Christina Tringides, Ph.D.

Research

My research will characterize the molecular and mechanical signals that promote the growth of glioblastoma, a primary brain cancer in adults. Traditional methods for studying glioblastoma—which use animal models or cells isolated in culture—fail to paint a complete picture of how these cancer cells infiltrate and interact with human brain tissue and the surrounding extracellular matrix in which neurons are embedded. We have used my expertise in materials science and bioengineering to develop a unique, three-dimensional hydrogel platform that mimics the brain extracellular matrix. Now, using advanced methods in live cell imaging and neural and molecular analysis, we will culture healthy neurons and glioblastomas bearing different genetic mutations in this synthetic matrix to assess, in real time, the signals that stimulate cancer migration and growth. Preliminary data suggests that a stiffer matrix promotes formation of invasive branches, a development associated with worse prognoses. We will also use this platform to evaluate compounds for their ability to modulate or limit cancer infiltration, which is work that could produce patient-specific therapeutic interventions for glioblastomas and for other brain cancers.