His research interests focus on novel targeted therapies for human gliomas, including gene therapy, stem cell biology, immunotherapy, and nanotechnology. He has been overall PI or site PI of over 25 multi-institutional clinical trials for recurrent and newly diagnosed malignant gliomas involving these biological therapies and his research has been continually supported by the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, and the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy. He is the recipient of the prestigious Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. He has successfully mentored numerous scientists into independent academic positions in the US and abroad and several of his current trainees are supported by NIH awards. In recognition of his contributions to the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago, he was awarded the John D. Arnold Scientific Research Prize for sustained excellence in mentoring medical students. Dr. Lesniak maintains a busy neurosurgical practice primarily dedicated to patients with brain cancer, with a focus on primary and malignant tumors of the central nervous sytem.