Funding from the Children’s Tumor Foundation enables University of Plymouth researchers to pioneer a humanized preclinical testing model
Researchers at the University of Plymouth are leading an innovative initiative to advance the study of meningiomas in NF2-related schwannomatosis (NF2-SWN).
Meningiomas, often linked to the loss of the NF2 gene, are a hallmark of NF2-SWN and can severely impact patients’ lives despite being typically non-malignant.
Through this new project, researchers will address two critical gaps in meningioma research – the development of effective therapies that improve patient outcomes, and the inability to study the interactions between human immune cells and meningioma tumor cells in living systems before advancing new therapies to clinical trials.
To do this, scientists at the University’s Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence – with funding from the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF) – will develop a humanized meningioma model for NF2-SWN, which will enable researchers worldwide to study these complex interactions and accelerate the development of new therapies.
“Developing therapies for meningioma and other types of brain tumor represents a significant challenge for the global scientific community,” said Dr Liyam Laraba, Research Fellow at the University and lead researcher on the initiative. “Even when potential immunotherapies are identified, they will need to undergo several phases of complex testing and no model exists to look at these therapies’ effectiveness or side-effects in a living organism. We believe this project could play a vital role in the process, creating a model on which therapies can be tested to ensure they are safe and effective. In the long run, that could ultimately shorten the time it takes for drugs to be validated and used for patient treatment.”
The Power of the NF Preclinical Hub
This initiative is the first award under the Children’s Tumor Foundation’s Preclinical Hub Funding Program, aimed at scaling and accelerating drug discovery efforts and preclinical testing capacity across the NF research field. Built as a public-private partnership and led by a dedicated preclinical Director, the NF Preclinical Hub builds on CTF’s ground-breaking programs such as the NF Preclinical and Therapeutics Consortium and the Synodos-NF2 consortium that both led to the identification of clinically efficacious treatments.
“Through our Preclinical Consortium, Synodos-NF2 initiatives, and leadership in establishing global NF platform trials, the Children’s Tumor Foundation continues to enable critical advancements in NF drug discovery,” said Annette Bakker, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of the Children’s Tumor Foundation. “The NF Preclinical Hub continues this momentum by providing the tools and resources necessary to make NF attractive to pharma, biotech, and investors ensuring that promising therapies reach the clinic – and patients – faster.”
Pioneering a New Path Forward
Led by a multidisciplinary team – with Dr Laraba working alongside Chair in Clinical Neurobiology Professor Oliver Hanemann, Professor of Neuroscience David Parkinson, and Lecturer in Bioinformatics Dr Matt Banton – the project includes three major components:
- Developing a humanized meningioma model by transplanting mice with human immune cells;
- Characterizing the immune cells commonly found in meningioma patients;
- Screening therapies to validate the model for drug development.
Once validated, the model will be made available to researchers worldwide, offering a ready-made platform to test therapies without the delays of building a model from scratch.
A Promising Future for Meningioma Therapies
This partnership represents a critical step forward in meningioma therapy development, leveraging the University of Plymouth’s leadership in brain tumor research and the Children’s Tumor Foundation’s commitment to delivering revolutionary treatment options. By addressing the complexities of NF2-SWN, the collaboration will improve the odds of success in clinical trials and deliver better treatment options for patients living with these challenging tumors.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
For more information about this news release, contact:
University of Plymouth Media & Communications Officer Alan Williams on 01752 588004 or email alan.williams@plymouth.ac.uk.
Children’s Tumor Foundation Chief Marketing Officer Simon Vukelj on +12123447568 or email svukelj@ctf.org
About the University of Plymouth
The University of Plymouth is renowned worldwide for its high-quality research, teaching and innovation. With a mission to Advance Knowledge and Transform Lives, the University drives the global debate in disciplines from marine and maritime to medicine, law, computing and climate action.
With a city centre campus and further state-of-the-art facilities spread across Plymouth and beyond, plus Devon and Cornwall’s stunning coast and countryside on the doorstep, the University provides a unique blend of urban and outdoor lifestyle opportunities for everyone who studies and works here. A three-time winner of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education – most recently in respect of its pioneering research on microplastics pollution in the ocean – Plymouth consistently ranks among the world’s leading universities for its innovation, research and teaching in relation to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Plymouth’s teaching and learning excellence is reflected in one of the highest numbers of National Teaching Fellows of any UK university. With over 18,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, plus a further 7,000 studying at partner institutions in the UK and around the world, and over 175,000 alumni pursuing their chosen careers internationally, the University of Plymouth has a growing global presence.
About the Children’s Tumor Foundation
The Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF) is a global leader and catalyst for advancing treatments for neurofibromatosis and schwannomatosis (collectively known as NF), genetic disorders that affect 1 in 2,000 births across all populations and cause tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. As the driving force behind NF drug discovery and development, CTF unites patients, researchers, clinicians, and industry to propel innovative therapies from the lab to the clinic.
CTF’s groundbreaking initiatives include the NF Preclinical Hub, Platform Clinical Trials that accelerate the testing of multiple therapies, and a venture philanthropy model that turns promising ideas into life-changing realities. These efforts have revolutionized the NF treatment pipeline, resulting in the approval of the first FDA-approved drug for NF and advancing several others through late-stage clinical trials.
With an ambitious vision to bring five FDA-approved therapies to market and develop early detection tools within the next decade, CTF is breaking barriers and rewriting the future of NF care. By investing in speed, collaboration, and innovation, the Children’s Tumor Foundation is delivering revolutionary solutions for millions of patients worldwide.
