# Pediatric brain tumors: Improving survival through integration of clinical molecular diagnostics and biologically targeted therapies into clinical trials

> **NIH NIH R50** · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2024 · $175,338

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT:
Tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) are the leading cause of cancer death in children. Many of those
who do survive suffer from significant lifelong morbidity due to toxicity of therapy. There is an urgent need to
improve survival and decrease toxicity of therapy in children with brain tumors. My research focus is to improve
survival for children with CNS tumors through the development of novel therapeutics and clinical trials based
on biologic insights into the molecular drivers of disease. I conduct my research through collaborative studies
that are made possible by the National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN), specifically the Children’s Oncology
Group (COG). Nationally, I serve in a leadership role as the clinical vice-chair of the COG CNS committee,
COG representative to the NIH Brain Malignancies Steering Committee (BMSC), and CNS representative to
the Agent Prioritization Committee (APC) of the NIH-funded Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trials Network
(PEP-CTN). I have also recently led the creation of a data-sharing initiative called the INSPiRE consortium
which aims to facilitate clinical trials and genomic data sharing between the COG and other international
clinical trials consortia and registries. Locally, I serve as the Seattle Children’s Hospital site PI for COG,
Medical Director of Clinical Research for the Seattle Children’s Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer
Research, Principal Investigator of the Seattle Children’s Tumor Banking and Biology Study, and Medical
Director of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program. These complementary national and local roles allow me to
provide support to a wide range of translational and clinical research efforts, providing access to all phases of
research to children in Seattle and translating research discovery in Seattle to children across the world
through the development of collaborative clinical trials. The opportunities afforded by this award would allow
me to devote significant time to accelerate the development of high-impact clinical trials and to support critical
efforts to improve molecular and clinical data sharing and local access to trials.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10813118
- **Project number:** 5R50CA275857-02
- **Recipient organization:** SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Sarah Elisabeth Sherr Leary
- **Activity code:** R50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $175,338
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-03-21 → 2028-02-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10813118

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10813118, Pediatric brain tumors: Improving survival through integration of clinical molecular diagnostics and biologically targeted therapies into clinical trials (5R50CA275857-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10813118. Licensed CC0.

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