In July, Samuel Cheshier, MD, PhD, alongside Rodney Stewart, PhD, and Benjamin Myers, PhD, received an R01 grant for their research, “Overcoming Therapy Resistance in Hedgehog Pathway-Driven Medulloblastoma.”
Medulloblastomas are common and malignant brain tumors often found in children. Many of these tumors arise from the overactivation of an intracellular signaling pathway called the hedgehog pathway. These tumors develop resistance to current therapies targeting this pathway by acquiring mutations in pathway genes that render the therapies ineffective.
“Our goal with this project is to better understand the hedgehog pathway that is driving tumor growth and to develop treatment options that will prevent resistance,” Dr. Cheshier shared. “Our team has already pinpointed at least three new agents that attack the Sonic Hedgehog Pathway in medulloblastomas in a manner that makes it more difficult for the tumors to develop resistance. We are hopeful that these agents will allow us to permanently inhibit the pathway, providing a new way to treat children with hedgehog-driven medulloblastomas, as well as patients with other cancers driven by this pathway. The team is developing models in zebrafish and mice that will allow them to test each of their novel agents, as well as to better understand the mechanisms these cancer cells use to overcome treatments directed against them.
“We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to move forward with our research,” Dr. Cheshier said. “And we’re looking forward to breakthroughs that will materially affect the lives of children with cancer.”