Brain tumor treatment and biomarker program
Official title: Brain Tumor SPORE Grant
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11178403 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program is creating blood tests, imaging markers, and a new immunotherapy to help people with glioma (a type of brain tumor).
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2002 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,423,837 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA097257-23 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178403 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with glioma (including glioblastoma) who can provide blood samples and attend imaging and clinic visits at UCSF or affiliated sites are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People with non-glioma brain conditions, those unable to undergo blood draws or imaging, or those who cannot travel to UCSF locations are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team will use many blood samples to build DNA methylation blood tests that aim to predict prognosis and help sort patients into groups for treatment. They will search for metabolic signals that can be used with noninvasive imaging to track tumor size and treatment response. Investigators are also developing an immunotherapy strategy to try to overcome immune suppression common in gliomas. The work combines clinical samples, advanced lab analyses, and human clinical endpoints at UCSF.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce easier blood tests to guide care, better imaging methods to monitor tumors, and immunotherapy options that work more effectively for glioma patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown promising signals for blood-based methylation markers and for some immunotherapy approaches in brain tumors, but durable clinical success remains limited and parts of this program are novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Berger, Mitchel S. — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Berger, Mitchel 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.