Research
The Cancer Neuroscience Program is spearheading groundbreaking research at the intersection of oncology and neuroscience. Our comprehensive, cross-departmental initiative leverages existing institutional strengths while developing new capabilities to explore the complex interplay between cancer and the nervous system. Our ongoing and planned studies aim to unravel the fundamental principles driving this interaction with the potential to revolutionize prevention strategies, early detection methods, and treatments for various cancers. Furthermore, this pivotal research seeks to develop innovative approaches to mitigate the adverse neurological effects of cancer treatments (such as cognitive decline, neuropathy, fatigue, pain, brain aging, etc.) and address mental health challenges in cancer patients. The program's overarching goal is to transform patient care by significantly enhancing quality of life and survival rates for individuals affected by cancer and neurological disorders, addressing both direct and indirect impacts of the disease. The program is organized into four interconnected scientific themes: Neurobiology, Neural Neoplasms, Neurotoxicity and Neurobehavioral Health.
Research Themes
Neurobiology
The Neurobiology Theme is dedicated to advancing foundational neuroscience research to unravel the complex mechanisms by which the nervous system shapes tumor biology and how tumors, in turn, impact neural function. Key areas of focus include exploring perineural invasion, where cancer cells invade nerves to facilitate metastases, understanding the role of the blood brain barrier, and investigating the role of immune cells within the nervous system in driving cancer-related neuroinflammation, tumor progression, and treatment resistance. This theme serves as the cornerstone for understanding the neuroscience underlying all other program themes and seeks to provide critical insights to inform and enhance the research endeavors in the other themes.
Recently funded initiatives falling within this theme include the following:
- FY25
- Deciphering how neuron-glial communications govern neoplastic transformation
- Investigating the vicious cycle between cancer pain-associated neuronal activity and malignancy
- Investigating the impact of glioma-associated germline risk alleles on neurodevelopmental trajectories
- Normalizing immune microenvironment in glioblastoma
- FY24
- Elucidating perineural niche in cancer and identify targetable pathways
- Defining the unique features of nervous system immunology in context of cancer and age
- Elucidating neurovascular barriers in the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative disease
Neural Neoplasms
The Neural Neoplasms Theme aims to unravel the fundamental mechanisms governing primary and metastatic tumors of the brain, spine, skull base, and peripheral nerves. A key focus is understanding how the unique integration of these tumors within the nervous system influences their behavior, progression, and resistance to therapy. This includes investigating the cellular, molecular, and genetic drivers of tumor dynamics and exploring how neural signaling and interactions within the tumor microenvironment contribute to tumor growth and treatment resistance. This theme also seeks to identify biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic targeting, leveraging insights from neuroscience to develop new precision medicine approaches for these challenging cancers. Recently funded initiatives falling within this theme include the following:
- FY25
- Leveraging MRI-based detection of glioma neuronal functional connectivity to map early tumor invasion
- Developing an endovascular neurosurgical oncology program: delivery of cellular therapeutics across the blood brain barrier for treatment of glioblastoma
- Understanding exosomes and microRNA in glioma therapy
- Characterizing and targeting aberrant RNA splicing induced by PRMT5 inhibition in gliomas
- FY24
- Creating a robust pipeline for in-house production of oncolytic viruses for the treatment of brain cancer
- Developing minimally invasive methods for determining diagnosis and progression of brain tumors through advanced neuroimaging and liquid biopsy
- Conducting therapeutic testing of novel agents through advanced in vitro and in vivo models
- Developing and validating a new imaging method to monitor immune cell therapies in vivo
Neurotoxicity
- FY25
- Characterizating and predicting second-generation anti-androgen associated neurotoxicity in patients with prostate cancer
- Understanding brain and biofluid biomarkers underlying cognitive decline following immune-checkpoint inhibitor therapy in patients with metastatic melanoma
- FY24
- Developing a rodent neurobehavioral core to assess treatment-related toxicities, mechanism-based drug targets and therapeutics
Neurobehavioral Health
The Neurobehavioral Health Theme seeks to elucidate the intricate relationships between social and affective biobehavioral factors (such as psychological, behavioral, and social influences) and cancer biology, including cancer prevention and outcomes. This theme explores how anxiety, depression, mental health, lifestyle choices, and social support systems affect tumor biology and the nervous system. Additionally, it aims to identify interventions that leverage biobehavioral factors to improve patient well-being and enhance treatment efficacy. By integrating neuroscience with behavioral science, this theme provides critical insights into the holistic care of individuals affected by cancer. Recently funded initiatives falling within this theme include the following:
- FY25
- Studying personalized neurostimulation for smoking cessation in cancer patients: an image-guided approach
- Examining how the crosstalk between glioma and stress-response neurons mediates tumor growth and tumor-induced stress
- FY24
- Identifying biologic, neuroradiologic and electrophysiologic biomarkers of delirium in hospitalized patients with advanced cancer through a longitudinal observational study
- Determining biomarkers of cancer-related fatigue and associations between markers of inflammation, stress-responsivity cellular energy production and dimensions of fatigue at different phases of the cancer trajectory