NREF Announces Research Grant Recipient in Partnership with the SBTF

The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Section on Tumors are excited to announce Sophie Peeters, MD, as the recipient of the Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation (SBTF) and NREF Research Grant on behalf of the AANS/CNS Section on Tumors. This grant is funded through a partnership with the SBTF, who desires to provide an opportunity to support important brain tumor research conducted by neurosurgical residents and neurosurgery faculty early in their careers. “Research conducted at this level by dedicated residents and early career neurosurgery faculty is crucial to the development of neurosurgeon-scientists who can translate important new treatments tested in the lab to actual brain tumor patients”, says long time SBTF Board Member Peter Nicholas, who is passionate about advancing change against brain tumors and brain cancer.   

Dr. Peeter’s research, “Neoantigens arising from alternative pre-mRNA splicing may be targeted by tumor-specific T lymphocytes in histone H3.3 G34R mutant pediatric GBM,” is receiving funding in the amount of $50,000 through this partnership. The research is to be conducted at UCLA Medical Center under the direction of Linda Liau, MD, PhD, MBA, FAANS. Regarding her research opportunity, Dr. Peeters says:

“Having spearheaded and organized the yearly Neurosurgery Charity Beach Volleyball Tournament to raise funds for the NREF to support neurosurgery resident education, it is truly an honor to be a recipient of an NREF research grant. The grant will help support my research on targeted immunotherapy for histone H3.3 G34R mutant pediatric GBM. We hypothesize that dysregulation of alternative splicing caused by the H3.3G34R mutation in GBM induces tumor-specific neoantigens that stimulate cytotoxic T lymphocyte priming, expansion and activation.”

The SBTF is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and a public charity whose mission is to improve the quality of life for brain tumor patients and their families and to raise funds for brain tumor research so that a cure can be found.

For further information about grant opportunities, visit www.tumorsection.org/funding-research/.

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About the NREF

The Neurosurgery Research & Education Foundation (NREF) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization created in 1980 by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) to provide education to neurosurgeons at all stages in their careers and support research identifying links between best practices and improved outcomes in patient care. Through voluntary public donations, corporate support and donations from allied groups, the NREF supports endeavors that impact the lives of those suffering from epilepsy, stroke, brain tumors, spinal disorders, sports-related head injuries, lower back pain, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions.

 For more information about the NREF, visit www.nref.org.