The Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University has received a renewed $10.8 million Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant from the National Cancer Institute for the Lurie Cancer Center to advance translational research and improve outcomes for patients with brain cancer.
The Lurie Cancer Center Brain Tumor SPORE, established in 2018, is led by Maciej Lesniak, MD, chair and the Michael J. Marchese Professor of Neurosurgery, with projects led by members of the Department of Neurosurgery and the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology.
“We are fortunate to have world class scientists in the field of neuro-oncology and an impeccable team of clinicians advancing clinical trials in the field. Without the support of the NCI and the neuro-oncology community at large, our work would not be possible and it is our most sincere hope and aspiration to make a difference for patients affected with malignant brain cancer,” Lesniak said.
The SPORE focuses on improving treatment strategies for highly malignant brain tumors, with an emphasis on developing novel approaches for patients with glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor.
The SPORE is one of just six brain tumor programs nationwide to receive the designation and recognizes Northwestern as a premier institution for innovative, translational research. The NCI’s SPORE grants fund interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects in specific cancer types and are intended to rapidly move research discoveries from the laboratory into the clinic.
The grant renewal will support the following key research projects and will be co-led by Feinberg investigators with complementary expertise:
- Project 1: Neural Stem Cell Virotherapy for Malignant Glioma
Project Co-Leaders: Maciej Lesniak, MD; Roger Stupp, MD, the Paul C. Bucy Professor of Neurological Surgery and chief of Neuro-oncology in the Department of Neurology; and Adam Sonabend, MD, associate professor of Neurological Surgery.
- Project 2: STINGing GBM: A First-in-man Clinical Trial in Surgically Resectable Recurrent GBM
Project Co-Leaders: Amy Heimberger, MD, PhD, Jean Malnati Miller Professor of Brain Tumor Research; Rimas Lukas, MD, associate professor in the Department of Neurology‘s Divisions of Neuro-oncology and Hospital Neurology; and Irina Balyasnikova, PhD, associate professor of Neurological Surgery.
- Project 3: Development of a B-cell Based Vaccine for the Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma
Project Co-Leaders: Catalina Lee Chang, PhD, assistant professor of Neurological Surgery; Roger Stupp, MD; and Maciej Lesniak, MD.
- Project 4: A Phase 1 Adaptive Dose Escalation Study of Mycophenolate Mofetil in Combination with Temozolomide for Patients with Newly Diagnosed Glioblastoma
Project Co-Leaders: Atique Ahmed, PhD, associate professor of Neurological Surgery; and Priya Kumthekar, MD, ’11 GME, associate professor of Neurology in the Division of Neuro-oncology and of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology.
The SPORE also includes an Administrative Core, a Nervous System Tumor Bank, and a Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core. A developmental research program will also enable future translational research, and a career enhancement program will provide funding for early-stage investigators interested in entering the field of neuro-oncology.
“Bringing together the scientific and clinical expertise of our investigators with the unique strengths of our cancer center, our interdisciplinary team is advancing better treatment options and outcomes for people with brain cancer,” said Leonidas Platanias, MD, PhD, director of the Lurie Cancer Center and the Jesse, Sara, Andrew, Abigail, Benjamin and Elizabeth Lurie Professor of Oncology. “We’re excited about the renewal of our NCI Brain Tumor SPORE under the visionary leadership of Dr. Lesniak, and the opportunity to build on our progress.”