# Targeting Go and Grow in Glioblastoma

> **NIH NIH R01** · MAYO CLINIC  JACKSONVILLE · 2024 · $534,339

## Abstract

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The ability of glioblastomas to proliferate in an uncontrollable manner and disperse widely within normal brain
define the malignant phenotype and make this disease uniformly lethal. Effectively treating glioblastoma
therefore requires finding targets that drive these two components of the malignant phenotype. We have
identified one such target—the myosin II family of molecular motors. We show that myosin II family members
can be targeted with a non-toxic small molecule inhibitor that is CNS permeant, and that this drug suppresses
tumor progression and significantly prolongs survival in murine models of glioblastoma. However, we also find
that targeting myosin II family members leads to a compensatory upregulation of a variety of proliferation-
stimulating signaling pathways, and that inhibiting these pathways is synthetically lethal when myosin II function
is blocked. In this proposal, we will develop strategies to enhance the efficacy of a myosin II targeting strategy
in treating glioblastoma that build on our novel findings. Results from these translational studies will be vital to
our ongoing efforts to develop effective treatment approaches that block both glioblastoma invasion and
proliferation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10876294
- **Project number:** 5R01NS118513-05
- **Recipient organization:** MAYO CLINIC  JACKSONVILLE
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter Canoll
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $534,339
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10876294

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10876294, Targeting Go and Grow in Glioblastoma (5R01NS118513-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10876294. Licensed CC0.

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