Using thyroid hormone to make medulloblastoma cells mature and stop growing
Official title: Thyroid Hormone Inhibits Medulloblastoma Growth by Inducing Tumor Cell Differentiation
Funded at Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr · NIH-11324247 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at whether thyroid hormone can make medulloblastoma cells mature and slow tumor growth in children with this type of brain cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $423,523 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA290043-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324247 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This work is aimed at children with medulloblastoma, especially those with tumors that continue to grow despite standard treatments.
✕Less likely to help
People with other types of brain tumors or cancers, or adults with unrelated conditions, would not be expected to directly benefit from this specific work.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how thyroid hormone drives tumor cells to become more like normal brain cells by testing its effects in lab-grown medulloblastoma cells and in animal models, and by analyzing tumor samples. They will track a key protein called NeuroD1 and other signals that show cells are maturing and losing their ability to divide. The team will also examine how differentiated tumor cells influence nearby cancer cells and tumor growth. Finally, they will explore ways to use thyroid-hormone signaling as a potential treatment approach that could be developed for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to gentler treatments that shrink tumors by forcing cancer cells to mature, potentially reducing the need for harsh surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy and their long-term side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Early lab and animal experiments, including the research team's preliminary data, suggest thyroid hormone can induce differentiation and slow medulloblastoma growth, but benefits in people remain unproven.
Where this research is happening
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Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Zeng-Jie — Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Yang, Zeng-Jie
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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.