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PLGA-Sponsored Research Projects

Over the course of the past 3 years, families associated with the Pediatric Low Grade Astrocytoma (PLGA) Foundation have raised over $6.5 million and funded over a dozen new targeted PLGA research projects. Milestone projects funded to date include:

Low Grade Glioma Symposium at the International Society of Pediatric Neuro-Oncologists.

The 4 hour symposium, at the ISPNO conference on June 30, 2008, co-sponsored by the PLGA Foundation and the Brain Tumor Society, was asell out success with over 500 researchers in attendance. This is the LARGEST single gathering of researchers/clinicians EVER to come together with the sole objective of discussing progress in the area of pediatric low grade gliomas.

20 research abstracts were presented from around the world and keynote speakers included Dr.Stiles, from Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Dr. Brennan from Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center.

In addition, an interdisciplinary panel of medical experts gathered together at the ISPNO Family Day, to speak with over 100 brain tumor families. Excerpts from these discussions can be viewed through the videos below:

Advances in Radiation Therapy Developments in Immuno-Vaccines
Advances In Reversing Cognitive Damage in Brain Tumor Children Importance of Collaboration in changing the outcome for Kids with brain tumors
Benign Vs Malignant Defined in Children's Brain Tumors The Clinical Trail Protocol Defined
Developments in Hydrocephalus  

The establishment of The PLGA Research Program - Dana Farber Cancer Institute

In May 2007, the establishment of the first dedicated PLGA research program at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. The initial $2 million grant will concentrate resources on research on pediatric low-grade brain tumors, in order to discover new and improved targeted therapies that don't risk impairing children's bodies and minds. This is believed to be the first coordinated research effort committed to this specific type of brain tumor world-wide. Read more...

Projects include:

On May 19th, 2008 Drs. Mark Kieran and Chuck Stiles, co-directors for the PLGA Research Program, met with a small group of PLGA families to explain the operating research strategy behind the PLGA Research program and describe two of the landmark projects that are under way. The first project, establishment of an international Tumor Tissue Bank, and the second, development of three NEW clinical trial protocols. The PLGA Research Program is funded by families associated with the PLGA Foundation and welcomes new donors at any time. Dr. Chuck Stiles and Dr. Mark Kieran, spent a few hours with a numberof PLGA families for a round table discussion about the strategy of thePLGA Research Program. Video footage of the discussion can be viewedat DFCI PLGA Research Program Update.

For more information on the PLGA research program at Dana-Farber.

Grant Distributions in Partnership with The Brain Tumor Society (Boston)

While the funds for the following projects were raised by PLGA Families (through the Brain Tumor Society's Ride for Research), these projects were solicited wholly through The Brain Tumor Society's request for proposal and peer review processes. The Brain Tumor Society's continued commitment to supporting pediatric low grade astrocytoma (PLGA) specific research projects, with funds raised by PLGA Foundation families, will result in the identification of additional critical PLGA projects within the next 3 months.

Institution Study Name Principle Investigator Date of Grant
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee Targeting the Hedgehog Pathway in Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma Michael K. Cooper, MD October 2008
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts A Phase II Study of RAD001 (everolimus) for Children with Chemotherapy Hemotherapy-Refractory Progressive Symptomatic Low-Grade Gliomas. Mark Kieran, MD, PhD October 2008
Texas Children’s Hospital-Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas Development of Clinically Relevant Orthotopic Xenograft Mouse Models of Childhood Low-Grade Glioma from Primary Tumor Tissues. Xiao-Nan Li, MD, PhD October 2008
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas Identification of the Molecular Signature of Progressive JPA Elizabeth Maher, MD, PhD October 2008
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Peptide Vaccine Based Immunotherapy for Pediatric Low-Grade Glioma Ian Pollack, MD October 2008
Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto The Biologic and Prognostic Role of Replicative and Oncogene Induced Senescence in Pediatric Low Grade Gliomas Dr. Uri Tabori May 2007
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Molecular Prognostic Markers for Low-Grade Gliomas Dr. Ian F. Pollack May 2007
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Development of Permanent Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma Cell Lines for Preclinical Trails Dr. KK Wong May 2007
Washington University Controlling Pilocytic Astrocytoma Growth: Effects of location, age and Telomerase Dr. Jeffrey Leonard May 2007
Washington University
Children's National Medical Center 		Identification of Key Genetic and Growth Control Pathway Changes in Fibrillary Astrocytoma that Represent Potential Molocular Targets for Theraputic Intervention Dr. David Gutmann
Dr. Tobey MacDonald 		May 2007
Washington University
Children's National Medical Center 		Identification of Key Genetic and Growth Control Pathway Changes in JPA that Represent Potential Molecular Targets for Therapuetic Intervention Dr. David Gutmann
Dr. Tobey MacDonald 		March 2006

Research grants have also been awarded to the following additional institutions:

Institution Study Name Principle Investigator Date of Grant
Johns Hopkins University PLGA: Dedicated Tumor Banking and Establishment of Cell Lines and Xenografts Dr. Eberhart, Dr. Kenneth Cohen, Dr. Eli Bar and Dr. Peter Burger May 2009
Johns Hopkins University Analysis of BRAF in WHO Grade II Fibrillary Pediatric Astrocytomas [PDF 700KB] Dr. Charles Eberhart
Dr. Peter Burger
Dr. Eli Bar 		January 2009
Washington University
Children's National Medical Center 		Identification of Key Genetic and Growth Control Pathway Changes in JPA that Represent Potential Molecular Targets for Therapuetic Intervention Dr. David Gutmann
Dr. Tobey MacDonald 		March 2006
University of California, San Francisco Targeting Cancer Stem Cells in Pediatric Fibrillary Astroctyoma Dr. David H. Rowitch
Dr. C. David James
Dr. Graeme Hodgson 		May 2007
MD Anderson Cancer Center Molecular JPA Study Dr. KK Wong May 2006

First JPA Researcher Symposium, May 2006

Funding for the first JPA Researcher Symposium, in Bethesda, Maryland (May 2006) was also provided by the PLGA Foundation families. At the JPA Researcher Symposium, 18 world renowned scientists were invited to share their expertise in a scientific discussion with individual presentations and group discussions about JPA. Results from this pivotal JPA Symposium formed the recommendation of new and advanced interdisciplinary science, to avoid “duplication” of limited resources, and forward collaborative approaches to this challenging, under this funded disease. Read more...

The results of the workshop can be viewed in the Executive Summary, Agenda, and Workshop Participants.

We hope you will return to this section frequently to explore the new studies that are being funded by PLGA Foundation. Grant applications are accepted and grants are approved all year long.

With continued education and research funds, we can begin to imagine targeted therapies that arrest the development and potentially cure patients suffering with PLGA.

Unite to fight PLGA! Donate to the PLGA Foundation today. Your generosity can bring us one giant step closer to a 100% cure!