Aghi Laboratory

Dr. Aghi's research interests focus on the microenvironment of glioblastoma.  The primary focus of the work being done by the scientists in Dr. Aghi's basic science laboratory involves defining the mechanisms by which gliomas form their abnormal microvasculature and how gliomas become resistant to anti-angiogenic treatments that have become increasingly used in glioblastoma treatment since the accelerated FDA approval of the anti-VEGF neutralizing antibody bevacizumab for glioblastoma treatment. 

A second focus of interest of Dr. Aghi's research involves translational studies of oncolytic viruses.  Dr. Aghi is currently organizing as a principal investigator clinical trial(s) using three oncolytic viruses engineered to selectively replicate in tumor cells: replication-competent retrovirus, oncolytic herpes simplex virus, and influenza virus. Once these trials are underway, tissue obtained from treated patients will be used to extend Dr. Aghi's preclinical observations in the laboratory regarding the effect of features of the tumor microenvironment, such as hypoxia or extracellular matrix, on oncolytic viral therapy and ways to utilize this information to improve oncolytic viral efficacy in subsequent clinical trials.

Current Research Projects

Vascular Biology of Brain Tumors
Vascular biology studies, funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), James S. McDonnell Foundation, American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA), and American Cancer Society (ACS) focus on (1) identifying mechanisms by which glioblastomas become resistant to anti-angiogenic treatment, particularly the VEGF-neutralizing antibody Avastin, which was recently FDA approved for recurrent glioblastoma but often causes infiltrative recurrences that are not amenable to existing treatments; and (2) identifying tumor-secreted factors that mediate the recruitment of perivascular progenitor cells to gliomas, and determining whether inhibiting these factors in conjunction with agents targeting the vasculature itself disrupts glioma growth. More 

Oncolytic Viral Therapy
Dr. Aghi is currently organizing clinical trials using three oncolytic viruses engineered to selectively replicate in tumor cells: replication-competent retrovirus, oncolytic herpes simplex virus, and influenza virus. Once these trials are underway, tissue obtained from treated patients will be used to extend our preclinical observations in the laboratory regarding the effect of features of the tumor microenvironment, such as hypoxia or extracellular matrix, on oncolytic viral therapy and ways to utilize this information to improve oncolytic viral efficacy in subsequent clinical trials. More