Charlie Teo Foundation

Our story

Precision, pioneering & possibilities

Precision, pioneering & possibilities

A leading neurosurgeon in demand across the globe, Charlie is famous for offering surgery to brain cancer patients who have been given no hope.

He is a skilled surgeon, a highly awarded teacher and now a philanthropist.

Game-changing

Game-changing

Charlie has never been satisfied with the status-quo and now wants to shake-up the way brain cancer research is funded.

As such he launched the Charlie Teo Foundation in 2018.

It’s different, it’s GAME CHANGING and it’s pure Charlie.

Radical thinking

Radical thinking

Founded by a rebel with a cause, this foundation is all about RADICAL THINKING.

It’s about funding brilliant, original minds to go where no brain cancer researcher has gone before.

Low-cost model

Low-cost model

The Foundation also has a LOW COST MODEL that’s setting the bar for how charities should run.

When it comes to our books, we’re an open book.

Everything we do is underpinned by our values

Everything we do is underpinned by our values

Board

We are privileged to have the expertise of our Board of Directors.

Garry Browne AM

Chair

Guy Farrow

Director

Charlie Teo AM

Founder & Director

Shaun Treacy

Director

Scientific Advisory Committee

Markus Bittl

SAC Member

Markus Bittl is head of the section of Paediatric Neurosurgery at the Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Stuttgart, Germany.

He received his medical degree from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet, Munich. After completing his residency training at the Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Augsburg, he spent two and a half years as a clinical fellow at the University of Virginia Department of Neurosurgery. There he worked with the world famous faculty in vascular, neuroendocrine and epilepsy surgery. Teaching and surgical training of young neurosurgeons became his passion.

Returning from the US he could intensify his special interest in minimally invasive and endoscopic neurosurgery while working with Prof. Nikolai Hopf in Stuttgart.

He tries to bring the view of a practicing neurosurgeon in the “real world“ to the foundation and to identify research with hopefully immediate impacts on the needs of today’s brain tumour patients.

A/Prof Raelene Endersby

SAC Member

A/Prof Raelene Endersby was awarded her PhD in 2003 from the Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and undertook postdoctoral training in the Neurobiology and Brain Tumour Program at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, U.S.

She was awarded the John Lillie Childhood Cancer Fellowship in 2011 to return to Australia to establish the Brain Tumour Research Program at the Telethon Kids Institute, which she co-leads with Dr Nick Gottardo. Her team investigates potential therapeutic targets and uses in vivo model systems to evaluate novel treatments for paediatric brain tumours prior to clinical trial. 

Dr Endersby is a passionate advocate for science and actively encourages young scientists to get involved in medical research. She has mentored high school students, undergrads, Honours, Masters and PhD students in her lab, has chaired the Telethon Kids Institute Postdoctoral Council and was on the inaugural executive committee for the Australian Academy of Science Early-Mid Career Researchers Forum.

Prof Peter Fecci

SAC Member

Peter Fecci, MD PhD, is a Professor of Neurosurgery, Pathology, and Immunology at Duke University, where he also serves as the Director for the Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis, as well as the Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program (BTIP). 

Peter earned his MD PhD at Duke in 2007, before pursuing his neurosurgical training at MGH. While in Boston, he continued his post-doctoral research training at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Peter returned to Duke in 2014 to join the neurosurgical faculty. 

He was a recipient of the Sontag Distinguished Scientist Award in 2015 and heads an R01-funded laboratory that focuses on integrating strategies for reversing cancer-induced T cell dysfunction with current immune-based platforms.  

His recent work on GBM-induced T cell exhaustion and sequestration has produced high profile publications including in Nature Medicine. Clinically, as a neurosurgeon, he focuses on intrinsic brain tumours and has built one of the country’s largest centers for Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy as a minimally invasive option for brain tumours.

Dr Charlie Teo AM

SAC Member

For over 30 years Dr Charlie Teo AM has been instrumental in the development, dissemination and acceptance of the concept of keyhole minimally invasive techniques in neurosurgery. Dr Teo ran a fellowship program that attracts over 600 applicants yearly and has trained many of the world’s leading figures in neurosurgery. He has trained at distinguished centres such as the Barrow Neurological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Stanford University, Vanderbilt University and Harvard University.

He has been published in over 120 peer reviewed journals, has authored two books on keyhole approaches to brain tumours and featured as a guest editor for several journals. He was the Australian representative on the Tumour Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and CNS.

Dr Teo strongly believes that a surgeon’s responsibility to his patients shouldn’t end after surgery. In keeping with his desire to find cures for recurrent brain tumours, he has contributed to raising $50 million that has been used to fund research scientists both in Australia and Internationally.

Dr Teo dedicates time every year to pro bono work in developing countries, for which he has been recognised with awards from Rotary International. This includes the Paul Harris Fellowship for contribution to World Health. He has been a finalist in the NSW Australian of the Year awards in 2003 and 2009.

In 2011 his contribution to the development of minimally invasive neurosurgery was recognised in the Australia Day awards where he was named as a Member of the Order of Australia. In 2012, he was invited to give the Australia Day Address to the Nation and in 2013 was honoured to be the first non-politician Australian to address the US Congress on the need for more funding for brain cancer research.

Charlie is a father to four beautiful daughters and has supported the rights of girls and young women in impoverished countries such as Cambodia and India through various charities.

Markus Bittl

SAC Member

Markus Bittl is head of the section of Paediatric Neurosurgery at the Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Stuttgart, Germany.

He received his medical degree from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet, Munich. After completing his residency training at the Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Augsburg, he spent two and a half years as a clinical fellow at the University of Virginia Department of Neurosurgery. There he worked with the world famous faculty in vascular, neuroendocrine and epilepsy surgery. Teaching and surgical training of young neurosurgeons became his passion.

Returning from the US he could intensify his special interest in minimally invasive and endoscopic neurosurgery while working with Prof. Nikolai Hopf in Stuttgart.

He tries to bring the view of a practicing neurosurgeon in the “real world“ to the foundation and to identify research with hopefully immediate impacts on the needs of today’s brain tumour patients.

A/Prof Raelene Endersby

SAC Member

A/Prof Raelene Endersby was awarded her PhD in 2003 from the Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research, undertook postdoctoral training in the Neurobiology and Brain Tumor Program at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, U.S.

She was awarded the John Lillie Childhood Cancer Fellowship in 2011 to return to Australia to establish the Brain Tumour Research Program at the Telethon Kids Institute, which she co-leads with Dr Nick Gottardo. Her team investigates potential therapeutic targets and uses in vivo model systems to evaluate novel treatments for paediatric brain tumours prior to clinical trial. 

Dr Endersby is a passionate advocate for science and actively encourages young scientists to get involved in medical research. She has mentored high school students, undergrads, Honours, Masters and PhD students in her lab, has chaired the Telethon Kids Institute Postdoctoral Council and was on the inaugural executive committee for the Australian Academy of Science Early-Mid Career Researchers Forum.

Prof Peter Fecci

SAC Member

Peter Fecci, MD PhD, is a Professor of Neurosurgery, Pathology, and Immunology at Duke University, where he also serves as the Director for the Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis, as well as the Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program (BTIP). 

Peter earned his MD PhD at Duke in 2007, before pursuing his neurosurgical training at MGH. While in Boston, he continued his post-doctoral research training at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Peter returned to Duke in 2014 to join the neurosurgical faculty. 

He was a recipient of the Sontag Distinguished Scientist Award in 2015 and heads an R01-funded laboratory that focuses on integrating strategies for reversing cancer-induced T cell dysfunction with current immune-based platforms.  

His recent work on GBM-induced T cell exhaustion and sequestration has produced high profile publications including in Nature Medicine. Clinically, as a neurosurgeon, he focuses on intrinsic brain tumours and has built one of the country’s largest centers for Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy as a minimally invasive option for brain tumours.

Dr Charlie Teo AM

SAC Member

For over 30 years Dr Charlie Teo AM has been instrumental in the development, dissemination and acceptance of the concept of keyhole minimally invasive techniques in neurosurgery. Dr Teo ran a fellowship program that attracts over 600 applicants yearly and has trained many of the world’s leading figures in neurosurgery. He has trained at distinguished centres such as the Barrow Neurological Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Duke University, Stanford University, Vanderbilt University and Harvard University.

He has been published in over 120 peer reviewed journals, has authored two books on keyhole approaches to brain tumours and featured as a guest editor for several journals. He was the Australian representative on the Tumour Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and CNS.

Dr Teo strongly believes that a surgeon’s responsibility to his patients shouldn’t end after surgery. In keeping with his desire to find cures for recurrent brain tumours, he has contributed to raising $50 million that has been used to fund research scientists both in Australia and Internationally.

Dr Teo dedicates time every year to pro bono work in developing countries, for which he has been recognised with awards from Rotary International. This includes the Paul Harris Fellowship for contribution to World Health. He has been a finalist in the NSW Australian of the Year awards in 2003 and 2009.

In 2011 his contribution to the development of minimally invasive neurosurgery was recognised in the Australia Day awards where he was named as a Member of the Order of Australia. In 2012, he was invited to give the Australia Day Address to the Nation and in 2013 was honoured to be the first non-politician Australian to address the US Congress on the need for more funding for brain cancer research.

Charlie is a father to four beautiful daughters and has supported the rights of girls and young women in impoverished countries such as Cambodia and India through various charities.

Team

Charlie Teo Foundation is committed to running a low-cost charity with a lean and dedicated team of only 3 full-time employees.

Alana Phadke

Chief Executive Officer

Mary Shipway (Bishop)

Head of Fundraising & Operations

Peter Truong

Head of Research

Caitlin Heavener

Community Fundraising Lead

We are beyond grateful for the support of our dedicated volunteers who help us all year round.

Ashraf Zaman, PhD

Researcher

Bernadette English

Administration Assistant

Christine Lazaris

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Georgia Baines

Research Assistant

Karen Richardson

Clinical Researcher

Lara Fine

Clinical Research Assistant

Dr Michael Sughrue

Scientific Research Fellow

Robin Berthelsen

Legal Counsel

Steele Bromley

Finance Consultant

Ambassadors

We are honoured to have the talent and generosity of our ambassadors.

Alex Cullen

Alex Cullen

TV Journalist & Presenter

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Amy Pejkovic

Amy Pejkovic

Athlete & Model

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Ben Fordham

Ben Fordham

Radio & TV Journalist & Presenter

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Byron Webb

Byron Webb

Radio Presenter

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Chris Bath

Chris Bath

Journalist

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Jim Wilson

Jim Wilson

Radio Presenter & Sports Journalist

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Joanna Collins

Joanna Collins

Businesswoman & Philanthropist 

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Karl Stefanovic

Karl Stefanovic

TV Presenter

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Kelly Slater

Kelly Slater

Surfer

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Leo Sayer

Leo Sayer

Singer-songwriter 

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Luke Mangan

Luke Mangan

Restaurateur and chef

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Marcella Zemanek

Marcella Zemanek

Brain Cancer Advocate

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Marcia Hines

Marcia Hines

Singer

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Maryanne Larkin

Maryanne Larkin

Cancer & Mental Health Advocate

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Michael Goldman

Michael Goldman

Actor/Presenter

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Peter Overton

Peter Overton

TV Journalist & Presenter

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Richard Wilkins

Richard Wilkins

Channel 9 Entertainment Editor 

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Steve Smith

Steve Smith

Australian Test Cricketer

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Tim Webster

Tim Webster

Broadcaster & TV Personality

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