About this episode
This episode discusses the potential of liquid biopsies in improving cancer care for children with rare brain tumors.
In this episode of TGen Talks, we sit down with three researchers who are working to make cancer care safer and more precise for some of the most vulnerable patients—children with rare brain tumors. Dr. Floris Barthel, Dr. Shea Gallus, and graduate student Sharvari Mankame are part of a team at TGen and Phoenix Children’s Hospital exploring liquid biopsies—a method that uses small samples of blood or spinal fluid to detect and monitor brain cancer. This approach could reduce the need for invasive surgeries, which are especially hard on young patients. Our guests explain how liquid biopsies work, what they’re learning from genetic markers called K-mers, and how artificial intelligence is helping them analyze tumor DNA in ways that weren’t possible before. Their goal is to find a better way to track cancer in real time—giving doctors more information while easing the burden on patients and families. While this science is still developing, it’s already showing real potential to shift how we approach diagnosis and treatment—not just in pediatrics, but across cancer care.
People in this episode
Guests: Sharvari Mankame, Dr Floris Barthel, Dr Shea Gallus
Topics covered
- liquid biopsy
- cancer care
- pediatric oncology
- brain tumors
- artificial intelligence
Keywords
- genetic markers
- K-mers
- tumor DNA
- real-time tracking
Mentioned in this episode
Products: liquid biopsy
More episodes of TGen Talks
- Episode 90: Study Links Obesity and Cancer · March 26, 2026 · 20 min
- Episode 89 Dr. Jonathan Keats · February 24, 2026 · 21 min
- Episdoe 88: Closing in on One Million · December 1, 2025 · 22 min
- Episode 87: From Deadly to Detectable? · October 30, 2025 · 20 min
- Episode 85: Runway for Research · August 26, 2025 · 12 min
- Episode 84 Precision Medicine · July 29, 2025 · 26 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the TGen Talks podcast page.