Dey Lab

We talk a lot about the rising cost of healthcare.

But what about the cost of running healthcare?

Administrative costs continue to grow—and physicians often experience the consequences without having a meaningful voice in how those resources are allocated.

So let’s ask a harder question:

Who is accountable for administrative costs?

I’m excited to lead a case-based session at the American Association of Physician Leaders Annual Meeting:

Equity in Administrative Costs: A Lofty Goal?

We’ll put physicians in the middle of real-world cases and ask:

🩺 Who creates the administrative burden?
💰 Who pays for it?
📊 Who measures its value?
⚖️ Who is accountable when the cost outweighs the benefit?
👩‍⚕️ And what would a more equitable model actually look like?

This isn’t a lecture about “cutting administration.”

It’s a conversation about accountability.

Because we cannot meaningfully control healthcare costs if we only scrutinize the cost of caring for patients—and not the cost of everything surrounding that care.

Come ready to challenge assumptions, examine the numbers, and rethink what administrative accountability could look like.

Equity in Administrative Costs: A Lofty Goal?

Grateful to the NRG Oncology Brain Tumor Group leadership for the opportunity to present our translational work on targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy for leptomeningeal metastasis at the group’s semiannual meeting.

The thoughtful discussion and insightful feedback from colleagues will be invaluable as we refine our Phase I clinical trial and work to bring this promising therapy closer to patients facing one of the most challenging CNS malignancies.

Collaboration is what drives innovation—and I’m excited for the next steps.

📢 Excited to share my latest publication in BMC Health Services Research.

For decades, hospitals have rigorously measured the productivity of physicians, nurses, and every clinical department. But who measures the people designing those measurement systems?

In this paper, I introduce the concept of the Administrative Accountability Gap (AAG)—the systematic exemption of hospital administrative functions from the same performance and productivity standards routinely applied to frontline clinical staff.

Using national CMS cost-report data from over 2,100 U.S. nonprofit acute care hospitals, I found that administrative costs vary nearly twofold among otherwise comparable institutions, suggesting that these differences are not simply an inevitable cost of providing healthcare but may reflect differences in governance and accountability.

The paper also proposes a practical framework that leverages established management accounting tools—including Activity-Based Costing, Balanced Scorecards, and Zero-Based Budgeting—to evaluate administrative functions with the same rigor expected of clinical services.

This work is not about assigning blame. It is about asking an important question:

Can we create a healthcare system where accountability is applied symmetrically across everyone responsible for delivering high-value patient care?

I hope this paper stimulates thoughtful discussion among clinicians, hospital leaders, board members, health economists, and policymakers about how we define accountability in modern healthcare.

📖 Read the paper:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12913-026-15079-9

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Excited to share our latest work from the lab, now published in Neuro-Oncology!

In this study, we explored a novel radiopharmaceutical therapy approach for leptomeningeal metastasis — one of the most devastating complications of solid tumors involving the central nervous system. Current treatments offer limited benefit and can cause significant toxicity.

Using tumor-targeting alkylphosphocholine NM600 labeled with Actinium-225, we demonstrated:
🧠 Improved tumor targeting within the leptomeningeal space
🎯 Greater anti-tumor efficacy compared with conventional external beam radiation
🛡️ Reduced off-target CNS toxicity
⏳ Significant survival benefit in preclinical models of breast and lung cancer leptomeningeal metastasis

These findings support the potential of targeted alpha-particle radiopharmaceutical therapy as a new therapeutic strategy for patients with CNS metastatic disease.

Proud of this incredible multidisciplinary team and grateful to all our collaborators who made this work possible. Special congratulations to the trainees and co-authors whose dedication drove this project forward.

This is an exciting breakthrough for brain cancer research! 🧠✨

We’ve just published new findings in on using human neural organoids—often called “mini-brains”—to model Diffuse Midline Glioma (DMG). This aggressive pediatric brain tumor has historically been incredibly difficult to study and treat because of its complexity and location.

Here’s why this matters:
• Real-World Complexity: Unlike traditional cell cultures, these 3D organoids replicate the intricate environment of a human brain, allowing us to see how DMG cells invade and interact with healthy neural tissue.

• Patient-Specific Insights: By using patient-derived cells, we can capture the unique genetic and structural “fingerprint” of an individual’s tumor.

• Better Drug Testing: This model provides a more accurate “test track” for new therapies, hopefully bridging the gap between the lab and the clinic.

We are one step closer to understanding the “how” and “why” behind these tumors, paving the way for more effective, personalized treatments.

Congratulations to all the co-authors for their contributions and .shireman for bringing this all together!!

Words can’t begin to describe how proud I am of Jack Shireman and all that he has accomplished and more importantly, all that he is going to contribute to the world of Neuro-oncology.
Jack is my first graduate student. When he first reached out to pursue a PhD in my lab, I honestly wasn’t even sure I was ready for the commitment of training a graduate student. But his passion, curiosity, and enthusiasm for Neuro-oncology were impossible to ignore, and from that moment on, I never looked back.
Over the years, we went through many highs and lows together, both professionally and personally and I can say without hesitation that I am a better person because of that journey. Mentoring Jack taught me so much about myself: patience, when to push, when to listen, and when simply being a friend matters most.
Watching him graduate feels a little like watching your first child step into the world. My heart is incredibly full.
Jack has grown into an exceptional scientist with a remarkable foundation in Neuro-oncology, Neurosurgery, Immunology, and Computational science. But beyond his accomplishments, he is someone whose compassion, resilience, and drive will leave a lasting impact on patients, science, and everyone lucky enough to work with him.
Congratulations, Dr. Jack Shireman. The future of Neuro-oncology is brighter because of you.

Jack Shireman has long been driven to better understand brain tumors and how they can be treated more effectively. That interest shaped his undergraduate studies in neurobiology at UW–Madison, his years in research labs at Northwestern and ultimately his decision to return to UW to pursue a doctorate in neuroscience.
When Jack talks about the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, he points to how closely science, medicine and community are linked. “When I think about the mission of UW, I think about how UW has taught me not only about the basic science behind health but also how the health of a whole person and community is intertwined,” he said.
That connection became personal long before graduate school. As a teenager, Jack received treatment for a brain tumor from pediatric oncology faculty who cared for him at American Family Children’s Hospital. Experiencing care at UW where he now trains helped shape his commitment to brain tumor research and his goal of becoming a physician‑scientist.
In his research at UW, Jack studied brain tumor immunotherapy, using translational models and patient data to analyze treatment resistance and improve future therapies. He points to the UW environment, where clinicians and researchers collaborate closely from the lab to the patient bedside. That experience was reinforced by his own mentor, Dr. Mahua Dey, who treats patients with brain tumors while leading a lab focused on those same diseases. Beyond the lab, Jack is active in sharing science with broader audiences—from presenting research at the Wisconsin State Capitol to tutoring UW students and participating in community outreach that makes complex research more accessible.
This fall, Jack will start medical school at the Medical College of Wisconsin, continuing his training as a physician-scientist. For him, advancing brain tumor research is not just about discovery, but about contributing to healthier people and healthier communities.
We congratulate all graduate students who successfully completed their studies across the school’s 13 graduate programs and seven affiliated graduate programs.

🧠 Bridging Intelligence: Human & Artificial 🤖

What happens when you bring together the world’s leading neuro-oncologists and the brightest minds in AI? You get a glimpse into the future of brain tumor treatment.

Our **AI in Neuro-Oncology Virtual Meeting** just wrapped up, and the energy (even through the screen!) was incredible. From automating tumor segmentation to predicting treatment responses through radiomics, the potential to improve patient outcomes is no longer “science fiction”—it’s happening in our labs right now.

🚀 Key Takeaways:

* **Precision Diagnostics:** How deep learning is identifying molecular markers faster than traditional pathology.

* **Scalable Solutions:** The move toward making advanced AI tools accessible to clinics worldwide, not just academic hubs.

* **The Human Element:** AI isn’t replacing the physician; it’s providing the “superpowers” needed to make data-driven decisions at lightning speed.

💡 Notable Quote:
“correlation is not causation”

A massive thank you to our speakers, moderators, and all the attendees who joined us from across the globe. Special Thanks to Janelle for pulling this all together!! And it is always a vibe to host these meetings with amazing Dr Bovi!!

The fight against brain cancer is uphill, but with these tools in our kit, the peak is finally in sight.
Missed a session? Stay tuned for the recorded highlights coming soon! 📺

The “Dream Team” in action! 💫

A massive thank you to the incredible scientists, students, and their families of the Dey Lab for generously volunteering their time in making this year’s “Hands-on Brain Surgery” demonstration a total success, again! 🧠✨

We spent the day at the Carbone Cancer Center Open House, where we got to engage with our community and hopefully inspire the next generation of neurosurgeons. This work—and the mission to bridge the gap between the lab and the public—wouldn’t be possible without this amazing group.
So proud of what we’ve built together! 🧫🔬

Thanks Xiahou, .shireman , Lei, Yilong, Samantha, Cheyanne for making this THE best event

Transforming Brain Tumor Care with AI 🧠🤖

The future of neuro-oncology is here. Join us for the Sixth Annual Wisconsin Primary CNS Malignancy Symposium, where we will explore the integration of Artificial Intelligence into clinical practice and research. Hear from the leading experts in the field.

From ethical considerations to AI-enabled diagnostic tools, this symposium is designed for clinicians and researchers looking to bridge the gap between emerging technology and patient outcomes.

• 📅 Date: April 24, 2026
• ⏰ Time: 7:45 AM – 1:00 PM CST
• 📍 Format: Virtual
• 🔗 Register here: go.wisc.edu/8ha0u0

Presented by UW School of Medicine and Public Health, Medical College of Wisconsin, and ThedaCare.