Federal Grant Award Summary

Duke University's Office of Research Administration received a $1.88 million Project Grant from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Biology Research program (CFDA 93.396) awarded on September 23, 2025, with a completion date of August 31, 2029. The grant funds fundamental research to integrate genome-wide association study (GWAS) data with single-cell omics technologies to identify cellular effectors of glioblastoma predisposition. This research initiative addresses the urgent need to better understand glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults, with the ultimate goal of advancing prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment methods for this uniformly lethal disease.

The research combines advanced analytical approaches in cancer cell biology and tumor biology to characterize molecular mechanisms underlying glioblastoma susceptibility at the cellular level. By leveraging Duke University's multidisciplinary research capabilities and state-of-the-art facilities, the four-year project will generate fundamental scientific knowledge expected to inform improved therapeutic strategies and clinical approaches for GBM management. This award aligns with the Cancer Biology Research program's objective to provide fundamental information on cancer cause and nature through innovative investigator-initiated research mechanisms.