Dr Michelle Monje is a neuroscientist and neuro-oncologist who researches the molecular and cellular mechanisms of postnatal neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity. She is particularly interested in microenvironmental influences on neural precursor cell function and dysfunction in the origins of paediatric brain tumours and the consequences of cancer treatment. Reshaping our understanding of both healthy and malignant neural circuits.

Dr. Monje is perhaps best known for pioneering the study of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). She was the first to culture and model DIPG cells from post-mortem tissue, creating experimental models that have enabled research worldwide. Her lab later uncovered that glioma cells, both paediatric and adult, form synaptic connections with healthy neurons. This discovery founded the field of cancer neuroscience, demonstrating that electrical activity in the brain can actively drive tumour growth.

She has also led the development of novel therapeutic approaches, including GD2-targeted CAR T-cell therapy and a Phase I clinical trial of Panobinostat for DIPG.