Our vision is: To find the cause of and a cure for brain tumours while improving the quality of life for those affected. Research is the key to achieving our vision.
Nehalkumar Thakor, PhD at the University of LethbridgePartially supported by Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada
Project Title: “To Assess Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 5B as a Therapeutic Target in Glioblastoma”
Description of Project:
Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the deadliest cancers with a dismal prognosis and survival rate. Frontline therapeutic agents are failing in the clinic and there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic intervention strategies for the treatment of patients with GBM tumors. Under the stress conditions found within tumors, the normal (canonical) process in cells of translating genetic messages (mRNA) into protein is reduced to conserve cellular energy. At the same time, the cells begin the non-canonical process of translating a subset of mRNAs to different proteins so that the cell can cope with the stress condition. This non-canonical process contributes to the resistance of cancer cells against therapeutic agents. Proteins in cells known as eIFs have been shown to regulate the early steps of non-canonical translation of mRNA to protein. We have identified a protein, eIF5B, that facilitates the translation of anti-death proteins and allows GBM cells to survive during high-stress conditions that would normally cause cell death. We propose to define the role of eIF5B in GBM cell survival, proliferation, and non-canonical translation using brain tumor-initiating cells from patients. These experiments will validate eIF5B as a therapeutic target for GBM. This proof-of-concept project will establish the preclinical rationale for targeting eIF5B for the therapeutic benefit of GBM patients.
Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada is happy to announce our partnership with Kindred Foundation, Cancer Research Society, Phoebe Rose Rocks Foundation, Miracle Marnie, Childhood Cancer Canada and Tali’s Fund. Together we joined forces to support the Defeating Embryonal Cancer in Young People Together (DECRYPT) Research Grant, in early 2023. This $600,000 grant has now been awarded to one Canadian research project focused on childhood embryonal brain tumours.
On behalf of the CNO Meeting Organizing Committee we are looking forward to seeing you in our Nation’s Capital for the 20th Biennial Canadian Neuro-Oncology Meeting. We are planning a robust conference agenda which will feature breaking advances in Neuro-Oncology research and Neurosurgical techniques.
Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada partners with the Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative to extend the impact of research dollars.
Five North American funding organizations make up the Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative. The organization includes Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada along with five other non-profit, philanthropic and advocacy organizations from the United States. By working together we can accelerate progress in brain tumor research. The groups have worked together to fund two previous initiatives (details below) and are now exploring a third joint project. When this is finalized, the projects details, and any applicable calls for applications will be posted here.
The members of the Brain Tumour Funders’ Collaborative are:
In January 2019 the BTFC announced $3 million in grants to four multi-institutional teams of researchers and clinicians studying immunotherapy in primary brain tumours. Read the Press Release here.
The four funded projects will examine vaccination strategies, the tumour’s micro-environment, anti-tumour T-cells, and personalized immunotherapy approaches. They were selected during a multi-stage review process from more than 79 responses to the BTFC call for proposals.
The following institutions will be receiving $750,000 BTFC grants over the next three years:
Active vaccination and the timing of checkpoint blockade dictate effective immunotherapy for glioblastoma
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Project Manager: Robert Prins
Harnessing the brain tumour immune-microenvironment to enhance therapeutic efficacy
McGill University
Project Manager: Daniela Quail
Interrogating anti-tumor T-cells To develop adoptive cell transfer (ACT) Immunotherapy for pediatric high-grade gliomas
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Project Manager: Gary Kohanbash
Three dimensional immuno-genomics approach to personalized neoantigen-based immunotherapy
University of California, San Francisco
Project Manager: Joseph Costello
