Research > Focus A
Dr. med. Sophie Heuer
University Hospital Heidelberg
Within the frame of Focus A, (i) patient groups likely to benefit from a molecularly targeted intervention with or without alkylating chemotherapy will be characterized, predictive (longitudinal) biomarkers selected (for primary activity) and prioritized, (ii) a specific emphasis is put on secondary resistance development and novel discoveries are expected (iii) by targeting rhythmic Ca2+ activity (KCa3.1) in glioblastoma cell networks in standard co-treatments, as well as (iv) by genetic and pharmacological perturbation of neuro-glioblastoma synases to enhance therapeutic benefit in selected molecularly defined subgroups. Overarching goals of the WPs in Focus A are the development of patient-derived models to define molecular targeted treatments relevant for overcoming glioblastoma-network associated resistance to classical therapies (A01, A06, A07 & A08), specific for H3 (A02) or IDH (A04) mutant subtypes and to generate spatially resolved molecular/imaging maps of primary (A07 & A08) or paired primary-progressive patients-derived samples (A03 & A06). Further, unbiased screening for targets against the network/synaptic structure (A01, A03 & A07), development of combination treatments with temozolomide based on DNA-barcoded small-molecule inhibitors and using iPSC-derived organoids & individualized patient derived organoid (IPTO) model systems (A06 & A08) or treatments other than alkylating agents addressing resistance evolution in glioblastoma a priori unlikely to respond to alkylating treatment (A02, A03) and the clinical implementation of molecular diagnostics from glioblastoma tissue but also cerebrospinal fluid (cell-free DNA and (phospho)proteins) to define trial treatments (A02, A03 & A08).
A01
University Hospital Heidelberg
University Hospital Heidelberg, Neurology Clinic
A02
Hopp Children’s Cancer Center at the NCT Heidelberg (KiTZ), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Paediatric Glioma Research Group
Hopp Children’s Cancer Center at the NCT Heidelberg (KiTZ), University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology
A03
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology/Neurooncology
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology/Neurooncology,
A04
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology
A05
University Hospital Heidelberg, Institute of Pathology, Department Neuropathology
University Hospital Heidelberg, Institute of Pathology, Department Neuropathology
A06
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Junior Research Group Brain Tumor Therapeutic Targets
University Hospital Heidelberg, Institute of Pathology, Department Neuropathology
A07
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology
University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Neurology
A08
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Junior Group Genome Instability in Tumors
German Cancer Research Center, Division of Molecular Neurogenetics