Recent Projects Funded

2023 Projects Funded

CDK12 links radiation response to PARPi sensitivity in glioma
Nathan Dahl

Combinatorial targeting of transcriptional processivity in DIPG
Nathan Dahl

Pilot of Cell-Free DNA Testing in a National Pediatric HGG Trial
Adam Green

Single cell CiteSeq proteomic characterization of ependymoma infiltrating immune cells
Nicholas Foreman, Andrew Donson

Developing Models and Comparative Oncology Data for Canine and Pediatric High-Grade Gliomas
Adam Green, Steven Dow

Pilot Investigation to Characterize the Response of ACP Culture Models to Hypoxia
Todd Hankinson

Chromosome 1q and 6q changes as drivers of ependymoma recurrence
Nicholas Foreman, Andrew Donson

Spatial transcriptomic analysis of childhood brain tumor medulloblastoma
Nicholas Foreman, Andrew Donson

NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: addressing MPNST tumor heterogeneity to identify novel therapy options
Nicholas Foreman

Omics “in the round”
Nicholas Foreman

Development of Chimeric Antigen Receptor expressing macrophages to target pediatric brain tumors
Siddhartha Mitra, Sujatha Venkataraman, Eric Kohler

Evaluation of frozen apheresis products for tumor cell contamination
Jean M. Mulcahy Levy, Anan Nellan, Siddhartha Mitra

Identify high affinity EFNA1 variants for immunotherapy against DIPG tumors that harbors wildtype histone H3
Sujatha Venkataraman, Siddhartha Mitra, Krishna Madhavan, Kristofer Fritz

Novel CAR-T cell therapies to circumvent the highly immunosuppressive ependymoma tumor microenvironment
Sujatha Venkataraman, Andrew Donson, Anandani Nellan, Andrea Griesinger, Nicholas Foreman

Continuing Investigation of Childhood Cancer Early Death and Its Potential Causes
Adam Green

Counterfactual Explanations of AI Predictions with Uncertainty to Improve Non-Invasive Diagnostic Accuracy of Pediatric Suprasellar Tumors
Todd Hankinson, Carsten Görg


Characterization of Cancer-associated Fibroblasts derived from Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma

Todd Hankinson

Piloting Key Correlative Studies in a National Pediatric HGG Trial
Adam Green

Spatial Transcriptomics in Pediatric High-Grade Glioma
Adam Green

Integrating single cell RNA sequencing with Visium data to identify the radiation resistance population of cells in DIPG tumors
Andrew Donson, Sujatha Venkataraman

IDH1 as a regulator of radiation resistance in Medulloblastoma
Bethany Veo, Rajeev Vibhakar

Regulation of Wnt by CDK11 in Myc medulloblastoma
Dong Wang, Rajeev Vibhakar

PARP inhibition in ATRT and Medulloblastoma
Irina Alimova, Breaunna Brunt, Rajeev Vibhakar

Single Nuclei Multiomics to identify mechanisms of oncogenesis in ATRT
Rajeev Vibhakar

Combinatorial targeting of CDK7 and antimetabolites for ATRT
Jean Mulcahy Levy

BioInformatics
Rajeev Vibhakar

Targeting an Oncogenic Driver in Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Bedside to Bench Correlative Studies
Kelly Faulk, Patricia Ernst

Translating discoveries from brain tumor genomics into new therapeutic strategies
David Solomon

Determining selinexor/radiation markers of response and combination therapy in diffuse midline glioma
DIPG DMG Research Funding Alliance Round 1 Grant Funding

Adam Green

Targeting circadian regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor invasiveness in pediatric gliomas
DIPG DMG Research Funding Alliance Round 1 Grant Funding

Erin Gibson

2022 Projects Funded

Omics “in the round”
Nicholas Foreman

Bioinformatic analysis
Nicholas Foreman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Preclinical in-vivo testing of experimental therapeutics in ependymoma
Nicholas Foreman

Development of humanized immune system PDX model for evaluating the tumor-immune interaction in pediatric brain tumors
Nicholas Foreman, Andrea Griesinger

NF1-associated plexiform neurofibromas and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors: spatial transcriptomics to determine methods disease progression and transformation
Nicholas Foreman

Identification and validation of novel targets identified from the CRISPR druggable target screening in both H3K27M and WT histone-DIPG
Sujatha Venkataraman, Adam Green, Rajeev Vibhakar

Targeting Radiation Resistance in medulloblastoma
Bethany Veo, Rajeev Vibhakar

Synthesis and testing of humanized CD99 antibody with the novel 10D1 clone sequence in DIPG
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Pre-clinical testing of novel gene-edited CAR-T cell therapy targeting pediatric tumors, DIPG, and Ewing Sarcoma
Sujatha Venkataraman

Analysis of stem cell and immune cell populations in pediatric high-grade glioma
Adam Green

Demonstrate the Impact of MMP-9 Knockdown in 3 Novel Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma (ACP) Models
Todd Hankinson

Multiplex Immunofluoresence spatial distribution in Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma (ACP)
Todd Hankinson

Mechanisms of BMI1 regulation in ATRT
Irina Alimova, Rajeev Vibhakar

Evaluation of autophagy inhibition clinical trial samples to assess biologic markers of response
Jean Mulcahy-Levy, Masanori Hayashi

 

Expanded application of zotiraciclib to pediatric brain tumors
Nathan Dahl

Development of Chimeric Antigen Receptor expressing macrophages to target pediatric brain tumors
Siddhartha Mitra, Sujatha Venkataraman, Mark Eric Kohler

Preclinical testing of the small molecule inhibitors Navitoclax, and Binimetinib using ex vivo Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma Tissue
Todd Hankinson

Combining radiation therapy with PRMT5 inhibition in diffuse midline glioma
Adam Green

CDK8 as a regulator of Myc driven Medulloblastoma
Dong Wang, Rajeev Vibhakar

Neurocognitive Function in the Pediatric Hematology, Oncology Population
Claire Fraley

Prospective Investigation of Childhood Cancer Early Death & Its Potential Causes
Adam Green

Development of a public web-based tool to refine interpretable AI tools in pediatric neuro-oncology
Todd Hankinson

Functional screening of pediatric high-grade glioma and radiation-induced glioma patient-derived models
Sujatha Venkataraman, Adam Green

Translating discoveries from brain tumor genomics into new therapeutic strategies
David A. Solomon

Identifying novel targets for MYC amplified Osteosarcoma 
Masanori Hayashi

Utilization of Single Cell Analysis Tools to Identify Targetable Phenotypes for Pediatric AML
Amanda Winters

Myeloid Cell Phenotype in the Setting of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Therapy
Hannah Lust

Inhibition of multi-functional BETs in relapsed and metastatic osteosarcoma
Pankita H. Pandya

2021 Projects Funded

RNASeq “in the round”
Nicholas Foreman

Development of humanized immune system PDX model for evaluating the tumor-immune interaction in pediatric brain tumors
Nicholas Foreman, Andrea Griesinger

Single-nuclei RNA-seq characterization of the tumor microenvironment in NF1-associated plexiform neurofibroma and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors
Nicholas Foreman

Targeting BMI1 in ATRT
Rajeev Vibhakar

Targeting H3K27M-mutant DIPG tumors with novel CAR T cell therapy
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

To investigate the biological effects of radiation and the signaling pathways that promotes radio-resistance of DIPG
Sujatha Venkataraman, Nathan Dahl, Rajeev Vibhakar

Radiation-induced transcriptional adaptation in pediatric high-grade glioma
Nathan Dahl

Understanding the oncogenic role of BMI1 in ependymoma (EPN) PFA tumors at the single-cell transcriptional level
Sujatha Venkataraman, Andrew Donson, Nicholas Foreman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Rational approach to combined targeting of two major transcriptional regulators, EZH2 and CDK9 in MYC-medulloblastoma
Rajeev Vibhakar, Krishna Madhavan

Investigate the molecular pathways regulated by the oncogenic MIC2 in driving H3K27M-DIPG tumorigenesis
Sujatha Venkataraman, Adam Green, Ilango Balakrishnan

Epigenetic Mechanisms of Aurora Kinase Inhibition as a Rational Target in H3K27M-Mutant Diffuse Midline Glioma
Adam Green

Investigation of Components of Potential DIPG and High-Grade Glioma Combination Therapy Trials
Adam Green

Development of CD44 variant 6 targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells in atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT)
Siddhartha Mitra, Anandani Nellan

 

Development of In Utero driven Mouse Models of Diffused Midline Gliomas to Study the tumor immune interactions in Pediatric Midline Gliomas
Siddhartha Mitra, Santos Franco, Adam Green

Development of Novel Therapies for Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors
Jean M. Mulcahy-Levy

Low-grade glioma immune characterization
Jean M. Mulcahy-Levy, Shadi Zahedi

Advancing Characterization of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in ACP through Phospo-kinase Analysis
Todd Hankinson

Preclinical testing of the Immunotherapeutics Nivolumab, Bevacizumab, and Adecatumumab using ex vivo Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma Tissue
Todd Hankinson

Intelligent System Design for Interpretable Deep Learning Modeling of Rare Pediatric Brain Tumors from a Multi-disciplinary Perspective
Todd Hankinson

Neurocognitive Function in the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Population
Claire Fraley

Development of humanized immune system PDX model for evaluating the tumor-immune interaction in pediatric brain tumors
Nicholas Foreman

Targeting Mechanisms of Relapse upon CAR-T Failure in MLLr Leukemia
Patricia Ernst, Terry Fry

Use of ddPCR for Residual Disease Detection (including Post-Transplant) in Pediatric AML 
Amanda Winters

Development of Novel Chimeric Antigen Receptors to Target Antigen-Low Pediatric Leukemia
Mark Eric Kohler

Biomimetic Microenvironments to Model Leptomeningeal Metastasis in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology (Year 3)
Rachael Sirianni

Translating discoveries from brain tumor genomics into new therapeutic strategies 
David A. Solomon

2020 Projects Funded

RNASeq “in the round”
Nick Foreman

Creation of a single-cell atlas of pediatric brain tumors (year 2 of 2)
Nick Foreman

Pre-Clinical modeling of drug efficacy in pediatric brain tumors
Rajeev Vibhakar

High-throughput drug screening in pediatric brain tumors for rapid clinical translation
Nicholas Foreman

Rational approach to combined targeting of two major transcriptional regulators, EZH2 and CDK9 in MYC-medulloblastoma
Rajeev Vibhakar

Investigate the molecular pathways regulated by the oncogenic MIC2 in driving H3K27M-DIPG tumorigenesis
Sujatha Venkataraman

Developing a Clinically Translatable Interpretable 3D Radiographic and Transcriptomic Joint Domain Deep Learning Framework for Limited Datasets Using Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma as an Example
Todd Hankinson

PRMT5 Inhibition in Pediatric High-Grade Glioma
Adam Green

Development of Novel Therapies for Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors
Jean M. Mulcahy Levy

Development of CAR T cells to target ependymoma and the tumor microenvironment 
Anandani Nellan, Nicholas Foreman

 

Understanding the oncogenic role of BMI1 in ependymoma (EPN) PFA tumors at the single-cell transcriptional level
Sujatha Venkataraman, Andrew Donson, Nicholas Foreman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Development of Human Immune System Mouse Models of ATRTs
Siddhartha S. Mitra

Targeting Hes5 in Embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMR)
Sujatha Venkataraman, Andrew Donson

EMT in Craniopharyngioma
Todd Hankinson

Investigation Toward a DIPG Combination Therapy Clinical Trial
Adam Green

Targeting BMI1 in AT/RT
Rajeev Vibhakar

Combinatorial Immunotherapy against High-Risk Medulloblastoma
Siddhartha S. Mitra

Tumor microenvironment (TME) Modifying Immunotherapy Combined with Tumor Neurosphere Vaccine for Pediatric High-Grade Glioma
Anandani Nellan, Adam Green, Steven Dow

Biomimetic Microenvironments to Model Leptomeningeal Metastasis in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology
Rachael Sirianni

Evaluating the Mechanism and Efficacy of Targeting the Replication Stress Pathway in Pediatric Osteosarcomas
Pankita H. Pandya

2019 Projects Funded

RNASeq “in the round”: Extension of tumor characterization to include mutational and fusion data on all new patients
Nick Foreman, Andrew Donson, Rajeev Vibhakar

Researchers will use RNA sequencing to analyze new tumors, as well as tumor samples from the last 30 years. This project will extend the analysis to identifying whether tumors result from gene mutations or fusions of existing genes. This improved characterization of tumor samples provides additional information to help determine the best treatment for each tumor.

Creation of a single-cell atlas of pediatric brain tumors
Andrew Donson, Nicholas Foreman, Todd Hankinson, Rajeev Vibhakar

High-throughput drug screening in pediatric brain tumors for rapid clinical translation
Nicholas Foreman, Katie Dorris, Andrew Donson

Pre-Clinical Modeling of drug efficacy in Pediatric Brain Tumors
Angela Pierce, Rajeev Vibhakar

High-Throughput Next Generation Sequencing and Analysis of CRISPR-Cas9 Mediated Gene Knockout Screen and Validation of Targets identified in Pediatric Brian Tumor
Sujatha Venakataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Targeting NTRK fusions in Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)
Rajeev Vibhakar, Lindsey Hoffman, Nathan Dahl

Investigation of Pediatric Treatment-Induced High-Grade Gliomas
Adam Green

Novel targeting of CD99, a cell surface protein in H3K27M-mutant DIPG
Sujatha Venkataraman, Adam Green, Siddhartha S. Mitra, Terry Fry, Rajeev Vibhakar

Using a CRISPR screen to identify genes that regulate immune surveillance by microglia and macrophages
Siddhartha S. Mitra

In vivo model targeting BMI1 in ATRT
Irina Alimova, Angela Pierce, Rajeev Vibhakar

Targeting BMI1 in neuroblastoma tumors
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

 

Understanding the oncogenic role of CDK7 and CDK12, the crucial targets identified from the shRNA screening in medulloblastoma
Bethany Veo, Rajeev Vibhakar

Analysis the Epigenome to identify novel resistance mechanisms to targeted BRAF inhibition
Jean Mulcahy Levy, Rajeev Vibhakar

Can ATR kinase inhibitors sensitize medulloblastoma tumor cells to radiation and chemotherapy treatments?
Rajeev Vibhakar

Predictive Diagnosis and Genomics of Pediatric Neurological Tumors via Convolutional Neural Networks
Todd C. Hankinson

Multiple-Biopsy of Infiltrative Glioma (M-BIG) Study
Nathan Dahl, Lindsey Hoffman, Adam Green

Development of a novel extracellular PRAME antibody to target atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor
Anandani Nellan, Andrew Donson

Establishing DIPG xenograft models and advancing therapeutic strategy in DIPG
Sujatha Venkataraman, Siddhartha S. Mitra

In vivo animal model to investigate nanoparticle-mediated brain drug delivery
Krishna Madhavan, Rajeev Vibhakar

Development of Models of Recurrent Pediatric High-Grade Glioma
Adam Green

Study looking at feasibility of isolating circulating tumor DNA from blood, cerebrospinal fluid and urine in Pediatric Solid Tumor patients
Nicholas Foreman, Masanori Hayashi

Biomimetic Microenvironments to Model Leptomeningeal Metastasis in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology
Rachael Sirianni

2018 Projects Funded

The RNASeq transition: Creation of a pediatric brain tumor RNAseq reference database (year 2 of 2)
Andrew Donson, Nick Foreman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Chipping “in the round.” Extension of tumor characterization to include mutational and fusion data on all new patients
Nick Foreman, Andrew Donson, Rajeev Vibhakar

High throughput next-gen sequencing and analysis of CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene knockout system
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Pre-clinical modeling of drug efficacy in pediatric brain tumors
Angela Pierce, Rajeev Vibhakar

 

High-throughput drug screening in pediatric brain tumors for rapid clinical translation
Andrew Donson, Nick Foreman, Katie Dorris

Disease progression model for H3K27M-mutant DIPG: Determining downstream effects of effective treatment
Sujatha Venkataraman, Adam Green

The oncogenic role of the SEC in H3K27M-mutant DIPG
Nathan Dahl, Rajeev Vibhakar

Use of pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to model DIPG cell formation and radio-resistance
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

2017 Projects Funded

Chipping “in the round.” Extension of tumor characterization to include mutational and fusion data on all new patients
Nick Foreman, Andrew Donson, Rajeev Vibhakar

The RNASeq Transition: Creation of a pediatric brain tumor RNAseq reference database (year 2 of 2)
Andrew Donson, Nick Foreman, Rajeev Vibhakar

In vivo animal model to investigate nanoparticle-mediated brain drug delivery (year 3 of 3)
Rajeev Vibhakar, Krishna Madhavan

Pre-Clinical modeling of drug efficacy in pediatric brain tumors
Angela Pierce, Rajeev Vibhakar

High-throughput drug screening in pediatric brain tumors for rapid clinical translation
Nick Foreman, Andrew Donson, Katie Dorris

Disease progression model for H3K27M-mutant DIPG: Determining Downstream Effects for Effective Treatment
Adam Green, Sujatha Venkataraman

The oncogenic role of the SEC in H3K27M-mutant DIPG
Nathan Dahl, Rajeev Vibhakar

 

High throughput NexGen Sequencing and Analysis of CRISPR-Cas9 Mediated Gene Knockout System
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Analysis of paired BRAF v600e mutant glioma patient samples to identify novel resistance mechanisms to targeted BRAF inhibition
Jean Mulcahy-Levy, Theodore Nicolaides

Use of human-induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSCs) to model DIPG tumorigenesis and radio-resistance
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Oncogenesis caused by loss of SMARCB1 tumor suppressor is dependent on the activity of SIRT2
Rajeev Vibhakar

To establish a new genome-editing technology called CRISPR-Cas9 as a means to generate pediatric brain tumor models carrying deletion or insertion of genes in a highly efficient manner
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

2016 Projects Funded

Chipping “in the round.” Extension of tumor characterization to include mutational and epigenetic profiling as well as mRNA expression (classical “chipping”)
Nick Foreman, Andrew Donson, Rajeev Vibhakar

The RNASeq Transition: Creation of a pediatric brain tumor RNAseq reference database (year 1 of 2)
Andrew Donson, Nick Foreman, Rajeev Vibhakar

In vivo animal model to investigate nanoparticle-mediated brain drug delivery (year 2 of 3)
Rajeev Vibhakar, Krishna Madhavan

To Establish a new genome-editing technology called CRISPR-Cas9 as a means to generate pediatric brain tumor models carrying deletion or insertion of genes in a highly efficient manner
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar


Developing CAR T-Cell therapy for Pediatric Brain Tumors
Nicholas Foreman, Anadani Nellan

Cancer Stem Cell Influences in the setting of BRAF Mutations
Jean Mulcahy-Levy

Pre-Clinical Trial of Anti-Inflammatory Monoclonal Antibodies in a Mouse Model of Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma
Todd Hankinson, JP Barbera

Transcriptome Analysis of Recurrent Pediatric High Grade Gliomas
Adam Green

To investigate whether PTC-209, a small-molecule inhibitor of BMI-1, can potentiate DIPG cell killing by radiation: in-vitro and in-vivo study
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

2015 Projects Funded

Chipping “in the round.” Extension of tumor characterization to include mutational and epigenetic profiling as well as mRNA expression (classical “chipping”), RNAseq, and whole genome DNA sequencing
Nick Foreman, Andrew Donson, Rajeev Vibhakar

Genetic and single cell profiling of high-risk pediatric leukemia
C. Porter

Proving novel agents predicted by biology to be effective would be predicted be so when tested against tumor cells in FDA approved medication panels.
Nick Foreman, Andrew Donson, Rajeev Vibhakar

Investigating BMI1 as a therapeutic Target in DIPG
Rajeev Vibhakar, Sujatha Venkataraman

Targeting Acquired Drug Resistance with Autophagy Inhibition
Jean Mulcahy-Levy

Targeting MTOR in Diffuse Pontine Glioma
Adam Green, Rajeev Vibhakar

Verification of Therapeutic Targets and Assessment of Tumor Heterogeneity using Microdissection and Next Generataion Sequencing in Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma
Todd Hankinson

 

Role of the WDR5-MLL2 complex in MYC Driven Medulloblastoma
Sujatha Venkataraman, Rajeev Vibhakar

Developing a mouse model of EZH2 overexpression
Ismail Sola, Rajeev Vibhakar

Developing nano-particles for brain tumor therapy
Krishna Madhavan, Rajeev Vibhakar

Genomic Studies and Drug Susceptibility of Radiation-Induced Glioblastoma
Adam Green, Rajeev Vibhakar, Andrew Donson, Nick Foreman

The Role of BRAF mutations in clinical outcomes in pediatric low grade spinal cord tumors
Jean Mulcahy-Levy

Pilot study of IL-6 mediated inflammation in the cystic compnent of Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma
Andrew Donson, Todd Hankinson

1st International Symposium on Pediatric Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngioma
Todd Hankinson