Lung Cancer
Understanding Glioblastoma: What You Need to Know
Receiving a diagnosis of glioblastoma (GB) can feel overwhelming. As one of the most aggressive and malignant types of brain cancer, GB often presents unique challenges for patients and their loved ones. It’s the most common primary brain tumor, and while it is associated with a poor prognosis, advancements in research are offering hope for the future.
Current Treatment Options
Treatment for GB typically involves a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. These approaches aim to remove or reduce the tumor and slow its growth. However, even with aggressive treatment, the survival rate remains low, with most patients living 12–15 months after diagnosis.
At the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, we understand how difficult this prognosis can be to hear. That’s why our scientists are working tirelessly to better understand this devastating disease and develop new therapies that could improve outcomes for patients like you or your loved one.
How We’re Advancing Research
Our work focuses on uncovering the underlying biology of glioblastoma—why it occurs, how it progresses, and which molecular pathways can be targeted to stop it. Using cutting-edge techniques like spheroids (clusters of cells grown in the lab) and organoids (also called "mini-organs" grown in the lab), we’re recreating the complexity of GB to study its behavior in real-time. This allows us to test potential treatments in a highly detailed and controlled environment, accelerating our understanding of this challenging disease.
We’re also investigating the use of repurposed drugs—medications originally designed for other conditions—to explore their potential in slowing tumor growth, enhancing current therapies, and improving survival rates. By identifying new uses for existing medications, we aim to bring affordable, accessible, and less invasive treatment options to patients sooner.
Importance of Our Research Team
The innovative work of our PhD students is critical to advancing our understanding and treatment of GB. Below, you’ll find detailed information about their projects, publications, and achievements.
PhD Student Projects
Freya Weth
Glioblastoma (GB) is an aggressive and treatment-resistant brain cancer with a survival rate that has barely improved in decades. Freya is exploring how combinations of existing drugs—originally developed for other diseases—could be repurposed to treat GB more effectively. Using patient-derived 3D tumour models, her research aims to uncover how these drug combinations interact at the molecular level, potentially leading to better treatment strategies.
Stay up to date on Freya’s progress by subscribing to our newsletter and joining the conversation on social media (links below)!
Research Focus:
Investigating repurposed drug combinations for GB using patient-derived 3D tumour models.
Current Thesis Title:
"Exploring Repurposed Drug Combinations for Glioblastoma Using Patient-Derived 3D Models"
Abstract:
Glioblastoma (GB) remains one of the most lethal and treatment-resistant cancers, with a five-year survival rate of only ~5%. Despite decades of research and substantial investment, survival outcomes have not improved in 30 years, underscoring the urgent need for novel treatment strategies. GB's complexity, resistance to therapy, and high recurrence rates demand an approach that can effectively target multiple tumour pathways simultaneously.
Combination therapy has the potential to address these challenges by leveraging the synergistic effects of multiple drugs. Repurposed drugs—existing medications with known safety profiles—offer a promising and cost-effective avenue for combination therapy. However, the underlying mechanisms that drive synergy in these combinations remain largely unknown.
Freya’s research utilizes patient-derived GB spheroids—3D tumour models that better replicate the tumour’s biology than traditional 2D cell cultures. Through an integrated approach combining high-throughput drug screening, proteomic analysis, and confocal microscopy, this project will dissect the molecular effects of repurposed drug combinations. By identifying optimal dosing, uncovering mechanisms of synergy, and pinpointing key pathways involved in cell death and resistance, this research aims to bridge the gap between preclinical models and clinical application.
Collaborators and researchers interested in combination therapy, drug repurposing, or tumour microenvironment studies are encouraged to connect and explore potential synergies.
Published Work:
Unlocking hidden potential: advancements, approaches, and obstacles in repurposing drugs for cancer therapy. British Journal of Cancer, 2024 – Read the Published Work
Utility of the Cerebral Organoid Glioma ‘GLICO’ Model for Screening Applications. Cells, 2023 – Read the Published Work
Cancer Metastasis and Treatment Resistance: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Targeting of Cancer Stem Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment. Biomedicines, 2022 –Read the Published Work
Maternal Fructose Intake, Programmed Mitochondrial Function and Predisposition to Adult Disease. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022 – Read the Published Work
Grants and Scholarships:
Gillies McIndoe Research Institute Graham Langridge Scholarship
Victoria University of Wellington Doctoral Scholarship
Jasmine (Jaz) White
Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive brain cancer in adults, and even with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, it almost always returns in a more resistant and invasive form. Jaz is investigating how GB cells adapt to treatment at the molecular level, particularly how irradiation and chemotherapy influence tumour growth and invasion. Using patient-derived 3D tumour models, her research aims to identify key molecular changes that drive recurrence and explore whether repurposed drugs could help counteract these effects, potentially leading to better long-term treatment outcomes.
Stay up to date on Jaz’s progress by subscribing to our newsletter and joining the conversation on social media (links below)!
Research Focus:
Investigating molecular adaptations in glioblastoma following irradiation and temozolomide treatment using 3D models.
Current Thesis Title:
"Investigating Molecular Adaptations in Glioblastoma Following Irradiation and Temozolomide Treatment Using 3D Models."
Abstract:
Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive primary brain tumour in adults, with current standard-of-care treatments—including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy—providing limited long-term benefits. Tumour recurrence is nearly inevitable, with GB often returning in a more invasive and treatment-resistant form. Emerging evidence suggests that damage to resistant GB cells following treatment may paradoxically trigger molecular adaptations that enhance tumour growth and invasion, further reducing treatment efficacy.
Jaz’s research aims to characterise these molecular changes by examining patient-derived 3D tumour models treated with irradiation (IR) and temozolomide (TMZ). Through transcriptomic and proteomic analysis, this project will identify key pathways involved in post-treatment tumour progression. Understanding these adaptations could reveal new therapeutic targets, particularly for repurposed drugs that may counteract treatment-induced tumour growth and invasion.
By bridging molecular profiling with potential therapeutic interventions, this work seeks to inform the development of more effective treatment strategies that could prolong survival and improve quality of life for GB patients. Researchers and clinicians interested in treatment resistance, tumour evolution, or drug repurposing are encouraged to collaborate.
Published Work:
The tumour microenvironment, treatment resistance and recurrence in glioblastoma. British Journal of Cancer, 2024 – Read the Published Work
Grants and Scholarships:
Melody Collins Memorial Scholarship
Achievements & Awards:
VUW School of Biological Sciences Best Review Paper, 2024
3rd Place, Wellington Bioimaging Competition, 2024
Poster Presentations at NZ Aotearoa Neuro-Oncology Society Conferences, 2023 & 2024
Outstanding Achievement Award for MSc Thesis, University of Manchester, 2023
Poster Presentation at British Society for Proteome Research, 2022
Public Science Communication:
Guest Speaker, Wellington East Girls' College, 2023
Collaborate With Us
Our research is built on collaboration and innovation. If you’re a scientist or industry professional interested in partnering with us or supporting our PhD students, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can push the boundaries of medical research and improve outcomes for patients with Glioblastoma.
📩 Contact us: info@gmri.org.nz
Support
Gillies McIndoe Research Institute is a Registered Charity (CC43660) relying mainly on private philanthropy, including donations, bequests, corporate champions, grants and scholarships. You can donate now or contact us to learn how you can support us and enable our research to continue.