Understanding how tumors interact with nerve cells in the brain
Official title: Project 1: Deciphering the Dynamic Evolution of the Tumor-Neural Interface
Funded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology · NIH-10930067 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how glioblastoma tumors interact with brain cells to understand how they grow and resist treatment, which could help improve therapies for patients like you.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $407,357 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA283114-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10930067 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with glioblastoma or related brain tumors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-brain tumors or those not diagnosed with glioblastoma may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the complex interactions between glioblastoma tumors and nerve cells in the brain. By using advanced imaging and computational modeling techniques, the team aims to map tumor dynamics and identify key pathways that contribute to tumor growth and resistance to treatment. Patients may benefit from insights gained about how tumors invade brain tissue and how to better target therapies. The research will also explore the formation of connections between tumor cells and normal brain cells, which may influence tumor behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment strategies for glioblastoma, potentially enhancing patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in understanding tumor-neuron interactions, but this approach aims to provide novel insights into glioblastoma specifically.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Agar, Nathalie Yr — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Agar, Nathalie Yr
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
PhysioNet: A trusted, open data repository for clinical and physiological data
A publicly accessible platform provides curated clinical and physiological data and tools to help researchers develop and test AI models for better healthcare.
-
Dormancy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: How Liver and Skin Metastases Go Quiet or Reactivate
Researchers will study how dormant cancer cells in liver and skin metastases of triple-negative breast cancer become quiescent or wake up, using organ-on-chip models and single-cell analysis to map chromatin states.
-
Single-cell, label-free mapping of senescence in tissues with Raman imaging and spatial genomics
A project to map how senescent cells differ across tissues using a noninvasive Raman imaging method combined with spatial genomics.
-
Structures and dynamics of virus ion channels
This project studies the tiny channels in certain influenza and coronavirus viruses to understand how they let ions pass through and contribute to disease.
-
Prospect: Stem Cell Models for Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer Prevention
Researchers at MIT are using stem cell models to understand why colorectal cancer is rising in people under 50 and how to prevent it.
-
MATCHMAKERS: AI tools to predict TCR binding and design
Researchers are building AI tools to predict how T cell receptors recognize tumor antigens, with aims to help improve targeted immunotherapies.
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.