How glioblastoma tumors differ inside the brain and respond to drugs
Official title: Systems biology of intratumoral heterogeneity in glioblastoma
Funded at Institute for Systems Biology · NIH-11252800 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Mapping how glioblastoma tumor cells differ and change under treatment to find drugs that can kill the treatment-resistant cells in people with glioblastoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Institute for Systems Biology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $735,737 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA259469-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11252800 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with glioblastoma, especially those undergoing surgery or with recurrent tumors who can donate tumor tissue for research, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without glioblastoma, or those who cannot provide tumor samples or access collaborating centers, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
You would have a tumor sample studied to map how different tumor cells behave and change under treatment. Researchers grow patient-derived glioma stem-like cells, use genetic CRISPR screens and systems-biology analyses to find the pathways that let some cells resist therapy. They test FDA-approved drugs and other compounds on these cells to find repurposed drugs that kill resistant cells and could extend survival. The team in Seattle works with surgical centers to collect samples, and their findings could inform future clinical trials aimed at preventing recurrence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could identify repurposed drugs or new molecular targets that better kill treatment-resistant glioblastoma cells and reduce recurrence.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory and preclinical work has shown some repurposed drugs can kill patient-derived glioma stem cells and slow tumor growth in models, but strong clinical evidence in patients is still lacking.
Where this research is happening
-
Institute for Systems Biology
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baliga, Nitin S — Institute for Systems Biology
- Study coordinator: Baliga, Nitin 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.