Angelina Vaseva, PhD to Receive Department of Defense Neurofibromatosis Research Program New Investigator Award

Abstract

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) -associated malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor is the leading cause of death in patients with NF1 syndrome. It is a highly aggressive soft-tissue sarcoma with very limited therapy options due to resistance to conventional therapies as well as a metastatic propensity. There is an urgent need for novel and more effective therapies. The most common molecular characteristic of NF1-MPNST is loss-of-function alterations in the NF1 gene, which leads to uncontrolled activation of RAS oncoproteins and RAS-effector pathways. Dr.Vaseva’s laboratory will study novel approaches to target these pathways, with the goal of designing novel clinical trials.