laboratory. He also serves as an American Board of Radiology (ABR) examiner, mentors clinical residents in U Miami’s ACGME-accredited Radiation Oncology Residency Program, and welcomes students to shadow him during in-clinic procedures. He has been a strong advocate of eliminating disparities in cancer research and has prepared students from underrepresented groups for cancer research and education programs.