Chandra earns resident paper award
The Southern Neurosurgical Society awarded Ankush Chandra, MD, PGY-5, in the Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery, with the Augustus McCravey Resident Paper Award.
The August McCravey Resident Paper Award is given in honor of Augustus McCravey, MD, and was established in 1990 through a generous gift from the McCravey family. A founding member of the Southern Neurosurgical Society, McCravey served as president in 1969 and was selected as one of the first Distinguished Practitioners in Neurosurgery by the society in 1981.
“Receiving the SNA Augustus McCravey Best Basic Science Resident Paper Award is a profound honor,” Chandra said. “This accolade marks a significant milestone in my academic journey, acknowledging my commitment and enthusiasm for advancing neurosurgical oncology. Crucially, it reflects the steadfast support I have received from my mentors, both in clinical practice and research, as well as from my family throughout the years.”
Chandra received the award for his research on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which remains the most prevalent and lethal primary brain tumor in adults. GBM has an average survival time of just one year, and the complexity of the tumor allows it to quickly develop resistance to treatment. The research looks at Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6), which are pivotal cell cycle regulators implicated in tumorigenesis across various cancer, including glioblastoma multiforme. However, while CDK4/6 inhibitors have received FDA approval for treatment in other cancers, their use in treating GBM has been inconsistent due to this resistance.
Chandra’s research in the lab of Hui-Wen Lo, PhD, UTHealth Houston distinguished professor in Neuro-Oncology, discovered an ovel mediator, tGLI1, which helps facilitate CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance in GBM. Their research found that Ketoconazole, an already FDA-approved antifungal agent inhibits tGLI1, which resensitizes GBM cells to CDK4/6 inhibitors.
“This effect was substantiated through both in vitro assays and in vivo studies utilizing xenograft murine models of GBM,” Chandra said. “This discovery heralds a promising dual-targeted therapeutic approach for GBM, potentially enhancing clinical outcomes by circumventing drug resistance.”
Chandra earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine with Research Distinction. He has been awarded multiple research grants, including the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Fellowship that enabled him to spend a dedicated research year in the lab of Dr. Manish Aghi to study the tumor microenvironment and its role in drug resistance in glioblastoma.
“This recognition serves as a catalyst for my future endeavors, motivating me to pursue novel therapeutics for treating glioblastoma, offering new hope to patients afflicted by this devastating disease,” Chandra said. “I am committed to continuing this research path as a neurosurgeon-scientist, fostering collaboration to push the boundaries of knowledge and innovation in neurosurgical oncology.”