Glioblastoma
The Velpula Molecular Neuro-Oncology Laboratory
Dr. Kiran Velpula is an Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria (UICOMP) with an expertise in tumor metabolism, molecular biology, signal transduction and cancer biology. Our research is centered on glioblastoma, the most common brain tumor in adults. Our aim is to identify novel therapeutic avenues and develop small molecule inhibitors for these devastating tumors. Our specific expertise and strengths lie in tumor metabolism, progression and growth. We use patient tumors and patient derived xenograft models that enable to translate novel treatment approaches. Our research laboratory is connected to the Illinois Neurological Institute and OSF Hospital (Peoria, IL) and is widely associated with a network of national and international collaborators.
Research Projects
- Elucidating the role of PDK1 in GSC metabolism
- Identify the metabolic pathways coupled to RTK signaling
- Develop the small molecule inhibitors for targeting tumor metabolism
- Generation of PDX and RCAS mouse models for tumor metabolism
Featured Publication
GLUT1 and TUBB4 in Glioblastoma Could be Efficacious Targets.
Guda MR, Labak CM, Omar SI, Asuthkar S, Airala S, Tuszynski J, Tsung AJ, Velpula KK.
Cancers (Basel). 2019 Sep 5;11 (9). PMID: 31491891