FUNDING THE BEST BRAINS TO BEAT BRAIN CANCER
Dr Charlie Teo AM, Professor of Neurosurgery
Director and Founder, Charlie Teo Foundation
FUNDER PROFILE
Filmed in Sydney, Australia | December 2024
The Charlie Teo Foundation is dedicated to funding and advancing research into brain cancer, with a particular focus on developing more effective treatments and finding a cure for this devastating disease. The foundation’s mission includes:
- Supporting cutting-edge research: The foundation funds innovative research into brain cancer, aiming to discover new therapies, improve outcomes, and ultimately find a cure.
- Raising awareness: The foundation works to increase public awareness about brain cancer, its impact on patients and families, and the need for more research and funding in this field.
- Helping patients: In addition to supporting research, the foundation assists individuals and families affected by brain cancer by providing information, resources, and support.
- Advocating for change: It strives to drive systemic change in how brain cancer is researched and treated, challenging the status quo and encouraging collaboration and innovation within the medical community.
Dr. Charlie Teo AM as the Founder and Director of the Charlie Teo Foundation, has for over 30 years been instrumental in the development, dissemination and acceptance of the concept of keyhole minimally invasive techniques in neurosurgery. Dr Teo ran a fellowship program that attracts over 600 applicants yearly and has trained many of the world’s leading figures in neurosurgery. He has trained at distinguished centres such as the Barrow Neurological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Stanford University, Vanderbilt University and Harvard University.
Initially focused on Australia, Dr Teo recognised a pressing need to raise funds for brain cancer research from a young age. To address this, he founded the Charlie Teo Foundation in 2017, which aims to increase awareness and funding for brain cancer research.
Brain cancer significantly impacts society, being the leading cause of years of life lost. Despite its high incidence, particularly among young adults and children, it remains one of the least funded cancers. The foundation operates with low overhead costs and focuses on supporting disruptive researchers who think outside the box.
Since its inception, the foundation has committed nearly $15 million to brain cancer research, funding notable projects in Australia and the United States. These projects explore innovative approaches to understand and treat brain cancer more effectively, with a focus on translating findings from animal studies to human applications. Charlie’s dedication to finding solutions for this devastating disease remains unwavering as he travels frequently to collaborate with global researchers.
-
Elite athlete physical and mental health impact performance
Understanding the interaction between genes and lifestyle factors in response to stress can lead to potential therapeutic interventions for stress-related disorders. This research is crucial for promoting health and well-being.
Professor Divya Mehta works as a Principal Research Fellow at the Stress Genomics Laboratory, in Queensland University of Technology in Australia, specialising in stress genomics and mental health. Her education started in the UK with undergraduate and Masters, followed by her PhD in Germany. 11 years ago Professor Mehta moved to Australia.
-
Biological interactions of extracellular vesicles
Raluca Ghebosu graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science with majors in Japanese and Biomedical Science (2018-2021). She then completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) with the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Queensland in 2022, before pursuing a PhD with A/Prof. Joy Wolfram at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology.
-
Food and fasting periods as medicine to prevent disease
Professor Leonie Heilbronn is based at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), where she leads the Obesity and Metabolism laboratory. Her research is at the interface between basic and clinical science. She is internationally recognised for her work in nutritional modulation in humans and has made major contributions to our current understanding of mechanisms underlying conditions such as insulin resistance, particularly inflammation and lipid metabolism. She has also contributed significantly to current concepts of caloric restriction (CR), intermittent fasting (IF) and time restricted eating (TRE) in humans. She has published more than 110 peer reviewed papers in scientific journals and is an Associate Editor of Obesity, and Obesity Research and Clinical Practice.
