Targeting the causes of childhood medulloblastoma
Official title: Identifying and Targeting the Drivers of Pediatric Brain Tumors
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11370263 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using animal models and children's tumor samples to find what drives deadly medulloblastoma and try ways to block it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $573,972 |
| NIH project number | 5R35NS122339-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370263 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children with medulloblastoma (or their families) who can provide tumor tissue or clinical data to support research, typically through a participating center.
✕Less likely to help
Children with other types of brain tumors, adult patients, and those unwilling or unable to provide tumor samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this grant's experiments.
What this research studies
This research uses lab-grown animal models and primary tumor samples from children to find the cells and molecules that start and sustain medulloblastoma. The team will build models for the most aggressive tumor types, study how the cancer spreads to the brain and spine coverings, and search for strategies to stop that spread. They will test promising drug leads directly on patient tumor tissue to find treatments that might work better and cause fewer long-term side effects. The project also looks at how the immune system interacts with these tumors to identify new therapy approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to safer, more effective treatments and better ways to prevent or treat metastatic disease in children with medulloblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous lab and animal-model work has identified some genetic drivers and potential drug targets, but converting those findings into safer, effective treatments for children remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wechsler-Reya, Robert J. — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Wechsler-Reya, Robert J.
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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.