Angelina Vaseva, PhD Awarded $800K Alex’s Lemonade Stand Grant to Study the “Development of New Approaches to Target MAP Kinase Pathway in RAS-driven Rhabdomyosarcoma.”

Angelina-Vaseva
Angelina Vaseva, PhD

Institution: University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Researcher(s): Angelina Vaseva, PhD
Grant Type: R Accelerated Award Grants
Year Awarded: 2023
Type of Childhood Cancer: Rhabdomyosarcoma
Length: Four years

Project Description:

Current therapies for children with rhabdomyosarcoma are highly toxic and cause lifelong complications for survivors. In addition, high-risk patients have very poor outcomes. More effective and less toxic therapies are needed for these patients. Fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma is the more common rhabdomyosarcoma, characterized by frequent cancer-causing mutations in genes called the Ras family genes. We and others have shown that interventions targeting a signaling pathway called the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase pathway would benefit patients with fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma. However, effective strategies to target this pathway are currently lacking. Our proposal will preclinically validate a novel approach to target the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase pathway and define strategies to successfully use this approach for the design of less toxic and more effective therapies.


Project Goals:

Our proposal focuses on the preclinical development of less toxic and more effective targeted therapies for children with fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma, the more common type of rhabdomyosarcoma, characterized by frequent mutations in a gene family called the Ras genes. Our preliminary data indicates that a novel inhibitor to target signaling pathway called the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase pathway could have clinical implications for patients with fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma, whose cancer has the Ras mutations. We aim to preclinically validate this inhibitor and define strategies to use it in the clinic in combination with other agents to achieve long-term patient benefit. The accomplishment of our project has the potential to lead to the design of much-needed novel therapies for patients with fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma.

SOURCE: Alex’s Lemonade Stand Grant Announcement

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Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.

 

Stay connected with the Greehey CCRI on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.


Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.

Stay connected with the Greehey CCRI on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.