The fight against diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a universally fatal pediatric brain tumor, has taken a significant step forward with the award of a Team Jack Foundation grant totaling $575,000 to support groundbreaking research at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus led by Gates Institute member researcher Sujatha Venkataraman, PhD. Venkataraman is a 2023 Gates Grubstake Fund awardee and associate research professor of pediatric hematology/oncology and bone marrow transplantation in the CU School of Medicine, as well as a CU Cancer Center member. This project, “To facilitate the translation of experimental 'gated' chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy to treat DIPG,” promises to bring cutting-edge therapies closer to clinical trials and ultimately to patients in need.
A Personal Journey to Pediatric Brain Cancer Research
Venkataraman’s path to tackling DIPG is deeply personal. Initially focused on adult cancers, her trajectory shifted in 2004 after losing her son, Rishi Venkataraman, to cancer. Venkataraman subsequently committed herself to researching childhood cancers. In 2009, she joined CU Anschutz to focus on pediatric brain tumors. At a conference in 2014, she first learned about DIPG and became determined to target the disease. DIPG is characterized by its inoperable nature and dismal prognosis, which motivated Venkataraman to identify a highly expressed protein in these tumors, CD99, which paved the way for her innovative approach to treatment.
Securing the Team Jack Foundation Grant
The Team Jack Foundation was founded in honor of Jack Hoffman, who was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer in 2011 at age 5; he died on January 15, 2025. Since its inception in 2013, the foundation has committed over $10 million to pediatric brain tumor research, with over $1 million granted in 2023 alone. Venkataraman’s proposal, submitted through Children’s Hospital Colorado, captured the foundation’s attention. The foundation’s national review board, comprising brain tumor specialists and researchers, unanimously awarded full funding to the project—the only proposal to receive such an endorsement this cycle.
The Team Jack Foundation grant will support the development of gated CAR T cells, an innovative therapy designed to combat DIPG. Unlike conventional treatments, which are purely palliative, these engineered immune cells offer a targeted approach to attack tumor cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissues. The therapy leverages CD99 as one of the targets and is being collaboratively developed and tested with partners at Seattle Children’s Hospital and the Anschutz Medical Campus, including Gates Institute Executive Director Terry Fry, MD and Eric Kohler, MD, PhD, renowned for their expertise in CAR-T therapies. Rajeev Vibhakar, MD, PhD, MPH/MSPH, a clinical investigator and expert in pediatric brain tumors, will lead the clinical trial phase supported by Fry. Venkataraman credits the Gates Biomanufacturing Facility's (GBF's) streamlined pipeline for accelerating the journey from bench to bedside. The facility’s well-established protocols, including cGMP vector production, have been instrumental in advancing the research while meeting rigorous FDA requirements.
“Having a streamlined process has been incredibly useful,” she said, noting that the collaboration with the GBF, a pillar of Gates Institute, has paved the way for efficient preclinical testing and eventual clinical trials. Previously, Venkataraman’s work towards finding a cure for DIPG received significant support from the Morgan Adams Foundation, the Peter Barton Family Fund, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, and the DIPG/DMG Collaborative Cure Starts Now Foundation.
Transforming Hope into Reality
With this new grant, Venkataraman and her team are poised to transform the treatment landscape for DIPG. By leveraging cutting-edge science, collaboration, and philanthropic support, they bring new hope to families facing one of the most challenging diagnoses in pediatric oncology. This achievement exemplifies the power of collaboration and innovation in driving meaningful progress against childhood cancer—a mission that inspires researchers, clinicians, and advocates alike to continue pursuing new, innovative frontiers.