UCSF Neurological Surgery faculty since 2002
 
Read about Dr. Parsa's current research
 
Dr. Parsa specializes in adult brain and spinal cord tumors. He is experienced in the surgical treatment of skull base tumors, acoustic neuromas, and intraoperative mapping of brain function to optimize tumor resection. He is also an active member of the Gamma Knife radiosurgery program. Dr. Parsa has extensive research interests including the development of a brain tumor vaccine. He is the first recipient of the Reza and Georgianna Khatib Endowed Chair in Skull Base Tumor Surgery, awarded in 2007.
 
Education, Training, and Previous Positions
 
1988: BS, Yale University
1996: MD, PhD, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York
1996-1997: Surgical Intern, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
1997-2001: Postdoctoral Residency Fellow, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
2001-2002: Chief Resident, Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
2002-2006: Assistant Professor in Residence, Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF
2007-present: Associate Professor in Residence, Department of Neurological Surgery, UCSF
 
Selected Professional Memberships and Appointments
 
Alpha Omega Alpha, Medical Honor Society
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Society of Neuro-oncology
Joint Section on Tumors (AANS/CNS)
North American Skull Base Society
Medical Advisory Board, Acoustic Neuroma Association
Editorial Board, Neurosurgery
Consulting Editor, Neurosurgery Clinics of North America
 
Selected Honors and Awards
 
2001: Preuss Residents Research Award, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
2002: Academy Award, Honorable Mention, The American Academy of Neurological Surgeons
2003: NREF Young Clinician Investigator Award, American Association of Neurological Surgeons
2003: Harold Rosegay Teaching Award, UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery
2003: National Brain Tumor Foundation, Translational Research Award
2004: UCSF School of Medicine Kaiser Teaching Award, Nominee
2004: UCSF School of Medicine Academy of Medical Educators, Nominee
2004: UCSF School of Medicine, Cancer Center Career Development Award
2005: UCSF School of Medicine, Academic Senate Teaching Award, Nominee
2006: UCSF Cancer Center, Damon Runyon Scholar Clinical Investigator Award, Nominee
2007: UCSF School of Medicine Kaiser Teaching Award, Nominee
2007: UCSF School of Medicine, Academic Senate Teaching Award, Nominee
2007: Young Clinician Investigator Award, Joint Section on Tumors, American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting
2008: Mahaley Clinical Research Award, Joint Section on Tumors American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting
 
Research Awards and Grants
 
Current:
 
1) Grant: NCI F32CA132489-01A1
Title: PI(3)K/Akt/mTOR pathway activation and immunoresistance
Principal Investigator: Yang I
Sponsor: Parsa AT
Total Project period: 7/01/08-7/01/09
Specific Aims: To evaluate PI3K mediated immunoresistance in glioma
 
2) Grant: Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellowship
Title: Overcoming PI3K/B7-H1 immunoresistance in glioma
Principal Investigator: Han S
Sponsor: Parsa AT
Total project period: 7/01/08-7-7/01/09
Specific Aims: To document B7-H1 mediated immunoresistance and mechanism to reverse immunoresistance
 
3) Grant: NCI SPORE Supplement for translational research
Title: Phase I/II trial of autologous heat shock protein for malignant glioma patients
Principal Investigator: Parsa AT
Total project period: 7/01/07-7/01/09
Specific Aims: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of an autologous heat shock protein vaccine for primary glioma patients
 
4) Grant: 2 P50 CA097257-06
Title: Brain Tumor SPORE Grant Project 5 (Parsa): Heat shock protein vaccine development: glioma immunoresistance and PI(3)K/Akt/mTOR pathway activation
Principal Investigator: Berger MS
Project 5 Co-Leaders: Parsa AT and Pieper RO
Total Project period: 4/1/07 - 3/31/12
Specific Aims: To evaluate the impact of PI(3)K/Akt/mTOR pathway activation on clinical response to immunotherapy and to understand mechanisms of immunoresistance
 
Recent Past:
 
1) Grant: NCI F32 CA126307-01A1
Title: Local Delivery of PI(3)K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibitor to treat intracranial tumor
Principal Investigator: Waldron JS
Sponsor: Parsa AT
Total Project period:7/1/07-7/1/08
Specific Aims: To document efficacy of a PI(3)K/Akt/mTOR pathway inhibitor delivered locally with CED
 
2) Grant: NINDS K08 NS046671
Title: Antigen specific modeling of glioma immunotherapy
Principal Investigator: Parsa AT
Mentor: Abbas, AK
Total project period: 7/01/03-7/01/08
 
3) Grant: AANS Young Clinician Investigator Award
Title: Mechanism Underlying Glioma Immunity
Principal Investigator: Parsa AT  
Mentor: Abbas, AK
Total project period: 7/01/03-7/01/06 (no cost extension)
Specific Aims: To document mechanisms of brain tumor specific antigen presentation
 
4) Grant: National Brain Tumor Foundation Translational Research Award
Title: Heat Shock Protein Mediated Glioma Immunity
Principal Investigator: Parsa AT
Total project period: 7/01/03-7/01/06 (no cost extension)
Specific Aims: To document efficacy of heat shock protein vaccine in a brain tumor model
 
5) Grant: NINDS F32 NS051058-01 A1
Title: Polysomal RNA Antitumor Immunity
Principal Investigator: Chi J
Sponsor: Parsa AT
Total Project period: 7/01/05-07/01/06
Specific Aims: To document the feasibility of using polysomal RNA as an antigen source
 
6) Grant: NCI, Special Program of Research Excellence (SPORE)
Career Developmental Project UCSF Brain SPORE
Title: Immunity to glioma
Principal Investigator: Parsa AT
Total project period: 8/01/02-8/01/05
Specific Aims: To evaluate active immunotherapy for glioma and impact of immunosuppression
 
7) Grant: UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center Career Development Grant
Title: Immunosuppression in glioma
Principal Investigator: Parsa AT
Total Project period: 7/01/03-07/01/04
Specific Aims: To correlate genetic mutations in glioma with immunosuppression
 
Contact
 
Andrew T. Parsa MD, PhD
University of California, San Francisco
Department of Neurological Surgery
505 Parnassus Ave. Rm. M779
San Francisco, CA 94143-0112
(415) 353-2348 (academic)
(415) 353-2209 (clinical)
 
Selected Recent Publications
 
Chi JH, Panner A, Cachola K, Crane CA, Murray J, Pieper RO, James CD, Parsa AT. Increased expression of the glioma-associated antigen ARF4L after loss of the tumor suppressor PTEN. J Neurosurg 2008;108(2):299-303.
 
Parsa AT, Waldron JS, Panner A, Crane CA, Parney IF, Barry JJ, Cachola KE, Murray JC, Tarik Tihan T, Jensen MC, Mischel PS, Stokoe D, Pieper RO. Loss of tumor suppressor PTEN function increases B7-H1 expression and immunoresistance in glioma. Nat Med 2007;13(1):84-88.
 
Parsa AT, Wachhorst S, Lamborn KR, Prados MD, McDermott MW, Berger MS, Chang SM. Prognostic significance of intracranial dissemination of glioblastoma multiforme in adults. J Neurosurg 2005;102(4):622-8.
 
Parsa AT, Miller JI, Eggers AE, Anderson RC, Ogden AT, Bruce JN. Autologous adjuvant linked fibroblasts induce anti-glioma immunity: implications for development of a glioma vaccine. J Neurooncol 2003;64(1-2):77-87.
 
Selected Recent Case Reports and Reviews
 
deIpolyi AR, Yang I, Cheung S, Bollen AW, Barbaro N, Parsa AT. Fluctuating Response of Cystic Vestibular Schwannoma after Gamma Knife Radiosurgery: comprehensive management algorithm and clinical case review. Neurosurgery 2008;62(5):1164-5.
 
Waldron JS, Tihan T, Parsa AT. Solitary fibrous tumor arising from Cranial Nerve VI in the prepontine cistern: case report and review of a tumor subpopulation mimicking schwannoma. Neurosurgery 2006;59(4):E939-40; discussion E940.
 
Chi JH, Parsa AT. Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: clinical management and surgical considerations [Review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2006;17(1):45-50.
 
Chi JH, Cachola K, Parsa AT. Genetics and molecular biology of intramedullary spinal cord tumors [Review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2006;17(1):1-5.
 
Tihan T, Chi JH, McCormick PC, Ames CP, Parsa AT. Pathologic and epidemiologic findings of intramedullary spinal cord tumors. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2006;17(1):7-11.
 
Parsa AT, Chi JH, Acosta FL Jr, Ames CP, McCormick PC. Intramedullary spinal cord tumors: molecular insights and surgical innovation. Clin Neurosurg 2005;52:76-84.
 
Parsa AT, Holland EC. Cooperative translational control of gene expression by Ras and Akt in cancer [Review]. Trends Mol Med 2004;10(12):607-13.
 
Parsa AT, Lee J, Parney IF, Weinstein P, McCormick PC, Ames C. Spinal cord and intradural-extraparenchymal spinal tumors: current best care practices and strategies [Review]. J Neurooncol 2004;69(1-3):291-318.
 
Lee J, McDermott MW, Chang SM, Parsa AT. Intraventricular neurocytomas [Review]. Neurosurg Clin N Am 2003;14(4):483-508.