Inside Pediatrics Spring/Summer 2024

Rintaro Hashizume, M.D., Ph. D.

NEW RESEARCHER STUDYING INTRANASAL DELIVERY FOR DIPG TREATMENT

I n 2023, the University of Alabama at a scientist specializing in pediatric neuro oncology. Hashizume, an associate professor of hematology and oncology, brings a commitment to pediatric brain tumor research, focusing specifically on the daunting challenge presented by diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Birmingham (UAB) Department of Pediatrics welcomed Rintaro Hashizume, M.D., Ph.D., DIPG is an aggressive brain tumor that primarily affects children and has a grim prognosis, with most patients succumbing to the disease within 12 months. What makes DIPG particularly challenging is its location in a vital area of the brain that controls breathing and heartbeat, rendering surgery impractical.

blood-brain barrier and the lack of genomic alterations in pediatric brain tumors. However, in 2012, genome-wide sequencing identified a specific mutation in DIPG, providing a crucial target. Hashizume’s lab has been developing therapies that specifically target this mutation, particularly through epigenetic targeting therapy. One groundbreaking aspect of Hashizume’s research is intranasal delivery for drug administration. This method bypasses the blood-brain barrier, offering a non-invasive and convenient alternative method of drug delivery to the brain tumor. Hashizume’s team is exploring liposome-encapsulated drugs delivered intranasally, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy for the treatment of DIPG.

Traditional chemotherapy faces significant hurdles in treating DIPG, primarily due to the

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