Aden Haskell-Mendoza, MD, is the recipient of Glioblastoma Foundation’s 2026 Neil Peart Neurosurgery Resident Research Award.
"I’m very grateful to the foundation for the recognition," Haskell-Mendoza said. "This feels like the culmination of years of dedication as an undergraduate, medical student, and now resident doctor hoping to move the needle for our patients with glioblastoma. The candor and resolve with which our patients face a life-altering diagnosis inspires me every day and it is an honor to participate in their care."
Haskell-Mendoza is in his second year of residency with Duke Neurosurgery. His research focuses on brain tumor immunology, neurosurgical oncology, and clinical trials.
"We're extremely proud of the work Dr. Haskell-Mendoza is doing. This prestigious honor is a testament to his cutting-edge research and commitment to improving the survival and quality of life for our patients with malignant brain tumors," said Gerald Grant, MD, MBA, chair of Duke Neurosurgery.
A glioblastoma diagnosis in his family makes solving glioblastoma personal for Haskell-Mendoza.
"As neurosurgeons, we are fortunate to operate on the brain, the organ that makes people human," Haskell-Mendoza said. "Glioblastoma infiltrates the brain in ways that can fundamentally change a person’s identity or perception of themselves, and we have not made a meaningful difference in survival for these patients in nearly two decades. I find myself compelled to try to help solve these problems, as the need is so great."
"We established the Neil Peart Neurosurgery Resident Research Award in 2020 to honor Neil’s legacy and to support the next generation taking on one of medicine’s deadliest cancers,” said Gita Kwatra, PharmD, MBA, CEO of the Glioblastoma Foundation. “Over the past six years, we’ve supported rising researchers at top institutions across the country who are pushing the boundaries of neuro-surgical imaging techniques. Dr. Haskell-Mendoza’s work in brain tumor drug delivery addresses the exact challenges that have stalled glioblastoma treatment for decades, and we are proud to invest in research that moves us closer to life-saving breakthroughs."
The Glioblastoma Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming glioblastoma therapy. Established in 2020 in honor of Neil Peart – the Rush drummer and lyricist who died of glioblastoma in January 2020 – the award supports rising neurosurgery residents conducting research that advances glioblastoma treatment and outcomes.