▶️ WATCH NOW (Member Login Required)

Description:

Dr. Alexander Landry, Senior Neurosurgical Resident at the University of Toronto and PhD Candidate in Dr. Gelareh Zadeh’s lab, delivered an insightful presentation on the molecular biology of vestibular schwannomas. He highlighted research breakthroughs that could enable earlier identification of aggressive tumors and pave the way for innovative treatments. The session was introduced by Dr. Farshad Nassiri, Assistant Professor and incoming Head of Neurosurgery at Toronto Western Hospital, who shared updates to support ANAC’s mission, including improving access to specialists and ensuring high-quality care for patients.

About the Speakers:  

Farshad Nassiri, MD, PhD, FRCS(C) 

Assistant Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto

Staff Neurosurgeon, Skull Base and Brain Tumor Surgery, Toronto Western Hospital, UHN; Scientist, Princess Margaret Cancer Center (Toronto, ON)

Chair, Medical Advisory Committee, ANAC

Dr. Farshad Nassiri is a Staff Neurosurgeon within the Division of Neurosurgery, Sprott Department of Surgery, at University Health Network and the Krembil Brain Institute. Dr. Nassiri is also a Scientist with the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, as well as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

Dr. Nassiri specializes in caring for patients with benign and malignant skull base tumours, such as meningiomas, pituitary tumours, acoustic neuromas, in addition to treating brain tumours such as gliomas and metastases. Building on the foundation established by his mentors, Drs. Fred Gentili and Gelareh Zadeh, Dr. Nassiri’s vision is to expand the repertoire of effective treatment options for patients with brain and skull base tumours, providing personalized treatment strategies. His research laboratory will use cutting-edge molecular and computational techniques to uncover the drivers of tumour formation and treatment response, paving the way for personalized diagnostic strategies and treatment options. He will also leverage his experience in surgical clinical trials to expand the breadth of available treatments for patients.

Dr. Nassiri received his medical degree and completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Toronto. He also completed the prestigious Surgeon-Scientist Training Program at the University of Toronto, where he obtained his PhD in brain tumour biology, under the mentorship of Dr. Gelareh Zadeh. Most recently, Dr. Nassiri was a Visiting Instructor at the University of Utah, where he completed a CAST-certified fellowship in complex endoscopic and open skull base and cerebrovascular surgery with Dr. William Couldwell.

Dr. Nassiri has authored over 110 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals such as Nature, Nature Medicine, JAMA and The Lancet. His contributions have been recognized with several notable awards, including the Vanier Award (2017-2019) and the Postdoctoral Fellowship Award (2023-2024) from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), as well as the Research Rising Star Award (2022) and the Research Impact Award (2020), from The Brain Tumour Charity UK.

In addition to his clinical and research roles, Dr. Nassiri currently serves as the Communications Editor for the Neuro-Oncology Advances journal and as the Neurosurgical Board Representative for the Society for Neuro-Oncology. His notable past leadership positions include Scientific Chair and Track Lead for the Society for Neuro-Oncology.

Alexander Landry, MD

Senior Neurosurgical Resident, University
of Toronto; PhD Candidate, Zadeh Lab, UHN (Toronto, ON)

Dr. Alex Landry is a senior neurosurgical resident at the University of Toronto with an interest in brain tumour surgery. He is also pursuing a PhD in the laboratory of Dr. Gelareh Zadeh, where he uses computational techniques to understand the drivers of brain tumour growth and resistance to treatment at a molecular level.

Back to Videos