The mission of the UCLA Brain Tumor Research Center is to establish a multidisciplinary academic effort to study brain tumors and to develop new biologically based treatment approaches. The team consists of researchers and clinicians in neurosurgery, neurology, molecular biology, immunology and biotechnology. The theme of the Center is the biological characterization of astrocytic brain tumors at the molecular level. New knowledge of brain tumor biology will lead this program to novel clinical approaches. In particular, genes, receptors, and developmentally regulated proteins unique to brain tumors will be exploited using antisense and other biological approaches. A series of highly focused multidisciplinary research projects will be conducted in molecular biology, immunology and biotechnology. The project will be supported by a Brain Tissue/Clinical Data Bank. Project #1 will prepare molecular profiles of solid tumors and cell lines (primarily by Northern blot analysis) using =oncogenes and genes coding for intermediate filament proteins developmentally regulated neural markers, and important receptors. This approach will be complemented by subractive hybridization technology to find novel markers. Project #2 will focus on gene expression in both the ex vivo tumor and early passage cultures. Project #3 building on exciting preliminary data using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides to the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor will elucidate how the expression/absence of genes influences tumor cell survival. Similar analyses will be carried out for new genes identified by substractive hybridization from project #1. Project #4 will study immune-tumor cell networks. The character of the cellular inflammatory phenotype and cytokine response will be defined and mutual interactive effects between the tumor and inflammatory response will be examined. Project #5 will develop and bring to clinical practice technology which will identify functional areas of brain and tumor intraoperatively. We will accomplish our mission by: -Establishing and maintaining an organizational structure which will facilitate and enhance multidisciplinary, interdepartmental, and interagency efforts to promote research, disseminate findings, and train specialists in brain tumors. -Evaluating Center progress and begin to identify and attract other funding resources to assure that the activities of the UCLA Brain Tumor Research Center can expand beyond the three-year funding of the feasibility grant.
