Research Information
Research Interests
The Hubert Lab is exploring and exploiting the unique biology of the different cell populations within brain tumors. The lab uses advanced, 3-dimensional, and patient-direct (not just patient-derived) models to study the brain tumor cell community with single-cell resolution. The lab's novel 3D organoid cultures, or “mini-tumors”, better recapitulate the diversity and microenvironmental biology of human tumors than traditional cultures. The lab has developed ways to isolate and functionally test cells from spatially distinct niches, and have leveraged this capability to identify unique and non-overlapping cancer vulnerabilities in different cell populations growing together in a tumor. The lab is now combining this data with novel 3D small molecule screening to pair multiple niche-specific targets with drugs that effectively shut these targets down. This allows the lab to create rationally-designed combination therapies to more completely eradicate the disease.