Combining blood and spinal fluid DNA with protein MRI to monitor glioma therapy
Official title: Integrating circulating tumor DNA assay and protein-based MRI to accurately monitor glioma therapy
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11364916 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Johns Hopkins-led study tests a noninvasive mix of tumor DNA in blood/CSF and a protein-based MRI to track how glioblastoma responds to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $669,307 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276221-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364916 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with glioblastoma undergoing standard CRT with temozolomide.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing CRT or without access to advanced MRI or fluid biomarker testing.
What this research studies
This project aims to use liquid biopsy (tumor DNA in blood and CSF) together with a protein-focused MRI technique to tell apart treatment effects from actual tumor growth. By combining ctDNA and CSF-tDNA measurements with amide proton transfer MRI, doctors may get real-time insights into how glioblastoma is responding to temozolomide chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The study will collect biofluid samples and imaging data from patients undergoing standard therapy, then analyze how changes in DNA fragments and MRI signals reflect tumor burden and treatment response. If successful, this approach could reduce the need for invasive tissue biopsies and help tailor treatments more quickly. The work is built on prior evidence that ctDNA/CSF-tDNA and advanced MRI can reveal tumor dynamics in glioma.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive more accurate, noninvasive monitoring of their tumor’s response to therapy, guiding timely treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show promise for both liquid biopsy and protein-based MRI in glioma, but integration of both modalities is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Shanshan — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Shanshan
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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.