Brain Cancer Canada is pleased to announce a $85,000 research grant awarded to Dr. Stéphane Angers at the University of Toronto for his project, "Discovery of Druggable Vulnerabilities in Hypermutant Recurrent Glioblastoma." This innovative research initiative aims to identify new therapeutic strategies for glioblastoma (GBM), one of the most treatment-resistant forms of brain cancer. 

Despite aggressive standard-of-care treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, recurrent GBM tumours almost inevitably emerge. To date, effective drug targets for recurrent GBM are lacking. Approximately 15% of recurrent GBM tumours acquire mutations in the MSH6 gene, which drives resistance to chemotherapy and leads to a phenomenon known as hypermutation, characterized by the accumulation of numerous additional mutations. 

Preliminary findings from Dr. Angers’ laboratory suggest that hypermutant GBM cells may exhibit heightened sensitivity to antifolate drugs already approved for other clinical indications. The team’s project has two primary goals: first, to evaluate differences in drug sensitivity between hypermutant and non-hypermutant recurrent GBM cells; and second, to employ cutting-edge genetic screening techniques to identify additional therapeutic targets for this particularly resistant subset of tumours. 

Through this work, Dr. Angers and his team aim to lay the foundation for developing more effective, targeted therapies that could significantly improve outcomes for patients facing recurrent GBM. 

This grant has been made possible through tremendous grassroots initiatives and In-memory contributions from across Canada including Sault Ste Marie Warriors, Burpees for Brain Cancer, and Memorial Fundraisers for Bernardo Scalisi, Roxanne Tanton, and Greg McLane.