Grant: Operating Grant

Brain tumors are among the most common forms of childhood cancer. Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant primary pediatric brain tumor and recent evidence has demonstrated that there are 4 very distinct subtypes that will likely require different treatments. Despite a 5-year survival rate of 60-70%, these tumors are highly aggressive and frequently recur following chemotherapy or radiation resulting in a poor prognosis. We have recently identified a "marker", called CD271, on the surface of medulloblastoma cells that help define the most immature tumor-maintaining cells called stem cells or progenitors. Using these cellular "fingerprints", we were able to identify the stem or progenitor cells from a larger, more diverse cell population in a dish. Our results also suggest that this marker may be specific to one of the medulloblastoma subtypes. Now, we are investigating whether other markers, in addition to CD271, can be used to select for medulloblastoma cell populations that will both initiate and maintain tumor growth in a dish and a mouse model of the disease. In addition, we would also like to identify fast moving cells that escape current treatments and contribute to tumor recurrence. This will enable us to move forward with drug discovery studies where we hope to target cells with a stem/progenitor cell or fast moving, mobile cell signature in a more specific manner. Concurrent targeting of multiple cell types would make medulloblastoma and other pediatric brain tumours much more manageable, thereby lessening the impact of harsh, toxic therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy on the developing nervous system of child patients.