ZHU Xinzhou

Glioblastoma is a brain tumor affecting children and research into therapeutic targets for this tumor are greatly needed. This study aims to meet that need. Through analysis of cell models, researchers have found various genes, pieces of code in our DNA, that could play an important role in the development of glioblastoma. These identified genes provide the information necessary for cells to make proteins that bind to RNA, which further help to make additional proteins in the cell. This project will involve investigation into how those genes are expressed in pediatric glioblastoma patients and how that expression is related to patient survival. The proteins that are made when cells follow the instructions from the identified genes could serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Biomarkers help assess patient progress and therapeutic targets are molecules that could be used to implement glioblastoma treatment. The data needed for this project will be provided through the Children’s Brain Tumor Network and results will be compared to datasets related to adult glioblastoma patients.