How immune myeloid cells affect aggressive childhood brain tumors
Official title: The role of Myeloid cells in pediatric-high grade gliomas
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11357817 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether immune cells called macrophages and neutrophils inside and around aggressive childhood brain tumors are linked to tumor behavior and survival in children with high-grade gliomas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $594,958 |
| NIH project number | 7R01CA258636-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11357817 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and young adults with pediatric high-grade gliomas—particularly brainstem/midline (DMG/DIPG) or hemispheric tumors—who can provide tumor tissue and clinical data are the best fit for involvement in this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without pediatric high-grade gliomas or those who cannot provide tumor samples or clinical records are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project in the near term.
What this research studies
This project studies tumor tissue from children with high-grade gliomas and uses gene-expression testing (NanoString) and mouse models to see which myeloid immune cells are present. The team compares brainstem/midline tumors (like DIPG/DMG) with hemispheric tumors to look for different inflammatory and neutrophil signals. They stain for macrophage markers such as IBA1 and relate immune patterns to how long patients survive. The goal is to find immune features that could point to new treatment approaches or better ways to predict prognosis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify immune cell targets or biomarkers that help guide new treatments or predict outcomes for children with high-grade brain tumors.
How similar studies have gone: Related work on tumor-associated macrophages has informed adult high-grade glioma research, but applying immune profiling and targeting approaches specifically to pediatric high-grade gliomas is relatively new and not yet proven to improve outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hambardzumyan, Dolores — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Hambardzumyan, Dolores
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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.