Nalin Gupta

Nalin Gupta is a Professor in Residence of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). He serves as Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, Principal Investigator of the Brain Tumor Center, and Surgical Director of the Pediatric Brain Center. His clinical expertise spans pediatric brain tumors, radiosurgery for vascular malformations, and early phase gene and cell therapy clinical trials.

• MD, University of Toronto, Canada (1987)
• PhD, Graduate Group in Biophysics, UCSF (1992-1996)
• Residency in Neurosurgery, University of Toronto (1989-1997)
• Fellow in Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto (1997-1998)

Dr. Gupta's research focuses on fundamental mechanisms of brain tumor progression and the biological response of tumors to various treatment strategies. His laboratory investigates cell-cell interactions during tumor progression, the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and drug delivery to the central nervous system. He has particular expertise in brainstem glioma and medulloblastoma research, serving as surgical chair for multiple phase I studies conducted by the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium. His work bridges basic science discoveries with clinical applications to improve outcomes for children with brain tumors.

Dr. Gupta's extensive publication record demonstrates a strong focus on pediatric neuro-oncology, particularly diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) and other brain tumors. His research spans molecular characterization of tumors, novel therapeutic approaches including convection-enhanced drug delivery, and translational studies examining tumor microenvironment and inflammatory responses. A significant portion of his work contributes to precision medicine approaches for pediatric brain cancers through genomic analysis and targeted therapy development.

• NIH/NINDS K08 Career Development Award (2005)
• SPORE Career Development Award, UCSF (2004)
• HELLMAN Family Award for Early Faculty, UCSF Cancer Center (2002)
• Alan Hudson Resident Teaching Award, University of Toronto (1997)

Dr. Gupta has mentored numerous students and researchers in pediatric neurosurgery and neuro-oncology. His research program has been supported by multiple NIH grants including R01CA246722 investigating 'Myeloid cells and radiation-induced memory deficits in rodent glioma model' and previously K08NS055061 on 'Macrophage and Microglial Activation in Glioma-Associated Inflammation.' He has also received funding from the Michael Mosier Defeat DIPG Foundation and the V Foundation for research on DIPG treatment. As surgical chair of the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium, he leads multiple phase I clinical trials examining novel therapies for children with brain tumors.

Dr. Gupta leads research in the Brain Tumor Center at UCSF, focusing on pediatric brain tumors. He collaborates extensively with the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium and participates in multiple phase I clinical trials. His laboratory investigates fundamental mechanisms of brain tumor progression and therapeutic responses, with particular emphasis on the role of inflammation in tumor biology. He was the lead neurosurgeon at UCSF for a randomized clinical trial examining fetal surgery for myelomeningocele and has participated in stem cell transplantation studies for neurological disorders.