Epigenetic Alterations Define Lethal CMP-positive Ependymomas of Infancy

Award: $1,000,000 over three years
Principal investigators: James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FRCSC and Michael D. Taylor, MD, PhD
Institution: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
Funding partner: Meagan’s Walk Foundation

The principal investigators started a worldwide consortium, GENE (Global Ependymoma Network of Excellence) consisting of scientists, pathologists and clinicians from more than 30 centers around the world. Cumulatively, the members have contributed more than 400 PF-ependymomas with matched clinical data to the tumor bank in Toronto.

With funding from the PBTF, the PIs will continue to grow the tumor bank and develop biomarkers to discern PFA (poor prognosis) from PFB (better prognosis) ependymoma in a CLIA-certified manner. They will also develop additional human PFA xenograft models to study epigenetic agents for therapy and to study biology and response to novel agents in the relapse setting.