our projects
Project Build On
Project Build On, a research initiative underway at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, explores strategic ways to target metabolic weaknesses of glioblastoma. Through innovative drug combinations, researchers aim to block key pathways that fuel cancer growth, offering new hope for patients with this aggressive disease.
About Project Build On
Cutting off glioblastoma’s energy supply
Researchers at MD Anderson have identified a unique vulnerability that is often a characteristic of glioblastoma tumors. When the tumor suppressor gene, PTEN, is lost, it can disrupt metabolic processes that cancer cells rely on to survive. Thanks to funding from the Glioblastoma Research Organization, Steven Millward, Ph.D., and his laboratory team are developing innovative ways to exploit this weakness and hopefully extend survival for patients.
The loss of PTEN has the downstream effect of knocking out ENO1, a protein coding gene important for maintaining sugar metabolism. That’s when ENO2 takes over to help in a back-up capacity. When ENO2 is inhibited in these situations, cancer cells struggle to produce the energy they need. Project Build On is exploring how we can combine ENO2 inhibitors developed at MD Anderson with existing drugs, like those used to treat arthritis and leukemia, to stop tumor growth.
Dr. Millward is an associate professor of Cancer Systems Imaging at MD Anderson and a proud previous recipient of support from the Glioblastoma Research Organization. He earned his doctoral degree in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from Caltech. A dedicated scientist and mentor, he is committed to translating laboratory discoveries into real-world therapies.
