- Jenny Munson
GFP-expressing rat glioma cells (green) invading along white matter tracts (red) in the rat brain.
Glioblastoma Multiforme is a highly infiltrative and lethal form of brain tumor. This tumor is so invasive that traditional removal surgery and chemotherapy are largely ineffective. This project focuses on slowing or stopping the invasion process using novel therapeutics that are encapsulated and delivered through the bloodstream. A rat glioma cell line shown to be highly invasive in vivo is treated both with the novel therapeutics alone and in combination with more traditional agents. The tumor cells produce green fluorescent protein (GFP), showing where the cancer has spread. Markers of invasion and survival are used to determine the efficacy of the treatment, and genetic analysis determines the mechanism of action of the novel therapeutic agent.