The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Office of Research Administration733 North BroadwayBRB, Suite 117

Baltimore, MD 21205

United States

Targeting anti-apoptotic proteins in medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma

Mentor: Dr. Eric H Raabe

Identifying a Therapeutic Partner for TAK228 for Pediatric Phase II Brain Tumor Studies

Brain Tumors, Medulloblastoma

Co-investigators: Dr. Kristine Glunde, Dr. Barbara Slusher and Dr. Charles Eberhart

Novel Approaches for Epigenetic Therapy for Relapsed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

Background

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of childhood leukemia and the leading cause of death in children with cancer. While therapy is often curative, ~15% of children will relapse with recurrent disease and abysmal outcomes. Why some children develop resistant disease remains unclear.

Epigenetic Therapy for Spinal Ependymoma

Ependymoma

Background

Pilot Studies of Radiation and TORC Kinase Inhibition in DIPG

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)

Background

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma is the pediatric brain tumor with the worst prognosis, and new therapies are desperately needed. Activation of a protein known as mTOR has been identified in DIPG. It has been discovered that a drug called TAK228 inhibits mTOR in DIPG, resulting in the death of tumor cells, and it works together with radiation to do this in the dish.

Augmenting Immunotherapy for Sarcomas

Solid and Bone Cancers

Background

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS), a rare collection of cancers originating from connective tissues, have proven difficult with immune-based therapies. Although anti PD1 antibodies, and other new immune therapies, have been successful in treating some cancers like lung cancer and melanoma, these drugs have yielded poor results for STS patients in clinical trials. The outcomes are likely due to the minimal immune activation at baseline against the tumors, and the sarcomas have fewer DNA mutations, therefore, they have fewer potential immune targets.

Testing mTOR Inhibition in NF1-driven Low Grade Glioma

Glioma

Background

Unfolding the Paths of MicroRNA Suppression in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

Background

Recent studies have shown that the global suppression of microRNAs (miRs), tiny genes that regulate the expression of other genes, is a hallmark of cancer.

Targeting Glutamine Metabolism in MYC Driven Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors

Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT)

Modeling Pediatric Spinal Gliomas Using Murine Spinal Neural Stem Cells

Spinal Cord Tumors, Spinal Cord Tumor - Astrocytoma, Spinal Cord Tumor - Ependymoma

Background

It has been difficult to model pediatric spinal cord gliomas, which include tumors known as ependymoma and astrocytoma, by culturing the cells from patient surgeries in plastic dishes or growing them in mice. This lack of good models has in turn hindered our ability to understand which genetic changes are the key "drivers" of tumor formation and growth and how we might most effectively target these tumors with new therapies.

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer