High school student takes on pediatric cancer

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 11:51:00 -0400

Through the Focused Ultrasound Foundation’s Global Internship Program, Mason Liu is tackling pediatric cancer research in the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s D.C. labs.

Could a creatine boost help the brain? Virginia Tech scientists test new ultrasound therapy

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:45:00 -0400

Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute are exploring whether focused ultrasound can help children with creatine deficiency overcome learning and speech delays.

New study aims to improve treatment for pediatric brain cancer

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:38:00 -0400

With grant support from The Children’s Cancer Foundation Inc., a nonprofit that serves the Baltimore-Washington region, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists are focused on ending an glioblastoma.

Go behind the scenes of brain research at the 12th annual Brain School

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 08:28:00 -0500

Scientists will present their research through an interactive expo and panel discussion on focused ultrasound when the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC opens its doors for Brain School on March 10.

Graduate student’s research goal: Improve outcomes for brain cancer patients

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

A Jeanine L. Matte Fellowship will help advance Samantha Howerton’s doctoral research into personalized therapies for glioblastoma.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute spinoff company translates science into peptide drugs targeting cancer stem cells

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 08:00:00 -0500

Bioentrepreneur Samy Lamouille recently joined a Johnson & Johnson life science and health care incubator, opening new avenues for networking and development.

Virginia Tech award supports innovation in brain cancer treatment

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0400

Cairina Inc. co-founder Caleb Stine received a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Award that puts the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute spinoff a step closer to making its research available to surgeons and oncologists.

Grant will help fund novel use of focused ultrasound for hard-to-treat pediatric brain cancers

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0400

The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Cheng-Chia “Fred” Wu will explore a new approach to brain tumor drug delivery.

Physician-scientist to spearhead focused ultrasound research for pediatric brain tumors at Virginia Tech

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Cheng-Chia "Fred" Wu joins forces with Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and Children’s National Brain Tumor Institute to help children with cancer.

From Chile to Virginia: Ph.D. research improves brain tumor measurement in dogs

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:00:00 -0400

A study by doctoral student Josefa Garcia Mora on canine brain tumor measurement has become one of the most cited papers in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

New technique could help treat aggressive brain tumors

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 10:03:00 -0400

Burst sine wave electroporation was found to cause less damage to cells and tissue but more disruption to the blood-brain barrier.

Dogs play a key role in veterinary college’s brain cancer trial

Tue, 21 May 2024 12:10:00 -0400

A collaborative study explores an innovative therapy called histotripsy, harnessing the power of focused ultrasound to break down tumors with precision.

Researchers reveal promising treatment target for resistant brain cancer

Fri, 17 May 2024 13:49:00 -0400

For many patients with a deadly type of brain cancer called glioblastoma, chemotherapy resistance is a big problem. But now, Virginia Tech researchers with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC may have moved a step closer to a solution.

New cancer drug shows promise in targeting genetic weakness in tumors, Virginia Tech expert says

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0400

In an invited review article in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, Kathleen Mulvaney, assistant professor with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, talks about the potential of a new drug that has shown early promise in clinical trials for solid tumors by killing cancer cells that lack specific genes.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute spinoff Cairina Inc. translates science into improved cancer treatments

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 07:46:00 -0400

The company recently received support from Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties to help commercialize better tools for surgeons and oncologists.

Children's National Hospital, Virginia Tech unite to advance AI for pediatric health

Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:24:00 -0400

Scientists shared their progress in building digital twins to predict surgical outcomes, enhancing visualization to increase the precision of delicate interventions, establishing data command centers to anticipate risks for fragile patients, and more.

Common challenge, different strategies: Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance gathers broad mix of researchers and clinicians

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:44:00 -0400

The second annual Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance retreat, hosted this year on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, brought together scientists and physicians on the leading edge of developing innovative therapy types, fresh biological targets, and new technologies to take on cancer.

‘We have a very rich resource here’

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0400

Scientist Jia-Ray Yu and collaborators tackle pediatric brain cancer in Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s growing presence in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area.

New cancer biologist targets ‘Achilles heel’ in deadly brain cancers

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 20:31:00 -0400

Cancer biologist Kathleen Mulvaney joins the faculty of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC on Oct. 1. Her lab will be in Washington, D.C., on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus as part of a partnership between Virginia Tech and Children’s National.

Virginia Tech researcher’s 3D model of brain tumor environment could aid personalized treatment

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 10:14:00 -0400

Scientists have developed a novel 3D tissue-engineered model of the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment that can be used to learn why the tumors return and what treatments will be most effective at eradicating them – right down to a patient-specific level.

Cancer Research Alliance forges new collaborations, strengthens research programs at inaugural retreat

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 08:58:00 -0400

More than 100 cancer researchers from across Virginia Tech recently met at the first Cancer Research Alliance retreat hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.

Rare disease research gives families hope, ‘vital’ to advancing medicine

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 10:01:00 -0500

Rare diseases afflict 300 million people worldwide. Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC researchers are bridging a gap in scientific knowledge by studying some of the diseases that together add up to a formidable public health challenge. Feb. 28 marks the 14th international Rare Disease Day.

Scientists at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute develop new strategy for brain cancer treatment

In a new study published in Oncogenesis, Zhi Sheng and Rob Gourdie of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC describe how two protein-targeting drugs – when combined with chemotherapy – yield synergistic cytotoxicity to treatment-resistant glioblastoma.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute biotech spin-out raises additional $305,000 in investments

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 12:25:00 -0500

With this wave of new grants and investments, Acomhal Research Inc. is nearing a million dollars in total funding toward development of a new therapeutic to fight drug-resistant cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme and metastatic disease including triple negative breast cancer.

Meet Jenny Munson, a cancer scientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

Jenny Munson is a principal investigator at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute who studies the tumor microenvironment in cancers, including glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer. Munson's lab is located in the new $90-million biomedical research addition building in Roanoke.

Ivy Foundation grant aids Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist’s search for treatment for deadly brain cancer

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 07:03:00 -0400

Jennifer Munson, an associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, an expert in interstitial fluid flow - the movement of liquid within and around living tissues - will use the $500,000 award to further her study of patient-specific therapies for deadly brain tumors.

From pasture to patient: Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists distill cow’s milk into nano-capsules for drug delivery

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 14:24:00 -0400

Rob Gourdie, professor and director of the Center for Vascular and Heart Research at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and his lab team developed a scalable method to harvest nano-sized biological capsules called exosomes from unpasteurized cow’s milk. Exosomes are a promising candidate for drug delivery in humans.

TBMH graduate student awarded two grants to advance brain cancer research

Wed, 05 May 2021 08:44:00 -0400

Joelle Martin, who will defend her doctoral dissertation this month, received the Zeta Beta Tau Cancer Research Award and a graduate fellowship provided by philanthropist, alumnus, and longtime Virginia Tech benefactor Ray Gaskins ‘64.

Scientists from Virginia Tech, City of Hope aim to improve therapy for deadly brain cancer

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 10:35:00 -0400

Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and City of Hope believe the complex way fluid flows through glioblastoma tumors holds the key to improving the success of CAR-T cell therapy in treating the cancer and helping more patients survive.

TBMH graduate student awarded two grants to advance brain cancer research

Joelle Martin, a graduate research assistant in the Sontheimer Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, received a Zeta Beta Tau Cancer Research Award and a student fellowship funded by Virginia Tech alumnus and benefactor Ray Gaskins.

Unified Vision: How Children’s National Hospital, Virginia Tech, JLABS are creating pediatric and healthcare research hub in Washington, D.C.

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 15:46:00 -0500

Leaders from Children's National Hospital, Virginia Tech, and Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC detailed how ambitious goals and strategic alignment were key to developing the new Children's National Research & Innovation Campus at last week's Healthcare Project Delivery Conference.

Of mice, men – and fish: Researchers find parallels in spread of human brain cancer cells in mammals, zebrafish

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 10:58:00 -0500

Scientists at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC have identified a new zebrafish model that could help advance glioblastoma multiforme research.

Virginia Tech, Children’s National Hospital award $100,000 to fund collaborative cancer research pilot projects

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 14:10:00 -0500

Children’s National Hospital and Virginia Tech have awarded two $50,000 one-year pilot grants to multi-institutional teams of scientists for pediatric brain cancer research.

Virginia Tech, Children’s National Hospital request proposals for new brain cancer research pilot grants

Wed, 02 Dec 2020 10:50:00 -0500

Children’s National Hospital and Virginia Tech launched a new pilot funding opportunity to advance brain cancer research. Two dual-institution teams will each be awarded a one-year, $50,000 grant.

Fluid flow in the brain: Sorting the good and the bad

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 10:55:00 -0400

Ian Kimbrough, an assistant professor in the School of Neuroscience, and Jennifer Munson, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, are taking research learned from brain tumors to help fight Alzheimer’s.

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute biotech spin-off seeks potential breast cancer treatment

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 10:18:00 -0400

Roanoke-based cancer research startup, Acomhal Research Inc., secured a $399,878 Small Business Technology Transfer grant to determine if a molecule that stalls the spread of invasive brain cancer stem cells can help treat aggressive forms of breast cancer.

Scientists reveal how brain tumors impact normally supportive cells

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 08:47:00 -0400

The same brain cells designed to stop brain damage fail to support healthy neurons when a cancer grows. New research, led by Stefanie Robel and Harald Sontheimer at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, reveals how gliomas alter astrocytes, a cell type that helps protect neurons and is crucial to preventing seizures.

Virginia Tech announces expansive cancer research initiative

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 11:22:00 -0400

Virginia Tech has developed a university-wide cancer research strategy to create and expand synergies among more than 30 existing research teams at work finding new ways to diagnose and treat cancer.

New drug application stops spread of brain cancer cells caused by clinical treatment approach

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 05:03:00 -0500

This work is part of a five-year research grant project across multiple universities, examining the role of interstitial fluid flow in the spread of brain cancer cells.

VTCRI research team identifies a potential strategy in fight against brain cancer

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 13:00:00 -0400

Scientists with the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute say a gene involved in the body’s sleep cycle is a potential target for therapies to help patients with a deadly form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma.

Collaborative grant takes on brain cancer

Biomedical engineering and mechanics researcher Jennifer Munson and her team discuss their work examining interstitial fluid flow in brain cancer cell invasion. Munson has received a $2.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to collaborate with the University of Virginia and the University of Michigan over a five-year period.

Using Microfluidic Chips to Study Flow in the Brain

Collaborators from the University of Virginia visit BEAM researcher Jenny Munson for a little shared lab time. Using a microfluidic chip developed by Rebecca Pompano's lab, the researchers induced interstitial flow in small splices of brain. Eventually, they'll use these devices to study flow in glioblastoma, or brain cancer.

First students earn degrees through innovative translational biology, medicine, and health program

Wed, 09 May 2018 00:00:00 -0400

The program is based on the Virginia Tech Carilion Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, and it positions students to conduct research in more than 50 departments and institutes across Virginia Tech.

Carmouche and Sheng receive 2018 VTCSOM Outstanding Research Mentor Awards

Wed, 04 Apr 2018 00:00:00 -0400

Students and alumni nominated individuals who provided clear expectations and high standards for students to conduct original hypothesis-driven research effectively and provide opportunities for professional growth.

Collaborative grant takes on brain cancer cell invasion

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 11:25:00 -0500

A relatively unexplored area of cancer research, interstitial fluid flow, or the movement of fluid around and through the three-dimensional space surrounding cells, has been shown to lead to an increase in cancer cell invasion. However, the mechanisms of how and why that happens, particularly in cases of brain cancer, are still unknown.

VTCRI scientists identify new target for developing precision treatment in malignant brain tumors

Tue, 30 Jan 2018 00:00:00 -0500

Currently, no standard of care exists to prevent or treat recurrent malignant primary brain tumors in patients.

Virginia Tech biomedical spinoff cited for innovation by national university associations

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 12:00:00 -0500

Acomhal Research Inc., formed to fight a deadly type of brain cancer, is being recognized this week by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities and the Association of American Universities.

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute teams converge on strategies to defeat McCain’s form of brain cancer

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400

Research teams at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute from three colleges — Engineering, Science, and Veterinary Medicine — are developing new approaches to treat glioblastoma, the aggressive form of brain cancer recently diagnosed in U.S. Sen. John McCain.

McCain’s form of cancer challenges treatment, Virginia Tech researchers say

Thu, 20 Jul 2017 00:00:00 -0400

Sontheimer and several other Virginia Tech scientists are available to discuss the latest research efforts to eradicate the world’s deadliest form of brain cancer. About half of glioblastoma patients die within the 12 to 18 months of diagnosis, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Third medical student earns St. Baldrick’s fellowship to study cancer at the VTC Research Institute

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 11:00:00 -0400

Lamvy Le is the third medical student at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine to receive the grant, which will support her research in therapies that could potentially treat pediatric brain cancer.

Medical student earns 2 national fellowships to conduct brain cancer research

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0400

Pratik Kanabur said he will study new ways to potentially treat children’s malignant brain cancer with Assistant Professor Zhi Sheng at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute.

Medical students to present four years of research at annual symposium

Mon, 21 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0400

The third annual Medical Student Research Symposium at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine will feature the culmination of four years of research by 42 students.

Researchers find way to make resistant brain cancer cells sensitive to treatment

Mon, 16 Nov 2015 00:00:00 -0500

Scientists from the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and clinicians from Carilion Clinic have discovered how to sensitize drug-resistant human glioblastoma cells to chemotherapy.

Scientists visualize potential brain cancer treatments in real time

Fri, 10 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0400

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists have developed new imaging techniques to watch dangerous brain tumor cells respond to treatment in real time.

Going viral: Targeting brain cancer cells with a wound-healing drug

Mon, 05 Jan 2015 00:00:00 -0500

At the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, three scientists are planning to create a virus capable of destroying brain cancer. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but it isn’t hypothetical – the researchers were recently awarded a grant from the Commonwealth Research Commercialization Fund, part of the Center for Innovative Technology, to engineer a viral therapy.

Tags

High school student takes on pediatric cancer

Could a creatine boost help the brain? Virginia Tech scientists test new ultrasound therapy

New study aims to improve treatment for pediatric brain cancer

Go behind the scenes of brain research at the 12th annual Brain School

Graduate student’s research goal: Improve outcomes for brain cancer patients

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute spinoff company translates science into peptide drugs targeting cancer stem cells

Virginia Tech award supports innovation in brain cancer treatment

Grant will help fund novel use of focused ultrasound for hard-to-treat pediatric brain cancers

Physician-scientist to spearhead focused ultrasound research for pediatric brain tumors at Virginia Tech

From Chile to Virginia: Ph.D. research improves brain tumor measurement in dogs

New technique could help treat aggressive brain tumors

Dogs play a key role in veterinary college’s brain cancer trial

Researchers reveal promising treatment target for resistant brain cancer

New cancer drug shows promise in targeting genetic weakness in tumors, Virginia Tech expert says

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute spinoff Cairina Inc. translates science into improved cancer treatments

Children's National Hospital, Virginia Tech unite to advance AI for pediatric health

Common challenge, different strategies: Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance gathers broad mix of researchers and clinicians

‘We have a very rich resource here’

New cancer biologist targets ‘Achilles heel’ in deadly brain cancers

Virginia Tech researcher’s 3D model of brain tumor environment could aid personalized treatment

Cancer Research Alliance forges new collaborations, strengthens research programs at inaugural retreat

Rare disease research gives families hope, ‘vital’ to advancing medicine

Scientists at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute develop new strategy for brain cancer treatment

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute biotech spin-out raises additional $305,000 in investments

Meet Jenny Munson, a cancer scientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute

Ivy Foundation grant aids Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist’s search for treatment for deadly brain cancer

From pasture to patient: Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists distill cow’s milk into nano-capsules for drug delivery

TBMH graduate student awarded two grants to advance brain cancer research

Scientists from Virginia Tech, City of Hope aim to improve therapy for deadly brain cancer

TBMH graduate student awarded two grants to advance brain cancer research

Unified Vision: How Children’s National Hospital, Virginia Tech, JLABS are creating pediatric and healthcare research hub in Washington, D.C.

Of mice, men – and fish: Researchers find parallels in spread of human brain cancer cells in mammals, zebrafish

Virginia Tech, Children’s National Hospital award $100,000 to fund collaborative cancer research pilot projects

Virginia Tech, Children’s National Hospital request proposals for new brain cancer research pilot grants

Fluid flow in the brain: Sorting the good and the bad

Fralin Biomedical Research Institute biotech spin-off seeks potential breast cancer treatment

Scientists reveal how brain tumors impact normally supportive cells

Virginia Tech announces expansive cancer research initiative

New drug application stops spread of brain cancer cells caused by clinical treatment approach

VTCRI research team identifies a potential strategy in fight against brain cancer

Collaborative grant takes on brain cancer

Using Microfluidic Chips to Study Flow in the Brain

First students earn degrees through innovative translational biology, medicine, and health program

Carmouche and Sheng receive 2018 VTCSOM Outstanding Research Mentor Awards

Collaborative grant takes on brain cancer cell invasion

VTCRI scientists identify new target for developing precision treatment in malignant brain tumors

Virginia Tech biomedical spinoff cited for innovation by national university associations

Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute teams converge on strategies to defeat McCain’s form of brain cancer

McCain’s form of cancer challenges treatment, Virginia Tech researchers say

Third medical student earns St. Baldrick’s fellowship to study cancer at the VTC Research Institute

Medical student earns 2 national fellowships to conduct brain cancer research

Medical students to present four years of research at annual symposium

Researchers find way to make resistant brain cancer cells sensitive to treatment

Scientists visualize potential brain cancer treatments in real time

Going viral: Targeting brain cancer cells with a wound-healing drug