| Project title | Uncovering Novel Drug Targets to Treat Primary Brain Cancer |
|---|---|
Grant Amount | $200,000 |
Institution | The Australian National University |
Investigator Team | Principal investigators Dr. Leonie Quinn, Prof. David Levens, Prof. Mark Gilbert and Prof. Ross Hannan |
Grant Type | 2017 Innovation Grant |
Years | 2018 – 2020 |
This project, led by Dr. Leonie Quinn, will uncover drug targets for oligodendroglioma, the second most common primary brain cancer in adults. While median survival for this particular type of brain cancer is around 15 years, much longer than the most common adult brain cancer – glioblastoma, which sees people survive an average of 15 months, people oligodendroglioma often suffer from severe seizures and neurological deficits after treatment and as their tumour progresses.
The project aims to identify new prognostic markers within these types of tumours, and subsequently investigate drug therapies for specific tumours based on their molecular signature. This will enable more individualised treatments, which is critical to improving survival and quality of life for patients diagnosed with the disease.
“Determining how FUBP1 and the network of co-mutated factors alter glial lineage proliferation and glioma progression will aid with predictions on tumour aggression and help clinicians rationalise treatment decisions, thus reducing morbidity and mortality in these patients.”
Dr. Leonie Quinn
Progress: First annual progress report (October 2019)
Funding from CBCF has been integral to progressing our studies. At the research level, we have achieved our first objective of developing a model to determine how FUBP1 and co-mutated genes identified in Oligodendroglioma interact to alter stem cell or microenvironment driven brain cancer progression. Through these sophisticated genetic studies, we will develop the first understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanism by which mutations in genes newly implicated in primary brain cancer drive tumour initiation and progression.