Award
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 1R21NS136647-01A1
The role of nuclear mechano-transduction in regulating gene expression and shaping the spatial landscape in glioblastoma
Recipient
Columbia University Health Sciences
Award Amount
$452,375.00
Ceiling
$452,375.00
Awarded
July 17, 2025
Identifier
1R21NS136647-01A1
This award funds research to investigate how nuclear mechano-transduction influences gene expression and spatial heterogeneity in glioblastoma, aiming to understand tumor progression and develop new therapeutic strategies.
Description
Glioblastoma (GBM) is a devastating brain cancer that escapes conventional therapy because the tumor cells diffusely infiltrate the surrounding brain parenchyma which features a diverse landscape of tissue stiffness. Varying levels of tissue stiffness generate force that is transmitted to the cell’s nucleus in a process called “nuclear mechano-transduction” which regulates gene expression. The proposed study will define the role of nuclear mechano-transduction in shaping the spatial landscape of GBM transcriptional heterogeneity, gene expression, and GBM progression.