Funded Grants

SEED GRANT

Grantee: Duke University
Project Lead: Kristen Batich Vaios, MD, PHD 
Grant Title: Augmenting Glioblastoma Dendritic Cell Surveillance In Aged Hosts Using A Novel Immunochemokine
Program Area: Glioblastoma
Grant Type: UKF Seed Grant
Year Awarded: 2025-26
Amount: $50,000
Duration: 1 year

Summary: The long-term goal for this project is to develop effective treatments that improve the survival outcomes for patients with glioblastoma. This proposal builds upon our prior preclinical and clinical data that shows 1) dendritic cell migration to draining lymph nodes is required for effective immune responses against intracranial cancers, and 2) older patients have worse outcomes in response to glioblastoma therapies than younger populations. As such, determining how immune surveillance is altered, and can be improved, in older glioblastoma populations will enhance patient outcomes. This proposal is highly significant because it not only deepens the understanding of the relationship between glioblastoma and the central nervous system-draining lymphatics, it specifically determines how this process is affected by aging. We will use our novel immunochemokine mVEGFC-XCL1 designed in our laboratory to enhance lymphatic drainage, facilitating the migration of dendritic cells to the central nervous system-draining lymph nodes, and promote the activation of T cells and other immune effector responses in preclinical models of glioblastoma. This project is also innovative because of our ability to study patient-derived dendritic cell vaccines in the context of younger and aged patients. Improvements in immune surveillance, antigen presentation, and T cell-mediated tumor killing will ultimately ensure our work will guide the development of novel immunotherapeutics for glioblastoma and other primary and metastatic cancers of the brain.