Lab-grown human brain models for IDH-mutant glioma
Official title: Modeling IDH Mutant Gliomas by Genetic Engineering of Brain Organoid
Funded at Birmingham VA Medical Center · NIH-11213943 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project grows human brain tissue in the lab and introduces IDH mutations to learn how certain adult gliomas start and to find new treatment targets.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Birmingham VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006107-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11213943 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with IDH1- or IDH2-mutant low-grade glioma or secondary glioblastoma are the patient group most relevant to this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not carry IDH mutations or who have non-brain cancers are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific work.
What this research studies
If you or someone you know has an IDH-mutant glioma, this work creates tiny lab-grown human brain tissues (organoids) from stem cells and genetically edits them to carry the IDH changes seen in many low-grade gliomas and secondary glioblastomas. Researchers add other common glioma gene changes to see how tumors form and grow in a human-like environment that normal cell cultures or animal models can't fully copy. The goal is to map the molecular steps that drive these tumors and to test points where drugs might block tumor formation or progression. This is a lab-based project using human-derived cells rather than a treatment trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the model could reveal new drug targets and speed development of treatments tailored to IDH-mutant gliomas.
How similar studies have gone: Organoid and iPSC-based brain models have advanced understanding of other brain disorders, but faithfully modeling IDH-mutant glioma with engineered organoids is relatively new and still being developed.
Where this research is happening
-
Birmingham VA Medical Center
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Han, Xiaosi — Birmingham VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Han, Xiaosi
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.