Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery
Phone: (412) 623-1111
e-mail: okadah@upmc.edu

Specialized Areas of Interest

Analyses of immunological environment in the brain and brain tumors; immunological therapy for brain tumors; gene therapy for brain tumors; roles of microRNAs in brain tumors and immunity.

Biography

Hideho Okada, MD, PhD joined the faculty in the Department of Neurological Surgery in 1996 as a visiting research associate. Currently, Dr. Okada is an associate professor in the departments of Neurological Surgery and Surgery as well as co-leader of the Brain Tumor Program at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute.

From 1985 to 1991, Dr. Okada received his medical training at the Nagoya University School of Medicine and graduated in 1991 with a bachelor of medicine degree. In 1992, he completed his internship at Handa Municipal Hospital in Japan and then received neurosurgical residency training at Nagoya Redcross Hospital in Japan. In 1996, Dr. Okada received his PhD from the Graduate School of Nagoya University School of Medicine in Japan. Dr. Okada received a certificate of board of neurological surgery in Japan in 2003, and license as a medical physician and surgeon from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2004.

Dr. Okada’s major research interests lie in brain tumor immunology and development of immunotherapy for brain tumors. Dr. Okada runs clinical trials of molecularly targeted vaccinations for patients with gliomas. Dr. Okada holds patents from the United States Patent Office for Adeno-Associated Virus Vectors Comprising a First and Second Nucleic Acid Sequence, and for Identification of An IL-13 Receptor Alpha2 Peptide Analogue Capable of Enhancing Stimulation of Glioma-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Response. Dr. Okada is the principal investigator on several external grants dealing with tumor vaccines, including three NIH grants.

Dr. Okada's publications can be reviewed through the National Library of Medicine's publication database.

Board Certifications

Japanese Board of Neurological Surgery
Medical Physician and Surgeon, Pennsylvania Department of State

Hospital Privileges

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute
UPMC Presbyterian

Professional Organization Membership

The Society for Neuro-oncology
American Association for Cancer Research
North American Brain Tumor Consortium
Japan Society of Neurosurgery
Japan Society of Gene Therapy

Editorial Service

• Editorial Board:

Journal of Translational Medicine (monitoring editor)

• Ad Hoc Reviewer:

Journal of Immunology
Journal of Immunotherapy
Cancer Research
Clinical Cancer Research
Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy
Human Gene Therapy
Gene Therapy
Neuro-Oncology
International Journal of Cancer