My primary focus is patient care and clinical research. My clinical research focuses on providing innovative and aggressive therapies to adults with primary brain tumors. I always keep the patient's quality of life foremost in my practice. I completed my residency in adult neurology at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec. I finished a two-year fellowship in neuro-oncology at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke. Upon completion of my fellowship in 2005, I joined the Center as faculty. I am a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada. Dr. Desjardins is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. Her top areas of expertise are Gliosarcoma, Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes, Glioblastoma, and Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT).

I'm a radiation oncologist, and I specialize in treating brain, base of skull and spine tumors, as well as tumors that arise in the body but go to the brain or the spine, as in certain cases of lung, breast and kidney cancer and melanoma. When I meet with a patient, it’s important for me to introduce them and their family to our team of doctors, therapists, nurses and treatment planners. The patient and their family will also become members of this team – truly the most important part - so we can work together to tailor care based on their wants and needs. At Duke, we’ve developed techniques to precisely and accurately treat small, complex lesions and tumors. We can minimize the amount of radiation that goes into normal tissues and at the same time maximize the amount of radiation where it is needed. Our team is geared to delivering every treatment to each patient exactly as planned, especially in complicated and difficult situations. As a patient or a physician, I think there’s no better place to be than Duke. I love my work, feel honored that my patients place their trust in our team and me and work hard to earn that trust. Dr. Kirkpatrick is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. His top areas of expertise are Brain Tumor, Meningioma, Glioma, Astrocytoma, and Gamma Knife Radiosurgery.

I am a neurologist and cancer doctor who treats brain tumors and researches ways to improve quality of life for brain tumor patients. As a college student, I thought I was going to be a scientist, but fell in love with studying the brain and its inner workings. I enjoy being at Duke, because I work with some of the top clinicians and researchers in the field, and a generous and warm-hearted staff that helps patients and their loved ones through treatment. It is hard to pick one thing I enjoy about my job. I enjoy seeing patients and their loved ones, being at the cutting edge of research and teaching the next generation of doctors. I think it is the chance to do so many different things that makes my job special. Outside of work, I enjoy shopping at farmer’s markets, cooking and exercising. I also collect Swatch watches - I have over 400!. Dr. Peters is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. Her top areas of expertise are Embryonal Tumor with Multilayered Rosettes, Glioblastoma, Gliosarcoma, and Neuroepithelioma.

What we specialize in at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center is compassionate care – we take care of our patients. It’s complete care. The patients don’t have to go out and find a radiologist. We have the radiation oncologist, the chemotherapy, the surgery, the radiology, we have all kinds of nursing people as well as help getting physical therapy and getting in-the-home assistance. Patients also can expect cutting-edge care because we run such a terrific science program here. I really like working with the patients. No question about it. It’s not that I’m doing some trivial procedure six times a day. When someone comes in with a brain tumor, there’s usually some bonding, and instead of running away from that, I really enjoy it. Dr. Friedman is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. His top areas of expertise are Astrocytoma, Glioma, Glioblastoma, Awake Craniotomy, and Laminectomy.

I am an adult neurologist with further specialization in neuro-oncology. I treat adult patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors of the brain and spine. My focus is combining compassionate patient-centered care with cutting-edge research. I want my patients to not only live longer, but also live better. I encourage my patients to be open and honest with me about their symptoms so I can find ways to help them feel better while undergoing treatment. What I love most about my job is seeing the courage and strength exhibited by my patients and their families. Dr. Johnson is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. Her top areas of expertise are Brain Tumor, Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, and Glioma.

I am an academic adult and pediatric neuro-oncologist who helps lead The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke. I am the author of more than 500 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and book chapters, and I have presented extensively at both international and national meetings. I am a committed educator who is a member of the executive and super-executive committees of the Duke University School of Medicine, which are responsible for the recruitment, screening and selection of medical students. I have reviewed grants for the National Institutes of Health for over 15 years, in a spectrum of different study sections. I am the senior editor of CNS Oncology and a reviewer for over 25 academic journals. I serve on the advisory board of a number of organizations, including Voices Against Brain Cancer, the Tug McGraw Foundation, Pinnacle Care, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, the National Children’s Cancer Society, and the American Brain Tumor Association. Dr. Friedman is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. His top areas of expertise are Glioma, Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, and Brain Tumor.

I am a neurologist specializing in neuro-oncology. I care for adult patients with brain and spinal cord tumors. I also conduct scientific research in the lab, where we are working on improving our understand of brain tumors and how to better treat them. My hobbies include classical music, running, hiking, and photography. Dr. Low is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. His top areas of expertise are Glioma, Astrocytoma, Brain Tumor, and Glioblastoma.

I was inspired to be a doctor by my grandfather, a classic “black bag” physician, who practiced family medicine with grace, compassion, and enthusiasm I strive to emulate. I became interested in the treatment of neurologic illness in college, and I pursued a specialization in the minimally invasive treatment of brain tumors and skull base tumors. When a patient has a brain disorder, they bring to me not just an organ to be fixed, but also their senses, perceptions, and mechanisms that allow them to interact with their world. My goal is to help my patients understand these frightening and disorienting problems and to create with them a custom treatment strategy to overcome the difficulties. I use the latest advances in minimally invasive neurosurgery to hopefully return them to the activities they most enjoy. Through my research, I hope to devise even better ways to approach these problems in the future. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my amazing daughter and son, as well as my two miniature schnauzers. Dr. Codd is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. His top areas of expertise are Prolactinoma, Pituitary Tumor, Encephalocele, Awake Craniotomy, and Mastoidectomy.

I am a radiation oncologist specializing in the treatment of head and neck cancers. I am passionate about helping patients to navigate the life changes surrounding the diagnosis and treatment for head and neck cancers. I chose a career in oncology because I empathize with patients and families owing to my own, close, family member's journey with cancer. My research interests include investigating new ways to make head and neck radiation better-tolerated. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, trying new foods, and watching cat videos. Dr. Yu is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. Her top areas of expertise are Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, Neuroepithelioma, and Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT).

James Vredenburgh is a Hematologist Oncology specialist and a Hematologist in Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Vredenburgh is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. His top areas of expertise are Glioma, Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma, Brain Tumor, and Bone Marrow Aspiration.

Joel Tepper is a Radiation Oncologist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Dr. Tepper is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Choroid Plexus Papilloma. His top areas of expertise are Adult Soft Tissue Sarcoma, Undifferentiated Pleomorphic Sarcoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma Embryonal, and Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (PNET).