# UCLA SPORE in Brain Cancer

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2021 · $2,139,000

## Abstract

Overall: UCLA SPORE in Brain Cancer
SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The objectives of the UCLA SPORE in Brain Cancer are to contribute significantly to progress in the
diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of brain cancer. These goals will be accomplished through multiple and
diverse research projects involving mechanistic pre-clinical work and innovative clinical studies, with a
particular focus on developing novel strategies to overcome the problem of treatment resistance. The broad,
long-term objectives and aims of our brain cancer SPORE are as follows: 1) to investigate mechanisms of
immune evasion following active immunotherapy, and develop rational combinations of immunotherapeutic
strategies to overcome the immunosuppressive milieu of the brain tumor microenvironment; 2) to elucidate
the alterations in metabolism associated with targeted therapy resistance, and exploit these metabolic
vulnerabilities to induce intrinsic apoptosis of tumor cells; 3) to explore the concept of radiation-induced
phenotype conversion of non-tumorigenic cells to glioblastoma-initiating cells as a mechanism for radiation
resistance, and test new therapeutics to block such glioma stem cell conversion; and 4) to investigate the
pathways of resistance to IDH inhibitors, and utilize novel epigenetic pathways to sensitize IDH-mutant
gliomas to treatment. In order to achieve these translational research goals of our program, we propose four
main projects involving: 1) active immunotherapy combined with immune checkpoint modulation for
glioblastoma; 2) targeting metabolic vulnerabilities in glioblastoma cells; 3) inhibition of radiation-induced
phenotype conversion to glioma-initiating stem cells; and 4) novel epigenetic treatment of IDH mutant
gliomas. These translational research projects will be supported by shared resource cores in administration,
biospecimen/pathology, neuroimaging, and biostatistics/bioinformatics/data management. Our program will
also be responsive to SPORE themes by incorporating Developmental Research and Career Enhancement
Programs in order to foster new approaches for assessing and treating brain cancer. Our diverse array of
novel projects and state-of-the-art cores will likely make a significant impact on brain cancer patient care.
Each project has been developed jointly by teams of basic and clinical researchers working together in a
trans-disciplinary manner to address the most vexing problem in brain cancer – the development of treatment
resistance. All four projects are highly translational and will reach human endpoints within the context of this
SPORE grant period.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10225544
- **Project number:** 5P50CA211015-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Linda M Liau
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $2,139,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-11 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10225544

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10225544, UCLA SPORE in Brain Cancer (5P50CA211015-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10225544. Licensed CC0.

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