Electrical 'tractor beams' to gather diffuse brain tumors
Tumor 'tractor beam' for diffuse cancers
This project tries to use gentle electrical fields to steer scattered brain tumor cells into one place so they can be treated more effectively.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170551 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers aim to guide diffuse brain tumor cells using electrical signals (electrotaxis) so the cells consolidate into one or a few locations or move to less critical tissue. They will study the molecular signals that let tumor cells respond to these electrical cues using gene expression analysis and drugs that block specific pathways. The team will test different electrode placements and configurations in living models to see how well they can steer infiltrative tumor cells in the cortex and the pons. The work focuses on diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) as a model of a hard-to-treat, infiltrative brain cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with diffuse, infiltrative brain tumors such as DIPG or similar tumors that are not easily removed by surgery.
Not a fit: Patients with well-circumscribed tumors that are already treatable by standard surgery or whose tumors are in locations where electrodes cannot be safely placed may not benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make diffuse brain tumors easier to target with surgery or other therapies and may reduce harm to critical brain areas.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory and animal work has shown cells can move in response to electrical fields, but applying this to human brain tumors is novel and not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mokarram-Dorri, Nassir — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Mokarram-Dorri, Nassir
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.