Learning more about what you're funding

How understanding the roots of childhood cancer can help us find an end to it

Two children can be diagnosed with the same type of cancer, receive similar treatments, and have completely different results. Why does one tumor respond well while another becomes aggressive or returns?

Answering that question requires looking deep into the biology of the tumor itself. Your generosity is helping to fund research that explores where tumors originate, how they evolve over time, and what biological processes may be driving their growth.

This work will help our researchers identify new treatment targets and develop therapies that are more precise, more effective, and less toxic for children.

Tumor Biology Studies

Why do the same childhood cancers have such different outcomes in different kids?

Even when tumors appear similar under a microscope, they may be driven by very different biological forces, leading to very different results.

Some cancers develop aggressive behaviors because of specific genetic mutations. Others are shaped by the surrounding tumor environment, developmental signals in the growing brain, or molecular processes that influence how genes are expressed.

Research in tumor biology helps scientists:

  • Identify the cells where cancers first originate
  • Understand why tumors become aggressive or resistant to treatment
  • Reveal hidden drivers that standard DNA testing may miss


These discoveries are critical because they often uncover entirely new treatment strategies.

Because of you, The Morgan Adams Foundation is funding several projects designed to better understand the biology behind some of the most challenging pediatric brain tumors:

  • John Prensner, MD, PhD and his team at the University of Michigan are using advanced sequencing technology to create the first comprehensive RNA map of medulloblastoma (brain tumors), ideally revealing entirely new therapeutic targets for this cancer.
  • Nathan Dahl, MD, and Rajeev Vibhakar, MD, PhD and teams at CU Anschutz are using advanced single cell sequencing to investigate how ATRT tumors (and subgroups) arise during brain development. Each ATRT subgroup presents with very different outcomes. This project could build the first identification of biological vulnerabilities that could lead to more targeted therapies.
  • Nathan Dahl, MD and his team at CU Anschutz are investigating the origins of choroid plexus carcinoma. This is a brain cancer most often affecting kids under three, with outcomes remaining poor. The team aims to identify the cells of origin and uncover biological pathways that could be targeted in future treatments.

Why these types of studies and your support of them matters

Understanding the biology of childhood cancers is one of the most powerful ways to improve treatment options and outcomes.

When researchers uncover what drives a tumor’s growth, they can design therapies that target those precise factors directly, instead of relying only on treatments like chemotherapy – which unfortunately can affect both cancerous cells as well as healthy cells alike. For a growing child, this kind of treatment can be harsh and often, life altering.

Because of supporters like you, researchers are exploring the fundamental biology of pediatric cancers and translating those discoveries into better treatments for children who urgently need them.

Want to learn more about the science behind this and other studies you’re helping to fund?

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