Post-doctoral Fellowship Grant Awarded to Pruthvi Gowda

Recent studies show that DIPG tumors are made up of different types of cells, including stem-like cells that drive tumor growth and a smaller number of more mature, differentiated cells. The research focuses on how n3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFAs), a type of fat, might help push the tumor cells to become more differentiated, making them less aggressive and less likely to form tumors.

Aim 1 will study how the n3-PUFA metabolic pathway influences the differentiation of DIPG cells. Early findings suggest that n3-PUFAs are key for this process, and blocking their action prevents the cells from maturing. The researcher will use genetic techniques to modify enzymes responsible for n3-PUFA metabolism and examine how these changes impact cell growth, survival, and differentiation. They will also explore how n3-PUFAs affect the activity of certain proteins that control cell identity, aiming to understand how these lipids influence the tumor’s behavior.
Aim 2 will test whether increasing n3-PUFA levels in DIPG cells can reduce tumor formation in animal models. The researcher will manipulate the n3-PUFA pathway to see if it can shift the tumor cells to a more mature state that is less likely to grow into tumors.

This study could provide insights into using n3-PUFAs as a novel treatment strategy for DIPG by encouraging the tumor cells to become less malignant through differentiation.