Gene-control complex problems behind Group 4 medulloblastoma
Official title: Dysregulation of the Core Binding Factor Complex Inhibits Differentiation and Drives Group 4 Medulloblastoma
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11182673 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how problems with the Core Binding Factor, a gene-controlling complex, keep developing brain cells immature and lead to Group 4 medulloblastoma in children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | April 4, 2011 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $706,017 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA159859-15 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182673 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with newly diagnosed or recurrent Group 4 medulloblastoma, or families willing to donate tumor tissue and clinical data for research, would be ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other medulloblastoma subgroups or unrelated neurological conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers have identified a likely cell of origin for Group 4 medulloblastoma in bipotential progenitor cells of the developing cerebellum and are examining how the Core Binding Factor (CBF) complex controls their fate. They combine genetic and epigenetic laboratory methods, including chromatin accessibility profiling (ATAC-seq), model systems that mimic tumor development, and analysis of tumor tissue to see how mutations in CBF members block normal differentiation. The team aims to map the molecular steps by which CBF dysregulation drives tumor formation and to find molecular targets that could force tumor cells to mature instead of grow. This work is carried out at Columbia University and links developmental biology with tumor genomics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal targets that help turn tumor cells into mature brain cells and lead to less toxic, more focused treatments for Group 4 medulloblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Approaches that promote cancer cell differentiation have shown promise in other cancers, but targeting the Core Binding Factor pathway in Group 4 medulloblastoma is largely a novel strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wechsler-Reya, Robert J. — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Wechsler-Reya, Robert J.
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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.