Funded in partnership with WWE in honor of Connor’s Cure
Supratentorial ependymoma is a rare but serious brain tumor that mostly affects children. Right now, the main treatments are surgery and radiation, but these are not always enough. Our research team is working to understand this cancer better by creating models of the tumor using samples from patients and mice. These models help us find what makes this tumor different from healthy brain cells. We’ve discovered that ST-EPN tumor cells have special dependency for their survival and growth, and we’re testing new avenue to stop the tumor from growing without harming normal cells. We also found that these tumor cells can steal more nutrients than healthy brain cells, which helps them grow faster. By using approved drugs to block this process, we hope to cut off the tumor’s energy supply. By studying real patient tumors and using mouse models, our goal is to find new and better treatments. In the future, this research could help doctors treat children with ST-EPN more safely and effectively.
