NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

UCLA Brain Cancer Research

Official title: UCLA SPORE in Brain Cancer

Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11164726 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This research at UCLA aims to find better ways to diagnose, predict, and treat brain cancer, especially by overcoming how tumors resist current therapies.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California Los Angeles
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Los Angeles, United States)
Project startAugust 11, 2017
Project endJuly 31, 2027
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$2,161,493
NIH project number5P50CA211015-09
Project IDNIH-11164726 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Patients with brain cancer, especially those experiencing treatment resistance or considering advanced therapies, may benefit from the future discoveries of this program.

Less likely to help

Patients without brain cancer would not directly benefit from this specific research.

What this research studies

Our team at UCLA is working to improve how we diagnose, predict, and treat brain cancer. We are especially focused on understanding why brain tumors sometimes stop responding to treatments and finding new ways to overcome this resistance. This involves exploring new immunotherapy approaches, understanding how cancer cells' energy use affects treatment, and developing advanced cell therapies like CAR-T cells. By combining lab discoveries with innovative patient studies, we hope to develop more effective and lasting treatments for brain cancer.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: This could lead to more effective and lasting treatments for brain cancer patients, particularly those whose tumors have become resistant to current therapies.

How similar studies have gone: This program builds upon existing knowledge in brain cancer treatment and aims to develop novel strategies to address current challenges.

Where this research is happening

  • University of California Los Angeles
    Los Angeles, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Liau, Linda M — University of California Los Angeles
  • Study coordinator: Liau, Linda M

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

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.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.