Research Funded

Decoding Glioblastoma treatment escape mechanisms: integrative single-cell and single-molecule approaches. Their research shows that DNA damage leaves non-genetic changes in cancer cells’ blueprints, such as DNA methylation and changes in gene expression. They believe these non-genetic changes help cancer cells behave more aggressively and resist treatment. By understanding how these alterations occur, they aim to develop therapies that prevent cancer cells from adapting to treatment.

Address a major unmet medical need in triple negative breast cancer that metastasizes to the brain. This work will provide insight to how to flip the switch for glioblastoma patients from a tumor microenvironment that is highly immunosuppressed, to one that will allow the patients immune system to attack and kill the glioblastoma tumor.

Exploring the interface between anti-viral approaches and the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment and has developed multiple shots on goal to achieve new treatments to glioblastoma patients who deserve better options.

Studying the effects of a newly developed intervention, FearLess in Neuro-Oncology, aimed at reducing fear of recurrence or progression in patients with brain tumors and their caregivers.

Supporting caregivers of people with brain tumors by providing resources and adapting the broad PATH© (Preparedness Assessment for the Transition Home) tool specifically for caring for patients with high-grade brain tumors.

The Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative (BTFC) announced a request for proposals for two-year, $500,000 research grants for multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary research projects focusing on liquid biopsy for primary brain tumors. These grants are intended to fund practice-changing research with the hope of advancing the technology to make liquid biopsy a viable option for brain tumor patient care.

Translational grant seeking a better understanding of cellular responses to extensive clinical treatments with the ultimate goal of developing new cures for children with high grade gliomas.

Experimental validation of AI/ML-identified therapeutic targets in glioblastoma.

Year 2 of the development of therapeutic miR-10b gene editing. MiR-10b is highly abundant in adult gliomas and appears to be essential for the viability of glioma cells. This study is anticipated to present a common therapeutic strategy for GBM and other gliomas.

A multicenter study to assess the feasibility of Gleolan (ALA / Aminolevulinic Acid HCI) in pediatric brain tumor patients after delayed administration. In conjunction with UPMC, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Advocate Midwest Children’s Brain Tumor Center and additional study sites in future.

Cohort II of Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS) Training Program: Formal mentored research program for 2 years for neurosurgery residents. Goal is to improve human health by providing participants with the skills, mentorship, education and experience needed.

Year 2 of postdoctoral fellowship focused on targeting bromodomain containing two protein to inhibit mesenchymal transition in recurrent glioblastoma.

Investigation of anti-angiogenic treatment resistance in glioblastoma.

Targeting of glioblastoma stem cells by miRNA.

Computer modeling of tumor treating fields.

Test blocking of the CD47/SIRPa pathway during radiation.

Creation of a peptide vaccine targeting multiple cytomegalovirus antigens in malignant brain tumors.



Testing two clinical drugs to determine if they promote GBM cell death in preclinical GBM models.

Glioblastoma biobank project, which Includes a survey portal for GBM patients to collect medical history and demographics, while also including blood and serum collection for genetic analysis.

Postdoctoral fellowship focused on targeting bromodomain containing two protein to inhibit mesenchymal transition in recurrent glioblastoma.

Clinical study to test the safety and feasibility of implanting a microdevice into GBM patients’ tumors to deliver microdoses of up to 20 different drugs into different areas in the tumor. The tumor and device would then be removed to assess the tumor biomarkers and response to the drugs.

Targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts in irradiated pediatric brain tumors.


Development of therapeutic miR-10b gene editing. MiR-10b is highly abundant in adult gliomas and appears to be essential for the viability of glioma cells. This study is anticipated to present a common therapeutic strategy for GBM and other gliomas.

Launched Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS) Training Program: Formal mentored research program for 2 years for neurosurgery residents. Goal is to improve human health by providing participants with the skills, mentorship, education and experience needed.

Phase 0/1 clinical trial of sonodynamic therapy for patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme and recurrent high-grade gliomas. This novel drug-device combination has the potential to become a new treatment modality for patients with brain cancer.

Assess how individual cells evolve and adapt over time and in response to therapy. Gene expression profiling at this level will aid in the identification of particular therapeutic sensitivities that may be present and otherwise unseen based on traditional sequencing methods.

Support NBTS’ launch of the targeting DNA damage response in glioma (TDG) consortium. This is a collaboration of world-class researchers advancing an emerging and promising, but underdeveloped, area of cancer research.

Discovery grant investigating the role of CD97/ADGRE5 receptor in glioblastoma invasion and its mechanism of action in the brain.

Discovery grant focused on in vivo gene screening and transcriptome editing with retroviral-delivered CRISPR-Cas for the treatment of glioblastoma.

Developing a patient-derived b-cell-based vaccine, a novel therapeutic agent for glioblastomas.

Trial evaluated the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of delivering a therapeutic vaccine to patients made up of their own dendritic cells (isolated from blood samples), loaded with individualized multiple neoantigens made from synthetic peptides created in the laboratory and based on the specific alterations found in a patient’s tumor tissue.