Glioblastoma Research

Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive and malignant form of brain cancer. It is the most common type of primary brain tumour and is associated with poor prognosis and low survival rates. Glioblastoma develops from cells called astrocytes, which are the supportive cells in the brain.

The symptoms of glioblastoma depend on the location of the tumour and can include headaches, seizures, cognitive changes, and weakness in one side of the body. Treatment options for glioblastoma include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. However, even with aggressive treatment, the prognosis for glioblastoma is generally poor, with most patients surviving only 12-15 months after diagnosis.

Our research into the causes and treatment of glioblastoma is ongoing, with a focus on developing new targeted drug therapies to improve patient outcomes. 

Our planned Phase II glioblastoma clinical trial will be being conducted to test a combination of repurposed drugs that target the renin angiotensinogen system (RAS), and advances in proteomics, molecular biology and 3D genomics and genetic sequencing are helping us identify potential new targets for therapy. 

We are investigating the biology of glioblastoma to better understand and identify molecular pathways utilising organoids (‘mini-brains’ in a dish) and developing models to give a comprehensive understanding of how and why glioblastoma occurs and molecular targets that may be manipulated by repurposed drugs to improve patient outcomes.

Despite the challenges associated with glioblastoma, ongoing research gives hope for better outcomes for patients in the future.