Brain Tumour Research Success in 2022
The Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence at the Blizard Institute has made significant research breakthroughs in 2022.
Professor Silvia Marino
The teams’ research has deepened our understanding of brain tumour biology. They have also investigated new treatment options, all of which will bring us closer to our vision of finding a cure for all types of brain tumours.
Professor Silvia Marino and her team at the Blizard Institute focus on Glioblastoma (GBM) as well as paediatric tumours such as medulloblastoma. In April, they discovered that a combination treatment of BMI1 and MAPK/ERK inhibitors for group four medulloblastoma tumours significantly extended survival in lab tests, offering hope for a less toxic, more targeted approach to medulloblastoma treatment.
At the heart of Professor Marino’s research is recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment won’t improve outcomes, and the identification of the differences between tumours is an important step towards personalised treatment. In November, they identified a new group of GBM tumours which may not respond as well to treatments that require the immune system, strengthening the argument for tumour specific treatments.