Brain tumours are among the deadliest forms of cancer, with glioblastoma, low-grade gliomas, and brain metastases claiming thousands of lives each year.
Despite advances in surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, survival rates remain low, and patients often face devastating neurological and cognitive impairments. Researchers are working to understand how brain tumours grow, communicate with healthy brain tissue, and resist current therapies—but there is still so much we don’t know.
With your support, we can fund these life-changing research projects, helping scientists develop innovative treatments, improve patient outcomes, and bring hope to those living with brain tumours.
Funded Research across 2025/2026
Funding: $250,000 (Dr Adam Wells | Brain Tumour)
Description: Recurrent adult glioblastoma is incurable with no life-prolonging systemic treatments available. To improve patient outcomes, CAR-T cell therapy is being tested with seven KARPOS trial patients recruited to date. CAR-T cells expand in patients’ blood, but anti-tumour effects are short-lived. Blood tests suggest CAR-T-induced injury of brain tumour cells leads to an accumulation of bone marrow-derived white cells called macrophages that counter CAR-T activity.
Research: This project will test how three commonly used compounds combat macrophages and enhance CAR-T function in future KARPOS trial patients.
Funding: $50,000 (Dr Helen Palethorpe | Brain Tumour Glioblastoma Research)
Description: High levels of heterogeneity make glioblastoma tumours highly lethal. Heterogeneity results from tumour cells' continuous adaptation (plasticity) to changes in their cellular and non-cellular tumour microenvironment. It remains unknown how this plasticity contributes to tumour evolution week-by-week as patients undergo therapy. For the first time, patient-derived explant organoids (GBOs) will be used to monitor tumour changes outside the body in response to therapy. If successful, this tool can guide adaptable and personalised interventions for glioblastoma patients.
Research:
Aim 1: Administer GD2-CAR-T cells by intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection.
Aim 2: Concurrent oral administration of tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), imipramine, with IV BEV.
Aim 3: Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) supplementation.
Outcomes: Modify the KARPOS clinical trial protocol to include ICV CAR-T administration for six patients, counter macrophages with oral imipramine, and optionally enhance CAR-T function with BHB.
Funding: $50,000 (A/Prof Hien Le | Brain Tumour Glioblastoma Research)
Description: Advances in cancer therapy have extended life expectancy for stage 4 cancer patients, but brain metastases remain challenging. Traditional treatment involves surgery followed by a single dose of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRS). Preoperative SRS offers lower radiation exposure and fewer complications.
Research: This trial will compare a single preoperative SRS dose versus three smaller doses before surgery, evaluating cancer control, side effects, and quality of life to optimise patient outcomes.
Funding: $50,000 (Dr Manam Inushi De Silva & Prof Cedric Bardy | Low-Grade Gliomas)
Description: Gliomas use long cellular protrusions to communicate with each other and the healthy brain microenvironment. This communication promotes tumour growth, migration, and evasion of therapy. The role of these microtubes in low-grade gliomas, which can progress to high-grade forms, remains unclear.
Research: The study will compare microtubes across glioma grades to understand their impact on tumour behavior and treatment resistance, aiming to develop targeted therapies that improve survival and quality of life.
Funding: $50,000 (A/Prof Lisa Ebert | Brain Tumour Glioblastoma Research)
Description: Glioblastoma is the deadliest form of brain cancer with largely ineffective treatments. A new therapy using CAR-T cells (“living drugs”) aims to maximise tumour entry.
Research: Blood vessels in short-term cultured fragments of glioblastoma tissue will be studied to determine factors allowing CAR-T cell entry. Therapy will then be engineered to exploit these gateways, enhancing treatment success.
Understanding Therapy-Induced Glioblastoma Evolution to Overcome Treatment Resistance
Funding: $50,000 (Dr Briony Gliddon | Glioblastoma | Foodland)
Description: Recurrent glioblastoma is resistant to current treatments and has a poor prognosis. This project will examine how glioblastoma evolves under therapy using patient-derived tumour cells obtained at diagnosis and recurrence.
Research: By comparing matched samples and integrating experimental models that mimic patient treatment, cellular and molecular changes driving recurrence will be mapped. The goal is to identify key therapy resistance mechanisms, informing strategies to prevent tumour relapse and improve outcomes.
Funding: $50,000 (Dr Chloe Shard | Glioblastoma | In Mem John ‘Griff’ Griffen)
Description: Glioblastoma often resists chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. Tumour-specific ecosystems formed by blood vessel cells and immune myeloid cells drive tumour progression and suppress immune responses.
Research: Using advanced lab models and next-generation cell engineering, the project will study how these non-cancerous cells influence tumour behaviour and develop engineered immune cells capable of attacking glioblastoma. The outcomes aim to create therapies that overcome resistance and improve survival.
Funding: $50,000 (Dr Nirmal Robinson | Glioblastoma)
Description: Glioblastoma is highly aggressive with poor survival rates. ROBO2, located at the invasive edge of tumours, regulates cancer spread and metabolism, and is controlled by CD47, a protein that helps tumours evade immune responses.
Research: This project will test whether blocking ROBO2, alone or combined with anti-CD47 therapy or mitochondrial inhibitors, can suppress tumour growth and improve survival, aiming to identify new therapeutic strategies.
Funding: $50,000 (Dr Nicole Wittwer | Glioblastoma | In Mem Mark Weber)
Description: CAR T-cell therapy uses engineered T-cells to destroy cancer cells, but brain tumours remain challenging to treat.
Research: This project will develop CAR T-cells that simultaneously target GD2 and FAP (on tumour cells and blood vessels), aiming to overcome treatment barriers, reduce toxicity, and improve outcomes for patients with brain malignancies.
Funding: $50,000 (Dr Olivia Morris Hanon | Glioblastoma | In Mem Phil Matalone)
Description: Glioblastoma recurs almost invariably despite aggressive treatment, causing seizures and cognitive or visual impairments. Tumour cells at the invasive edge connect with neurons via GABA and gangliosides, enabling survival.
Research: This project will investigate glioma–neuron connections and evaluate strategies to disrupt them, providing a foundation for more effective therapies.
Funding: $42,000 (Assoc Prof Pascal Duijf | Glioblastoma)
Description: This project aims to map glioblastoma at unprecedented resolution using AI trained on protein-stained tumour samples to identify 20 distinct cell types.
Research: Mapping cancer and immune cell organisation within the tumour microenvironment will improve diagnosis, guide treatment, reveal therapy resistance, and support future large-scale studies.
Superior Preclinical Models of Human Glioblastoma Extension
Funding: $30,740 (In Memory of Elise Ross)
Lead Researcher: Prof. Stuart Pitson
Description: Glioblastoma is highly invasive and heterogeneous, with complex interactions between tumour cells and the immune system. Current mouse models fail to fully replicate these human characteristics, limiting the translation of research into effective therapies.
Research / Proposed Approach:
Develop humanized mouse models that:
Produce human immune cells
Harbor brain tumours derived from patient glioblastoma cells
These models will allow researchers to study immune interactions and test therapies more effectively.
Impact: Better preclinical models will improve research translation and ultimately lead to improved outcomes for glioblastoma patients.
Researcher Bio: Prof. Stuart Pitson is an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow and NRF Chair of Brain Tumour Research. He heads the Molecular Therapeutics Laboratory at the Centre for Cancer Biology, University of South Australia and SA Pathology.
