Meningioma Mommas makes it mark on home turf by awarding a $29,443 grant to University of Colorado researchers, Dr. Michael Graner, Dr. Kevin Lillehei, Dr. Debra Damek and Dr. Phil Tatman for their project, “Determining the Therapeautic Potential of Targeting DNA Methylation in Meningiomas, and the Establishment of Aggressive and Recurrent Cell Lines.”
This proposal will address the therapeutic potential of decitabine for the treatment of meningiomas while also establishing up to 15 clinically aggressive cell lines from high grade, recurrent, and radiation resistant meningiomas. Team Colorado will also evaluate the efficacy of decitabine in these cell lines, which addresses the immediate clinical need for patients with meningiomas. Finally, the RNA sequencing data from clinically aggressive meningiomas can be used to identify novel pathways unique to meningiomas that will provide new insights into meningioma pathogenesis and will help identify new therapeautic targets to investigate.
These All-Star researchers believe one of their strengths is their team approach. By deliberately assembling this line up of top-notch local researchers, Team Colorado possesses a superior ability and advantage of tackling such an under appreciated tumor.
Dr. Graner shares, “Together, we are responsible for the treatment of the majority of patients with meningiomas in the state of Colorado and we see first-hand the devastation these tumors can have on a patient’s life. We believe that even small steps could have a huge impact on the lives of patients with meningiomas. In short, our passion for meningioma research comes from the patients we see every day that we cannot cure. As doctors and scientists, it is our mission and life’s purpose to help these patients. We intend to accomplish that mission.”
“Our team is acutely aware of the devastation meningioma patients face. We have a weekly tumor board meeting to discuss challenging tumors, and it is heart breaking when Dr. Lillehei asks everyone in the room ‘What are we going to do for this patient?’ and no one has an answer. We have very carefully assembled our team to optimize our chances to make a difference,” adds Dr. Tatman.
Their research is being dedicated to the Meningioma Mommas’ family members we have recently lost:
Kathi Bialczak
Danny Grediagin
Jessica Hoopengarner
Candace Coler Dedmon
Pat Ogden
Dawn Mari Puente
Meningioma Mommas is pleased to have Team Colorado going to bat for all those affected by meningiomas. Together we are driven to strike out meningiomas and cross the plate with a cure.