Friedman Laboratory
Gregory Friedman, M.D.
Principal Investigator
- Departments, Labs and Institutes
- Labs
- Friedman Laboratory
Areas of Research
- Acoustic Neuroma
- Brain and CNS Tumor
- Brain Metastasis
- Brain Tumor
- Glioblastoma
- Immunology
- Immunotherapy
- Neurofibromatosis
- Neurology
- Neuro-oncology
The goal of the Friedman Lab is to advance innovative, bench-to-bedside immunotherapies, such as the engineered oncolytic herpes simplex virus therapy, and other oncolytic virus-based treatments for pediatric brain and solid tumors by translating novel therapeutics into clinical trials. We also aim to elucidate mechanisms of therapeutic resistance, particularly the role of the tumor microenvironment and cellular defense pathways, to improve treatment efficacy and patient outcomes.
Featured News
Dr. Friedman was awarded a $400,000 2025 Hyundai Scholar Hope Grant from the Hyundai Hope on Wheels organization.
Recent Publications
Elgehiny A, Fan AE, Frost M, He J, Gary SE, Osorio DS, Zaky W, Zhou L, Kang KD, Zhang Z, Fueyo J, Gomez-Manzano C, Thompson EM, Bernstock JD, Friedman GK. Clinical and translational progress in oncolytic virotherapy for pediatric CNS tumors. Journal of Neuro-Oncology. 2026 Feb 25;177(1):17. doi: 10.1007/s11060-026-05480-z. PMID: 41741902; PMCID: PMC12935792.
Totsch SK, Ishizuka AS, Kang KD, Gary SE, Rocco A, Fan AE, Zhou L, Valdes PA, Lee S, Li J, Peruzzotti-Jametti L, Blitz S, Garliss CM, Johnston JM, Markert JM, Lynn GM, Bernstock JD, Friedman GK. Combination Immunotherapy with Vaccine and Oncolytic HSV Virotherapy Is Time Dependent. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. 2024 Sep 4;23(9):1273-1281. doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-23-0873. PMID: 38710101; PMCID: PMC11374504.
Friedman GK, Johnston JM, Bag AK, Bernstock JD, Li R, Aban I, Kachurak K, Nan L, Kang KD, Totsch S, Schlappi C, Martin AM, Pastakia D, McNall-Knapp R, Farouk Sait S, Khakoo Y, Karajannis MA, Woodling K, Palmer JD, Osorio DS, Leonard J, Abdelbaki MS, Madan-Swain A, Atkinson TP, Whitley RJ, Fiveash JB, Markert JM, Gillespie GY. Oncolytic HSV-1 G207 Immunovirotherapy for Pediatric High-Grade Gliomas. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2021 Apr 29;384(17):1613-1622. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2024947. Epub 2021 Apr 10. PMID: 33838625; PMCID: PMC8284840.
Funding Support
- Hyundai Hope on Wheels
- US Department of Defense
- Rally Foundation
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
- UT MD Anderson SPORE in Brain Cancer
- Treovir PBTC-061, Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium
We are also a full member of the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC).
Join Our Lab
Our lab is always looking for new members and collaborators. Interested candidates can reach out to Onetra Robinson, program coordinator.
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Research Areas
Find out about the four types of research taking place at UT MD Anderson.