Year 5

The goal of our studies is to elucidate the role of neural stem cells in development, regeneration, and tumor formation in the cerebellum. By understanding the role of stem cells, we hope to learn to use them for repair of neurological damage and to develop more effective treatments for patients with brain tumors.
We have made significant progress towards our goals in the past year. Using animal models developed in our lab, including those that propagate patient-derived primary tumors, we have uncovered new mechanisms and pathways that drive the growth and metastasis of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children. In addition, we have identified molecular pathways that are de-regulated in choroid plexus carcinoma, a rare brain tumor with a poor prognosis that occurs most frequently in children. In the coming year, we will continue in our efforts to understand these aggressive cancers and develop new, more effective therapies for children who suffer from them.