Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) received a $681,070 Project Grant from the National Cancer Institute under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395) to investigate the functional relationship between NF2 and NF1 tumor suppressor genes in peripheral nervous system (PNS) tumor development. The award, effective June 4, 2026, through May 31, 2031, supports fundamental research aimed at elucidating whether NF2 loss cooperates with NF1 mutations to promote malignant transformation in Schwann cell tumors, particularly malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) that represent the leading cause of death in adults with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). This research directly addresses a critical knowledge gap that currently impedes the development of improved therapeutic interventions for neurofibromatosis-associated tumors.

The project delivers research services utilizing multiple experimental approaches, including novel conditional mouse and zebrafish vertebrate models harboring NF1/NF2 mutations, pharmacologic inhibitors targeting Hippo signaling dysregulation, and human patient MPNST samples. Deliverables from this fundamental and translational research will provide mechanistic insights into the role of NF2 in NF1-driven PNS tumor malignancy and validate whether Hippo signaling inhibition represents a viable therapeutic approach for MPNST patients, potentially enabling the development of targeted treatment strategies for this aggressive cancer type.