Top 5 Research Stories of 2019
In 2019, the UCSF Brain Tumor Center researchers focused on therapeutic targets for glioblastoma, immunotherapies, precision medicine clinical trials and more. Here are our top five research stories of the year:
Researchers identify a new therapeutic target for glioblastoma
Led by UCSF neuropathologist David Solomon, MD, PhD, researchers have discovered that STAG2 – a gene commonly mutated in several human cancers – plays an essential role in DNA replication, revealing potential mechanisms for therapeutically targeting glioblastoma and other cancers.
UCSF researchers awarded competitive grant for immunotherapy studies
UCSF researchers Joseph Costello, PhD, Hideho Okada, MD, PhD, and Aaron Diaz, PhD were awarded Brain Tumor Funders' Collaborative (BTFC) grants for their innovative work on personalized treatment vaccines and T-cell receptor therapies.
UCSF researchers develop immunotherapies for pediatric brain tumors
UCSF researchers Aaron Diaz, PhD, Noriyuki Kasahara, MD, PhD, and Sabine Mueller, MD, PhD received a Translational Team Science Award from the U.S. Department of Defense to support their work combining multiple immunotherapies to treat pediatric brain tumors.
New precision medicine trials offer individualized therapy based on tumor genetics
The UCSF Brain Tumor Center is currently leading multiple clinical trials to investigate a new personalized medicine strategy for both adult and pediatric patients. Identification of an individual's tumor mutations may help guide treatment, as certain medications or targeted therapies are more effective for tumors of a specific genetic profile.
Advances in the classification and known causes of brain tumors
Published in Nature Reviews Neurology, Annette Molinaro, PhD and colleagues provide a sweeping overview of the many advances that led to the reorganization of the World Health Organization classification of adult diffuse gliomas and to our knowledge of their causes.
Follow us on Facebook (@ucsfneurosurgery) to keep up with the latest news from the UCSF Brain Tumor Center.