3D mapping of glioblastoma genetics to trace how tumors start and change
Project 1: Spatial imaging of whole tumor genomics to understand glioblastoma formation and evolution
Using 3D imaging and genetic mapping of whole glioblastoma tumors to find the earliest tumor-driving changes for people with newly diagnosed or recurrent GBM.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11192768 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will take many samples across a removed glioblastoma and record where each piece came from to build a 3D map of your tumor. They will sequence DNA and RNA and analyze epigenetic features from those spatially mapped samples to find mutations and gene programs that are present across the whole tumor or only in parts. The team will compare 25 newly diagnosed and 25 recurrent tumors, including some matched pairs from the same patient, and provide an interactive ShinyApp so the data can be explored in its original 3D context. The goal is to learn which genetic changes appear earliest and which gene programs reflect the tumor’s cell of origin.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with glioblastoma who are undergoing surgery at the study site, including both newly diagnosed and recurrent cases and those able to provide tumor tissue for mapping.
Not a fit: People who are not having tumor surgery, have non-glioblastoma brain tumors, or cannot provide tumor tissue are unlikely to be able to participate or benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal tumor-wide genetic targets and early driver changes that help design treatments that reach most tumor cells.
How similar studies have performed: Spatial and multi-region genomic studies in several cancers have provided new insights, but comprehensive 3D whole-tumor genomic mapping in glioblastoma is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Costello, Joseph F — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Costello, Joseph F
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.