Sharma Receives U54 Brain MetNet Seed Grant

November 8, 2024

Saurabh Sharma, PhD has received a grant from the Stanford Brain Metastasis Consortium (SBMC) Seed Grant Program. The $50,000 will fund his project "Melanoma Brain Metastases: Overcoming Key Obstacles."

“This project tackles a critical unmet need as melanoma brain metastases (MBMs) pose a significant clinical challenge for patients unresponsive to first-line checkpoint blockade therapy,” said Sharma.

Sharma hopes to determine the immunomodulation of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) by peptide nano-conjugates to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs). He’ll then demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy of this approach by using in vivo models of ICB-resistant MBM.

“Brain-targeted nano-conjugates effectively cross the blood-brain barrier through peptide-mediated transcytosis, enhancing directed drug delivery, reducing circulating drug degradation and off-target toxicity,” said Sharma.

Sharma is a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Amanda Kirane. Kirane and Dr. Michael Lim, who brings specialty expertise in melanoma, brain tumors, macrophage biology, drug development and nanochemistry, will serve as mentors on the project.

The SBMC Seed Grant Program is funded by the NIH NCI U54 Metastasis Network program. SBMC is part of Stanford’s Department of Neurosurgery.

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