My laboratory uses novel combinations of cell-surface molecules to isolate pure populations of normal neural stem cells/progenitors and determines their relationships to purified malignant-brain tumor stem cells/progenitors. This includes the stage of development at which malignant transformation occurs, as well as the genetic and epigenetic events that differentiate cancer progenitors from their normal cellular counterparts. We hope to gain insights into the events that transform normal stem cells into cancer stem cells, which will lead to targeted therapies against these highly malignant cancers.