Maria G. Castro: science is a highly collaborative endeavor that transcends different barriers!

Brain cancer is one of the deadliest cancers among children and adults under 40. Just in the United States alone, an estimate of approximately 23,000 adults and 3,000 children will be diagnosed with a brain or central nervous system (CNS) tumor in 2018 (1). Brain tumors, which are estimated to claim over 16,000 lives in the current year, reduce life expectancy by an average of 20 years (2). Treatment of brain tumors is challenging as it is associated with our most vital organ. In view of this dire situation, research agencies like National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke (NINDS) have been offering hope to improve the management and treatment of brain tumors by providing funding support to researchers who are making painstaking efforts in the field