Major Research Investment Accelerates DIPG/DMG Breakthroughs

New Fellowships and Research Support Help Fast-Track Discoveries for Kids Who Can’t Wait

Along with our Research Partners, the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation is thrilled to announce a bold new wave of research investment: another year of funding for the Diffuse Midline Glioma – Adaptive Combinatorial Trial (DMG-ACT), new laboratory equipment at the University of Michigan Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center, and six new fellowships supporting exceptional predoctoral and postdoctoral scientists dedicated to DIPG and DMG.

By empowering the next generation of scientific leaders, we are driving the breakthroughs families urgently need. This latest round of awards, totaling $2.3 million, brings our 2025 research funding to an unprecedented $8 million, our largest investment year yet.

ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation is thrilled to recognize these six exceptional Fellowship recipients and two Special Projects:

• Salam Almriri of University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, mentored by Sachet Ashok

• Anja Kordowski of Seattle Children’s Hospital, mentored by Nick Vitanza
  (co-funded by the Violet Foundation for Pediatric Brain Cancer)

• Bryan Kincheon Li of University of California San Diego, School of Medicine, mentored by Praveen Raju
  (co-funded by the Violet Foundation for Pediatric Brain Cancer)

• Kevin Lu of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, mentored by Robbie Majzner and Mariella Filbin
  (co-funded by the Violet Foundation for Pediatric Brain Cancer)

• Erik Peterson of University of Michigan, mentored by Daniel Wahl

• Embla Steiner-Malka of Stanford Junior University, mentored by Michelle Monje
  (co-funded by the Neev Kolte & Brave Ronil Foundation) 

Special Projects:

• DMG-ACT (co-funded by Avery’s Little Army and Zatkoff Family Legacy Fund)

This groundbreaking global initiative is revolutionizing the way children with DIPG and DMG are treated by rapidly advancing the most promising combination therapies. Through deep collaboration across leading hospitals and research institutions, its foundational trial (PNOC022) has generated the largest biological dataset ever for these tumors and is driving major discoveries in tumor biology, resistance, and immune response. The ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation’s continued investment is accelerating this progress, expanding access to life-changing clinical options and bringing real hope to families facing this devastating disease.

• Carl Koschmann – University of Michigan Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center

Equipment Support: IVIS™ Lumina S5 Optical Imaging System

This benchtop bioluminescence and fluorescence imager provides high-sensitivity, non-invasive imaging that enables real-time visualization of tumor growth and therapeutic response in mouse models of pediatric brain  tumors. The IVIS S5 will double current imaging capacity (up to 10 mice simultaneously) and detect smaller or earlier tumors thanks to improved sensitivity at low signal levels. These improvements will translate directly into more efficient experiments, better data quality, and fewer animals required per study.

Awards are based on a rigorous review by our Scientific Advisory Council, which is composed of leading experts on pediatric brain tumors, to ensure funds are used for the most incremental and promising research studies. This latest round of funding brings the foundation’s total investment for DIPG/DMG research to $43.7 million across 47 institutions across the world.

Click here to learn more about all of the research grants awarded through the ChadTough Defeat DIPG grant program.