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Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a deadly pediatric brain cancer, and there is a dire need to develop new therapeutic strategies to improve the terrible outcomes for these patients. Looking at genes that are turned on or off in a cancer can be helpful to figure out what is causing cancer growth. While looking at genes that are turned on in DIPG, Dr. Tsai found a gene called FOXR2 that is turned on at very high levels in a subset of DIPGs. FOXR2 is usually turned off, and turning on FOXR2 makes tumors grow very quickly. FOXR2 is actually capable of turning on an entire set of genes that are called ETS transcription factors (TFs). This is surprising as these genes have never been shown to be activated in DIPGs. Others have shown that ETS TFs can turn on the MAPK signaling pathway. Dr. Tsai also has found that FOXR2 is able to activate MAPK signaling. The goal is to determine exactly how FOXR2 and ETS TFs cooperate together to turn on MAPK signaling to make DIPGs grow. This grant was awarded at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and transferred to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles.

A portion of this grant is generously supported by Griffin's Guardians, a St. Baldrick's partner. Griffin's Guardians was created by the Engles in memory of their son, Griffin. Their mission is to provide support and financial assistance to children battling cancer in Central New York, raise awareness about pediatric cancer and provide funding for research.