Venneti Lab Publishes Therapeutic Breakthrough for ZFTA–RELA Ependymomas in Nature

Sriram Venneti, M.D., Ph.D., (DSA Cohort 2017) and colleagues recently published in Nature that ZFTA-RELA ependymomas make itaconate to epigenetically drive fusion expression. This project was supported by the 2025 AACR-Sontag Foundation Brain Cancer Research Fellowship to Siva Kumar Natarajan, who led the project.

Lab grown organoids reveal how glioblastoma outsmarts treatment

Aparna Bhaduri, Ph.D., 2022 DSA awardee, is advancing our understanding of glioblastoma through innovative laboratory models. Bhaduri’s Lab has developed advanced miniature 3D tumor organoid models that make it possible to study glioblastoma tumors in a setting that closely mirrors the human brain. This allows her lab to study how aggressive cancer cells interact with surrounding brain cells and the immune system to become more invasive and resistant to therapy.

Digital twins for in vivo metabolic flux estimations in patients with brain cancer

We are proud to share new research that includes 2021 DSA recipient, Daniel R. Wahl, M.D., Ph.D. This research addresses limitations in metabolic flux estimations in vivo by creating two machine learning-based frameworks. These frameworks allow quantification of metabolic activity in neoplastic glioma cells, revealing frequently elevated purine synthesis and serine uptake, compared with non-malignant cells. The models also identify metabolic heterogeneity among patients and mice with brain cancer, in turn predicting treatment responses to metabolic inhibitors.

Cordance Medical Announces an Oversubscribed $8M Seed Financing to Advance Focused Ultrasound Platform for Brain Disease Treatment

The Sontag Foundation is proud to support Cordance Medical‘s financing round. The funding will support the company’s first-in-human clinical trial of its focused ultrasound platform designed to safely and temporarily open the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This capability could unlock new treatment options for brain cancer and other neurological conditions by enabling therapeutic agents to reach the brain more effectively.

Mario Suvà Delivers Sontag Distinguished Keynote Lecture at SNO 2025

Dr. Mario Suvà (DSA Cohort 2018) delivered the Sontag Distinguished Keynote Lecture at the Society for Neuro-Oncology Annual Meeting 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii. His lecture, “Single Cell Analysis of Glioblastoma in Space and Time: Insights from International Collaborations,” was introduced by fellow DSA Alumna, Dr. Mariella Filbin (DSA Cohort 2019).

AiM Medical Robotics Secures $8.1 Million Series A Financing to Advance Neurosurgery with MRI-Compatible Surgical Robotics

AiM Medical Robotics, a portfolio company of The Sontag Innovation Fund, has successfully completed an $8.1 million Series A financing round. The funding will support the advancement of its MRI-compatible neurosurgery robotic platform toward first-in-human trials. The platform integrates real-time intraoperative MRI with robotic guidance to enable precise placement of neurostimulation leads and to support cranial procedures including biopsy, ablation, and targeted drug delivery.

N6-methyladenosine promotes temozolomide resistance through non-canonical regulation of mRNA stability in glioblastoma cells

We are proud to share incredible work from our 2021 DSA recipient, Sigrid Nachtergaele, Ph.D., that was published in bioRxiv. Dr. Nachtergaele’s lab investigated how the RNA modification m6A regulates drug resistance in glioblastoma cells, and explored whether this mechanism could lead to a clinically actionable path to combat this devastating disease.

Macroporous hydrogel-based mRNA cancer vaccine for in situ recruitment and modulation of dendritic cells

Dr. Hua Wang (DSA Cohort 2024) and his colleagues integrated antigen-encoding mRNAs with dendritic cell-homing materials to achieve in situ recruitment and programming of dendritic cells.

SickKids Researcher Dr. Xi Huang Elected to the Royal Society of Canada

2018 DSA grantee Xi Huang, Ph.D., has been elected to the The Royal Society of Canada | La Société royale du Canada, one of the nation’s highest academic honors. Dr. Huang was named a Member of the RSC College, which recognizes emerging leaders for exceptional contributions and impact early in their careers.

Dr. Daniel Wahl Reveals How Glioblastoma Rewires Glucose to Fuel Tumor Growth

2021 DSA grantee, Daniel R. Wahl, M.D., Ph.D., and his team published a recent study revealing how glioblastoma rewires glucose metabolism to fuel its growth and invasion. By combining advanced metabolic tracing in both patients and mouse models, their work uncovers potential therapeutic targets to disrupt this metabolic shift and improve treatment outcomes. This achievement holds special significance for the Foundation, as Dr. Wahl began seeing patients on this clinical study the very same day the Foundation team performed an in-person site visit at the University of Michigan.

Conquer Cancer - The Sontag Foundation Young Investigator Award in honor of the 10th Anniversary of The Brain Tumor Network

Hila Shaim, MD
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Combining IL-12-Expressing Oncolytic HSV1
with TGF-β and Corticosteroid-Resistant
Natural Killer Cells to Target Glioblastoma

Mario Suvà Reveals How Immune Interactions Drive Mesenchymal States in Glioblastoma

Dr. Mario Suvà (DSA Cohort 2018) published in Cell Press showing that interactions between cancer cells and immune cells can drive glioblastoma cells to adopt mesenchymal-like states, providing new insights into tumor plasticity and potential therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Ultra-rapid droplet digital PCR enables intraoperative tumor quantification

2019 DSA grantee, Gilad Evrony, M.D., Ph.D., and his lab published an innovative method for ultra-rapid diagnostics of brain tumors in the operating room. We are hopeful that this will become a more widely used tool, significantly improving patient outcomes.

2025 SNO Excellence in Education Award

Dr. Susan Chang, Professor of Neurological Surgery at UCSF and Sontag Scientific Advisor received the Society for Neuro-Oncology Excellence in Education Award. This prestigious honor recognizes individuals who have shown outstanding dedication to neuro-oncology education, mentoring, and training. We are proud to celebrate Dr. Chang’s impactful contributions to the field and her commitment to shaping the next generation of neuro-oncology leaders.

Dr. Daniel Wahl named the inaugural Achtenberg Family Professor of Radiation Oncology

2021 DSA recipient, Daniel R. Wahl, M.D., Ph.D. and his dedicated team have been recently named the inaugural Achtenberg Family Professor of Radiation Oncology, a recognition of his groundbreaking work and dedication. This professorship was made possible by a generous gift from the Achtenberg family, whose philanthropy is helping shape the future of cancer treatment and patient care.

Re-purposed FDA-Approved Drug Could Help Treat High-grade Glioma

Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Medical University of Vienna and University of Michigan, led by our 2019 DSA grantee, Mariella Filbin, M.D., Ph.D., have teamed up to explore a new approach to glioblastoma.
Avapritinib, an FDA-approved drug for other cancers, has shown promise in reducing aggressive gliomas in animal models and in an initial cohort of patients with high-grade glioma. We are excited to see them continue to explore how this drug could become an additional tool in helping patients.

Bradley Bernstein, M.D., Ph.D., Elected as Fellow of the AACR

Congratulations to Scientific Advisory Board member Dr. Bradley Bernstein on being elected a Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research Academy Class of 2025. Each year, AACR elects a small group of scientists through a rigorous peer-review process recognizing profound and lasting contributions to cancer research. We are proud to have Dr. Bernstein on our Advisory Board and celebrate this well-deserved honor.

2025 CapU Alumni Awards: Dr. Susan Chang

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Susan Chang, a valued member of our Scientific Advisory Board since 2012, has been honored with the Capilano University 2025 Relevant Award. Congratulations, Dr. Chang, on this well-deserved recognition!

Research Featuring Four DSA Awardees Reveals Glioblastoma Cells Stuck in Immaturity

Research led by Dr. Steven Sloan (DSA 2019) and features fellow DSA awardees Dr. Aparna Bhaduri (DSA 2022), Dr. Clark Chen (DSA 2010), and Dr. Sriram Venneti (DSA 2017), found that many glioblastoma cells resemble immature astrocytes, providing new insight into how these aggressive tumors develop.

Three DSA Grantees Elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation

Congratulations to Dr. Mariella Filbin (DSA Cohort 2019), Dr. Jason Huse (DSA Cohort 2012), and Dr. Daniel Wahl (DSA Cohort 2021) on their induction into the prestigious American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) in 2025. ASCI membership honors physician-scientists who make transformative contributions to clinical research.