Fondation Cancer has donated €420,059 to researcher Dr. Sabrina Fritah of the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) to support her study of chemotherapy resistance in glioblastoma.

The cheque was presented by Dr Carlo Bock and Lucienne Thommes, respective president and director of the Fondation Cancer, to the researcher in the presence of Dr. Gregor Baertz, president of the LIH.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive form of brain tumour, which progresses rapidly according to the location of the tumour in the brain. Symptoms include headaches, seizures, personality changes, nausea and those similar to a stroke and may even progress to unconsciousness. Although the formation of metastases outside of the brain is rare for glioblastoma, recurrences are common following conventional treatment consisting of a tumour resection followed by radiation and chemotherapy. Some glioblastoma cells possess or develop coping mechanisms and become resistant to treatment.

As part of the project funded by the Fondation Cancer, the team of Dr. Fritah at the Norlux Neuro-Oncolohy Laboratory of the LIH will aim to study a new resistance mechanism to chemotherapy in glioblastoma. The project is based on the laboratory's preliminary work which managed to identify the involvement of a new family of biomolecules, long non-coding ribonucleic acids, also known as IncRNAs, in the response of glioblastomas to medical treatment.

The biological role is only known for a limited number of IncRNAs. The project will therefore focus on identifying the biological function of two key IncRNAs in the brain, whilst the effectiveness of treatment combining IncRNAs and chemotherapy will be examined. The long-term objective will be to develop therapeutic approaches based on IncRNAs for patients with brain tumours.

If you also wish to financially contribute to research, send your donation to CCPL IBAN LU92 1111 0002 8288 0000, with the message 'Recherche'.

 

Photo by Comed/Anne Backendorf (L-R): Dr Carlo Bock, president of Fondation Cancer; Dr Sabrina Fritah; Dr Gregor Baertz, president of Luxembourg Institute of Health and Lucienne Thommes, director of Fondation Cancer