Margarita Gutova, M.D., an assistant research professor in the laboratory
of Karen Aboody, M.D., professor in the Department of Neurosciences and the Division of Neurosurgery, in collaboration with Robert Wechsler
Margarita Gutova, M.D., an assistant research professor in the laboratory
of Karen Aboody, M.D., professor in the Department of Neurosciences and the Division of Neurosurgery, in collaboration with Robert Wechsler-Reya
, Ph.D., director of the tumor initiation and maintenance program at the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute
, may have found a way to get through that barrier — using neural stem cells.
Neural stem cells can generate the different cell types in the brain. In their stem cell state, these cells can cross the blood-brain barrier and migrate selectively to invading tumor cells in the brain. Used as a delivery vehicle, neural stem cells can be engineered to target and deliver anti-cancer agents specifically to brain tumor sites. This method results in concentrated therapy at the tumor sites, while minimizing harm to surrounding normal tissue.
Five foundations — Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF), The Matthew Larson Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumors — and two anonymous foundations have announced grants totaling $450,000 in support of Gutova’s work, allowing her to continue her translational research of this novel treatment method. If additional results proves promising, Gutova said she will proceed with development towards patient trials.
These specific neural stem cells have already demonstrated safety when administered into the brain in adult patients with recurrent glioma. Dr. Gutova is studying a way to deliver the therapeutic neural stem cells intranasally. This novel delivery method, if proven effective, is much less invasive, and could reduce the number of complicated procedures — and their associated risks — that these yo