Targeting different functional types of glioblastoma

Evolution and targeting of the functional states of glioblastoma

NIH-funded research University of Miami School of Medicine · NIH-11125863

This project will try to match treatments to different functional types of glioblastoma in adults to find weak spots that drugs can target.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Coral Gables, United States)
Project IDNIH-11125863 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

I have glioblastoma and the researchers are sorting tumors into four functional types using single-cell gene activity. They analyze tumor tissue and large patient data sets to see which tumors are mitochondrial, glycolytic-plurimetabolic, neuronal, or proliferative-progenitor. In the lab they test whether certain subtypes are vulnerable to specific metabolic or other targeted drugs. The goal is to connect each functional type with treatments that could be tested in future clinical trials.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21+) diagnosed with glioblastoma who can provide tumor tissue for molecular analysis, including newly diagnosed or recurrent cases, are the ideal candidates for related efforts.

Not a fit: Children, people with non-glioblastoma brain tumors, or patients who cannot provide tumor tissue or whose tumors do not match the defined functional subtypes may not benefit from this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors choose treatments matched to a patient’s tumor type, improving outcomes for some people with glioblastoma.

How similar studies have performed: Similar single-cell and molecular subtyping approaches have shown promise in identifying tumor vulnerabilities, but using them to guide GBM treatment remains mainly preliminary and not yet widely proven.

Where this research is happening

Coral Gables, 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.
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.