Identifying Biomarkers for BRAFV600E Inhibitors to Enhance Therapeutic Responses in Pediatric Gliomas

Background

Pediatric brain tumors are the leading cause of childhood cancer death, with gliomas being the most common diagnoses. The drugs that are currently used to treat this target BRAFV600E mutation, found in a subset of glioma cancers and causes aberrant cell signaling. Previous studies, however, have shown that monotherapy against the BRAF600E mutation leads to feedback activation of other cellular pathways known the increase tumor proliferation, and ultimately build resistance against BRAFV600E targeted treatment.

Project Goal

Keerthana will work to identify biomarkers for BRAFV600E monotherapy. Further, she hopes to identify specific mechanisms underlying feedback pathways, which can potentially be targeted in combination with BRAFV600E monotherapy to improve survival rates and decrease pediatric glioma tumor growth.