Brain cancer: Translational approaches to improve outcomes for glioblastoma patients
Official title: SPORE for Translational Approaches to Brain Cancer
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11402755 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A team at Northwestern is working on better ways to treat glioblastoma, the deadliest brain cancer, with a focus on translating discoveries into real therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2018 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $2,114,370 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA221747-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402755 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients diagnosed with glioblastoma or those at risk for brain tumors may benefit from advances arising from this program and from future trials linked to these efforts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not eligible for brain tumor trials or those whose disease progresses beyond current trial options may not experience a direct benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports a collaborative program at Northwestern University that brings together researchers from different brain tumor fields to develop and test new ways to treat glioblastoma. The goal is to overcome the brain’s protective barriers and improve how treatments reach and affect the tumor, with the aim of extending patients’ lives and quality of life. The SPORE structure emphasizes translating promising lab findings into studies that can move toward clinical use, including team-based projects and shared resources. Patients may benefit from faster development of effective therapies and potential future clinical trials stemming from these efforts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could lead to more effective brain tumor therapies and longer survival for patients with glioblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous brain tumor SPORE efforts have shown that multidisciplinary collaboration can accelerate the translation of lab discoveries into clinical advances.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lesniak, Maciej S — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Lesniak, Maciej S
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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.