Abstract

A highly lethal brain tumor glioblastoma exhibits significant internal heterogeneity, containing a range of tumor cells and associated stromal and immune components. Single-cell and spatial expression profiling have emerged as transformative tools to dissect this complexity and help predict cellular and system-level behaviors. Yet, it remains the case that these insights have not engendered a more hopeful outlook, such as diagnostic methods and therapeutic agents. This seminar will focus on two defining features of glioblastoma: inflammation and invasion. By examining these phenomena through the lens of cellular states and cell-cell interactions, we aim to highlight avenues for intervention. Additional attention will be paid to technical aspects: computational and experimental integration to profile and perturb the glioblastoma ecosystem in patients and model systems.