# Neuro-Oncology Program

> **NIH NIH P30** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2021 · $38,066

## Abstract

The major goals of the Neuro-Oncology (NRO) Program are to understand the molecular mechanisms that are
involved in the etiopathogenesis and progression of primary brain tumors and metastases to brain, and to use
this knowledge to better manage patients with these malignancies; they belong to a high incidence/high
mortality population in the Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (WFBCCC) catchment area.
The mission of the Program is to develop a comprehensive initiative that yields significant improvements in the
management of patients with primary brain tumors and metastases to the brain. This will be achieved by the
Program members’ research around three aims: 1) cancer stem-like cells (mechanisms regulating
participation of these cells in cancer initiation and progression, and those that are potential targets for
therapeutics), 2) novel approaches to treatment (identifying new therapeutic strategies including those that
lead to improved delivery of drugs to the CNS), and 3) clinical investigations (leverages the rich history of
early phase clinical brain tumor research at the WFBCCC through long-standing participation in the Adult Brain
Tumor Consortium (ABTC), other national brain tumor collaborations, as well as investigator-initiated trials).
The research of the NRO Program focuses particularly on malignant gliomas, including glioblastoma, and
breast and lung cancer brain metastases. More specifically, the Program’s Specific Aims are addressed as
follows: Aim 1 is to determine the role of cancer stem-like cells in tumor initiation and/or progression through
studying signaling pathways and interactions with other cell types present in the tumor microenvironment and
normal brain; Aim 2 is to develop novel devices, techniques, drug candidates and therapeutic approaches for
these difficult-to-treat cancers based on a variety of experimental platforms; Aim 3 is to conduct innovative
clinical interventions which will affect the course of the disease and the well-being of patients. The Program
has 20 members from 12 different departments or sections. Annual extramural funding of program members
was ~ $253,000 per member. Among the members' 53 publications, 34% were intra-programmatic, 32% were
inter-programmatic, and 51% were inter-institutional, demonstrating the collaborative spirit and national and
international stature of the Program’s research and investigators.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10093008
- **Project number:** 5P30CA012197-46
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Waldemar Debinski
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $38,066
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1997-02-01 → 2022-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10093008

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10093008, Neuro-Oncology Program (5P30CA012197-46). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10093008. Licensed CC0.

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