How glioblastoma changes across the tumor and over time during treatment

Dissecting spatiotemporal heterogeneity of glioblastoma evolution under therapy

NIH-funded research Translational Genomics Research Inst · NIH-11457140

This work maps how glioblastoma tumors shift their cell types and interactions during and after treatment to find weaknesses that could help people with recurrent GBM.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionTranslational Genomics Research Inst NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Phoenix, United States)
Project IDNIH-11457140 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From my perspective as a patient, the team will study tumor tissue taken at first surgery and again if the tumor comes back to see how cancer cells and nearby brain cells change over time and across different tumor areas. They will use detailed molecular tools like single-nucleus RNA sequencing and proteogenomics to make cell-by-cell and protein-level maps of the tumor ecosystem. The researchers are especially looking at a neuronal-like state of tumor cells and how connections with normal neurons may help tumors invade and resist therapy. By comparing matched primary and recurrent samples, they hope to spot genetic and non-genetic changes that open up new treatment possibilities.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with IDH wild-type glioblastoma who have tumor tissue available from initial surgery and from a later recurrence or consent to provide samples during care at participating centers.

Not a fit: People without glioblastoma, those with tumors that are not IDH wild-type, or patients seeking an immediate therapeutic benefit are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new molecular targets or strategies to better treat or prevent recurrent glioblastoma.

How similar studies have performed: Prior studies in cancer neuroscience have shown that neuron–glioma interactions matter for tumor growth, but translating those findings into patient treatments is still early and largely experimental.

Where this research is happening

Phoenix, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Breast Cancer
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.