By Marina Moody
Dr. James Markert
UAB Department of Neurosurgery Chair James Markert, M.D., M.P,H., was recently awarded an R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute for his research project, “Oncolytic Immunotherapy Using Chimeric HSV C134: A Phase I Trial and Establishment of Response Indicators in Recurrent Glioma Patients.” The project focuses on the effects of C134, a genetically engineered virus, in patients with recurrent malignant glioma. Markert hypothesizes that the virus will both directly kill the tumor cells through viral replication and secondarily kill tumor cells by inciting an antitumor response. The project was awarded $586,155 in funding.