University of California, San Francisco

Central Nervous System Development and Brainstem Glioma Tumorigenesis

Principal Investigators: Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, Nalin Gupta and David Rowitch
Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Institute at UCSF, Departments of Neurosurgery, Pediatrics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Purpose:  Among pediatric brain tumors, brainstem glioma (BSG) has a particularly poor prognosis. Very little is known about the basic biology of these tumors and aside from radiation therapy no effective treatment exists. A research focus on CNS development could have important implications for our understanding of the origin of malignant brain tumors and BSG in particular and may lead to the development of novel therapeutics. Our hypothesis is that BSG originate from gene mutations in neural stem cells or early progenitors within the human pons. We have completed initial studies that have identified proliferating populations within the brainstem of children. Our ongoing research objectives are:

(1) To identify proliferating progenitor populations (“Germinal Centers”) of the normal developing human brain stem and use this information to gain insight into cells that give rise to BSG.
(2) To analyze the underlying genetic mutations that can cause BSG.

Eligibility: Pediatric brainstem glioma with available tissue (biopsy or autopsy)

Cynthia Cowdrey, Manager
Neurosurgery Tissue Core
513 Parnassus Ave. HSW 771
San Francisco, CA 94143-0520
415-476-9760 (Phone)
415-502-0613 (Fax)
cowdreyc@neurosurg.ucsf.edu

Last update March 7, 2009