Orwa Aboud, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor and physician-scientist at UC Davis who leads a translational neuro-oncology program focused on developing new biomarkers and therapies for patients with brain tumors. His research centers on two complementary themes: IDH-mutant glioma metabolism and non-invasive biomarker development and novel therapeutic strategies for tumor-associated vasogenic edema. His laboratory integrates metabolomics, clinical data, and translational models with investigator-initiated and cooperative-group clinical trials to move discoveries from the laboratory into patient care. As a practicing neuro-oncologist, Dr. Aboud's overarching goal is to build a continuous pipeline connecting patients, biospecimens, biomarkers, therapeutics, and clinical trials to improve outcomes for patients with brain tumors.
Aboud's Lab
-
Our Research Goals
The Aboud Lab develops translational strategies to improve the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of brain tumors. Our research is centered on two major areas: metabolic biomarkers in IDH-mutant gliomas, with an emphasis on non-invasive liquid biomarkers, and novel steroid-sparing therapies for tumor-associated vasogenic edema. We integrate metabolomics, computational approaches, translational models, and patient-derived clinical data to move promising discoveries toward clinical validation and therapeutic trials.
-
Current Projects
We collaborate across UC Davis and with external partners to advance a focused portfolio of translational neuro-oncology projects:
- IDH Glioma Biomarker: Developing and validating non-invasive metabolic biomarkers for diagnosis and longitudinal disease and treatment monitoring in IDH-mutant gliomas.
- Glioma Metabolomics & Precision Diagnostics: Using metabolomics, lipidomics, and computational approaches to characterize glioma biology, identify metabolic vulnerabilities, and develop clinically relevant biomarkers.
- Vasogenic Edema & Steroid-Sparing Therapies: Developing agents and translational models to identify new approaches for treating brain tumor-associated vasogenic edema while reducing reliance on corticosteroids.
- Translational Clinical Trials: Leading and participating in clinical trials that bring laboratory and therapeutic concepts into patient care, including our investigator-initiated study of LITT combined with lomustine (CCNU) for recurrent glioblastoma.
-
Our Team
Our team brings together trainees and collaborators across multiple levels of training, united by an interest in translational neuro-oncology, brain tumor biology, biomarker development, and clinical research. Mentorship is a core part of our mission, with trainees taking active ownership of projects from scientific development through analysis, presentation, and publication.
- Tiffany Shih, M.D., Ph.D. – Neurology Resident (PGY-4), UC Davis
- Kevin Zhai, M.D. – Neurology Resident (PGY-2), UC Davis
- Galen Shearn-Nance, M.D. – Neurology Resident (PGY-2), UC Davis
- Muhammad Sulman – Medical Student, UC Davis
- Alexander Adam Del Bosque – Medical Student, UC Davis
- Diego Cantillo – Undergraduate Researcher, UC Davis
Lab Alumni
- John Paul John Aboubechara, M.D., Ph.D. – Neuro-Oncology Fellow.
- Julian Wilson, M.D. – Internal Medicine Resident.
Clinical Trials
Learn about the different clinical trials we offer.
Giving
Join us to advance neurological health for all.
Fellowship Programs and Training Opportunities
Learn, grow and collaborate with our renowned researchers.