Discovery & education
Dr. Patel’s academic work connects laboratory investigation, clinical research, and neurosurgical education. His research program focuses on understanding meningiomas, with the goal of identifying new approaches to treatment.
Laboratory research
Dr. Patel leads a basic science and translational research laboratory studying the molecular biology of meningiomas. His team investigates why these tumors form, grow, and recur, with the goal of identifying new approaches to treatment.
His research has received support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), and the Helis Foundation.
Clinical research
Dr. Patel’s clinical research examines surgical outcomes and factors that influence the course of brain tumors. He established a brain tumor biobank and a long-term surgical outcomes database, and has served as site principal investigator at Baylor College of Medicine for multicenter brain tumor clinical trials.
Education & leadership
As Residency Program Director at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Patel helps train the next generation of neurosurgeons. He received the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Educator of the Year award in 2021. His national educational leadership includes service as chair of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Education Committee and the Society of Neurological Surgeons Medical Student Committee.
In conversation · TANS
Dr. Patel discusses collaboration in neurosurgery and how his laboratory uses machine learning to study meningioma biology and molecular classification.
Interview published by the Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons.
Research into meningioma biology and treatment.
View publications on Google ScholarPNAS · 2019
Molecular profiling predicts meningioma recurrence and reveals loss of DREAM complex repression in aggressive tumors.Examining molecular features associated with the risk of a meningioma returning.
Science Advances · 2022
Multiple approaches converge on three biological subtypes of meningioma and extract new insights from published studies.Bringing different types of molecular data together to identify three biological groups of meningiomas.
Acta Neuropathologica · 2023
Even heterozygous loss of CDKN2A/B greatly accelerates recurrence in aggressive meningioma.Studying how loss of one copy of the CDKN2A/B genes relates to earlier recurrence in aggressive meningiomas.
Science Advances · 2024
Multiomic and clinical analysis of multiply recurrent meningiomas reveals risk factors, underlying biology, and insights into evolution.Exploring the biology and risk factors of meningiomas that return multiple times, and how these tumors change over time.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2025
NF2 loss-of-function and hypoxia drive radiation resistance in grade 2 meningiomas.Investigating how changes in the NF2 gene and low oxygen levels contribute to radiation resistance in grade 2 meningiomas.
Featured project
OpenMeningioma is a free, open-access platform in development for patients and families. It aims to make meningioma research, molecular classification, and emerging clinical tools easier to understand and access.
Planned resources include patient education, personalized risk-assessment tools, and opportunities to contribute directly to research through registries, surveys, and future studies. The goal is to help people better understand their tumors and participate in advancing meningioma research.
Learn more at OpenMeningioma.orgWebsite coming soon. Resources and participation opportunities are not yet available.