Novel Molecular Aspects of the Growth-Suppressive Function Of PID1 in Childhood Medulloblastoma
Background
Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain cancer in children and pose a treatment challenge. The Epstein lab discovered that PID1, a little-known gene discovered in 2006, is growth-suppressive in medulloblastomas, constituting the first link of PID1 to cancer. Increasing PID1 slows growth of medulloblastoma while downregulating PID1 accelerates it.
Project Goal
The lab is now seeking to define the molecular mechanisms underlying PID1's medulloblastoma-suppressive effects. By using increase and decrease in PID1 levels, mutants of PID1 and key members of a molecular pathway known to regulate proliferation in medulloblastomas, the summer student will help determine the role of PID1 in this mechanism. This will forward our understanding of PID1 tumor-suppressive mechanism with the goal to develop drugs that mimic PID1 for medulloblastoma therapy.
Mentored by Dr. Anat Erdreich-Epstein
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
