Anders Persson, PhD

Dr. Persson’s research focuses on understanding how relevant oncogenic events can transform neural stem cells (NSCs) and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) to generate distinct types of childhood and adult gliomas. 

In human gliomas, aggressive therapy leaves behind subpopulations of tumor cells displaying properties of NSCs or OPCs, suggesting a lineage-relationship between the cell of origin and therapy-resistant tumor cells. Recent publications confirm this relationship in genetically-engineered murine models (GEMM) of glioma. Other findings suggest that radiotherapy and changes in the tumor microenvironment can drive stemness and a proneural-mesenchymal transition in murine and human tumors. 

Major goals of the Persson Laboratory include the following:

• Develop GEMM of glioma using relevant oncogenic events to identify the initial steps that transform NSCs and OPCs in a temporal and regional fashion. 
• Identify drugable targets that drive stemness in glioma. 
• Study whether interstitial fluid pressure (IFP), mechanosensing, and lipid rafts regulate tumor growth and relapse in glioma

Persson Lab Website >