UCLA Health receives $1.72 million grant to advance brain tumor research and training

Investigators at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have been awarded a $1.72 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support the Neuro-Oncology Translational Research Training Program, an initiative designed to train the next generation of brain tumor scientists and physician-scientists.

The five-year grant will help fund predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees, as well as clinical fellows, committed to advancing brain tumor research and treatment. The program aims to cultivate scientists with expertise in translational research, bridging the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications in neuro-oncology to accelerate discoveries and improve the lives of patients with brain tumors. 

Glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer, has a grim prognosis, with median survival ranging from 14 to 20 months. Brain metastases, which occur when cancer spreads to the brain from other parts of the body, affect between 10% and 25% of adult cancer patients, with an estimated 98,000 to 170,000 new cases diagnosed annually-a number that continues to rise. 

Led by Dr. Robert Prins, professor of neurosurgery and pharmacology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and Dr. Benjamin Ellingson, director of the UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory and professor of radiological sciences at the medical school, the program equips trainees with cutting-edge laboratory experience, clinical exposure, and mentorship across key fields, including oncology, neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, radiation oncology, immunology, pharmacology, pathology computational biology, neuroscience, biochemistry and biostatistics. 

Despite advances in research, effective therapies for malignant brain tumors remain limited, highlighting the urgent need for specialized training programs. This program provides young investigators, who will become future leaders in neuro-oncology research, with hands-on experience needed to translate scientific discoveries into meaningful clinical advances."

Dr. Robert Prins, professor of neurosurgery and pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

"Brain tumors remain one of the most complex and deadly cancers, and progress in this area requires seamless collaboration across multiple disciplines," said Ellingson. "By bringing together experts from diverse fields, this program fosters innovation and prepares young scientists to tackle the urgent challenges of glioblastoma and brain metastases."

The program will begin accepting applications for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees this spring.