What drives aggressive childhood brainstem tumors (DIPG)
Official title: Molecular Pathogenesis of Pediatric High-Grade Glioma
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11178019 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using mouse models that carry the same H3 K27M change found in most DIPG to find biological weak points that could lead to new treatments for children with these tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2003 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $455,550 |
| NIH project number | 5P01CA096832-20 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178019 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with DIPG or other midline high-grade gliomas would be the patient group most likely to benefit or to be considered for future trials based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with unrelated cancers, low-grade brain tumors, or adult-only gliomas are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, this project uses specially engineered mice that mimic the H3 K27M mutation seen in about 80% of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) to recreate how these tumors form during brain development. The team focuses on oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), the cell type that appears most linked to these tumors, and looks at how the mutation helps certain cell states grow into cancer in specific brain regions and ages. They will test whether changing regulators of OPC cell state can block tumor growth or survival, and they will combine different mouse models that include other DIPG mutations to better match human disease. The goal is to find biological targets that could be moved toward patient therapies or future clinical trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets that lead to treatments that slow or stop DIPG growth.
How similar studies have gone: Lab-based studies using H3 K27M models have improved understanding of DIPG biology and suggested possible drug targets, but effective patient therapies from these approaches are not yet available.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baker, Suzanne J. — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Baker, Suzanne J.
Related research
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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.