08.13.08
Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Grant
In today’s show, adapted from an article written by David Foreman, writer for UVa’s Health System Media Relations Department, we look at University of Virginia researcher; Richard J. Price, who has received a three-year grant from The Hartwell Foundation to further his research on an innovative method to treat pediatric brain tumors.
Technical advancements in the past decade have made it possible to extend the basic principles of non-invasive, high-intensity, focused ultrasound for destroying organ-confined tumors. However, ultrasound beam aberrations and localized non-specific heating created by the skull are impediments to brain tumor treatment, which could be especially profound in developing children.
But a University of Virginia researcher, Richard J. Price, has received a three-year grant from The Hartwell Foundation to further his research on an innovative method to treat pediatric brain tumors. Price will receive $100,000 annually for three years, and is the first U.Va. scientist to receive a Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Award.
Frederick Dombrose, Hartwell Foundation president said, “It is an honor for The Hartwell Foundation to provide financial support to this outstanding researcher. The competition for awards this year was remarkable, making the final selection very difficult.”
Price aims to use much lower power levels by deploying “ultrasound-activated” delivery agents comprised of chemotherapeutic drug-bearing nanoparticles adhering to gaseous microbubbles, the size of red blood cells. After injection into the bloodstream and traveling to the site of the tumor, the microbubbles will receive pulsed, focused low-intensity ultrasound treatment that will not heat the skull but will cause the microbubbles to release their contents and thereby initiate destruction of the tumor.
Price said, “By activating the nanoparticles with ultrasound, we can hopefully get a more targeted and more sustained release of the chemotherapy drugs. This will potentially provide for fewer treatments with the same efficacy.”
Pediatric tumors respond well to radiation therapy, which is the conventional option according to Price. However, in very young children (less than 4 years old), the side effects of radiation are particularly debilitating, for example permanent cognitive deficits, learning disabilities, and psychological disorders, because the brain is still actively growing.
Price said, “… the clinician is faced with a difficult Catch 22 – wait until the child is older and risk that the tumor can’t be controlled, or treat at an early age knowing that there will be permanent damage. Because our treatment approach obviates the need for radiation, these side-effects from radiation are not a concern. Children, who are most sensitive to these side-effects, stand to benefit the most.”
Price is an internationally recognized authority on the behavior of small blood vessels and their interaction with drugs and ultrasound-targeted therapeutics. He is a pioneer in the area of microbubble interactions with capillaries.
Thomas C. Skalak, chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the School of Medicine said, “This new project will allow him to harness that prior expertise with a new concept for brain tumor therapy that could revolutionize our ability to help patients with this disease. It is a terrific example of how biomedical engineering can help bridge the gap between complex diseases and the new technologies needed to treat them.”
Dr. Sharon L. Hostler, interim vice president and dean of the School of Medicine said, “We are very grateful for The Hartwell Foundation’s generous support of our research approaches in children’s health. Dr. Price’s work on pediatric brain tumors may bring new hope and treatment options to children and families facing cancer.”
You’ve been listening to the Oscar Show, I’m Jacob Canon. Join us for our next show, when we will well discuss the University of Virginia’s outstanding graduation rates among African-American students at all public universities in the nation.