Greek First Lady Visits Columbia University Bioengineering Lab

Focus on groundbreaking ultrasound technology for treating childhood brain cancer

The First Lady of Greece, Mareva Grabowski-Mitsotakis, visited the laboratory of Columbia University biomedical researcher Elisa Konofagou on September 26 to learn about an innovative new therapy using focused ultrasound to treat children with brain cancer.

Grabowski-Mitsotakis, who was in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, toured the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) lab to gain insight into the technology’s ability to safely open the blood-brain barrier, allowing chemotherapy drugs to reach brain tumors more effectively.

The Greek delegation also met with pediatric neuro-oncologist Stergios Zacharoulis, who demonstrated the technique currently being tested in phase I/II clinical trials at CUIMC for children with diffuse midline glioma, a rare and aggressive brain cancer.

In the trial, ultrasonic sound waves are directed at targeted areas of the brain to vibrate microscopic bubbles within the blood-brain barrier. As the bubbles expand and contract, they temporarily create openings that enable chemotherapy drugs to pass through and attack the tumor.

Strong Columbia Ties

Grabowski-Mitsotakis has longstanding links with Columbia University. She holds a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs and founded Columbia’s Global Center in Athens, where she continues to serve on the senior council.

“I’ve been following Elisa’s work, and I was very pleased to see the improvements, the new technology, and the passion of the doctors involved,” Grabowski-Mitsotakis said during the visit. “This work requires an incredible commitment in many ways.”

Expanding the Frontiers of Treatment

Beyond brain cancer, Konofagou’s lab is adapting focused ultrasound technology for the delivery of therapeutics to treat Alzheimer’s disease and for gene therapy applications targeting various neurodegenerative disorders.

“I was delighted to host Ms. Grabowski-Mitsotakis, who took time out of her busy schedule during UN week to visit my lab and find out more about the focused ultrasound technology we are developing for drug delivery to the brain,” said Konofagou. “We had an in-depth discussion about what it takes to treat this vulnerable patient population and about one day making the technique available to patients in Greece.”