Improving brain function for children treated with radiation for brain tumors
Official title: Image-guided combination therapies for radiotherapy-induced neurocognitive impairment in pediatric brain tumor survivors
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11112415 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to find new ways to protect and repair the brain from damage caused by radiation therapy in children who had brain tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | July 12, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $554,154 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA262887-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11112415 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is relevant for pediatric brain tumor survivors who have received radiation therapy and are experiencing or are at risk for neurocognitive decline.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not received radiation therapy for a pediatric brain tumor or who do not have related neurocognitive impairment may not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on helping children who have had brain tumors and received radiation therapy, as many experience brain damage and thinking problems later on. We are exploring new ways to deliver protective medicines and stem cells directly to the brain using advanced imaging techniques. The goal is to reduce inflammation and stress in the brain, which are key causes of this damage, and to help transplanted cells survive better. This approach uses tiny particles and special MRI scans to guide treatments and see how the brain responds.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that prevent or reduce long-term brain damage and improve thinking abilities for childhood brain tumor survivors.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific combination of image-guided nanotechnology and stem cell therapy for this condition is novel, individual components like neuroprotective strategies and regenerative stem cell approaches are being explored in other contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ngen, Ethel Joso — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Ngen, Ethel Joso
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Advanced brain imaging after proton therapy in kids with brain tumors
This project looks at how advanced 7T MRI imaging can show long-term blood vessel and brain changes in children who have had proton radiotherapy for brain tumors.
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Proton versus X‑ray radiation: effects on thinking, symptoms, and daily function in children with brain tumors
This project looks at how proton beam and conventional X‑ray radiation affect symptoms, thinking skills, and everyday functioning in children treated for brain tumors.
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Proton vs. x-ray brain radiation: effects on thinking, symptoms, and daily life in children with brain tumors
This project compares proton and traditional x‑ray brain radiation in children with brain tumors to find which approach better protects thinking skills, lowers symptom burden, and supports everyday functioning.
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Proton versus x‑ray radiation: thinking, symptoms, and daily function after childhood brain tumor treatment
This project compares whether proton radiation or standard x‑ray radiation leads to fewer symptoms, better thinking skills, and easier daily life for children treated for brain tumors.
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Pediatric brain tumor treatment with ultra-fast radiation therapy
A new approach uses ultra-high dose-rate radiation (FLASH) to treat childhood brain tumors in mouse models, aiming to reduce normal brain damage while keeping tumor control.
-
Proton versus x‑ray brain radiation: effects on thinking, symptoms, and daily life in children
Compares proton beam and conventional x‑ray brain radiation in children with brain tumors to find which approach leads to fewer side effects, better thinking skills, and improved daily functioning.
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.