Alexander Pietras

Project summary

Mapping new signalling pathways in treatment-resistant brain tumours

Gliomas are the most common type of brain tumour in adults. The most aggressive form, glioblastoma multiforme, is treated intensively using a combination of therapies, yet the tumour usually recurs. Alexander Pietras’s research project aims to map cellular signalling pathways that appear to differ between treatment-resistant and treatment-sensitive glioma cells, with the goal of identifying new ways to treat resistant cells.

Gliomas are the most common type of brain tumour in adults. Patients with the most aggressive form, glioblastoma multiforme, receive intensive treatment involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite these treatments, the tumour almost invariably recurs in a treatment-resistant form. The average survival time for patients with glioblastoma multiforme is only around 15 months. There is therefore an urgent need for new treatment strategies for this patient group.

Recent findings indicate that only a small proportion of the cancer cells within a tumour are resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Intensive research is currently underway to identify the differences between these cells and those that respond to treatment.

Alexander Pietras’s research project consists of two main parts. First, cellular signalling pathways that appear to differ between treatment-resistant and treatment-sensitive glioma cells will be mapped using new models developed within the project. The knowledge gained will then be used to make resistant cells more sensitive to treatment. If these strategies prove successful, there is considerable hope that treatment-resistant tumour cells can be made responsive to conventional therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy.