Modeling and Targeting Brain Tumors at the Intersection of Stem Cell and Cancer Biology

Glioblastoma – the highest-grade glioma and deadliest brain tumor – occurs in pediatric as well as adult patients. Despite aggressive treatment with surgery, irradiation, and sometimes chemotherapy, tumors invariably recur as incurable lesions. Using in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro models of glioma, we aim to characterize phenotypic intratumoral heterogeneity specifically with regards to radiation resistant stem-like tumor cells, the molecular signaling pathways underlying therapeutic resistance, and microenvironmental control over tumor cell phenotypes, with the overall goal of developing novel therapeutic strategies targeting therapy-resistant cells in malignant brain tumors.

We are part of the Division of Translational Cancer Research, Lund University Cancer Center at Medicon Village in Lund, Sweden.

Follow us on Twitter @pietraslab!