text:
The CBTTC strives to provide high-quality biospecimens with annotated clinical and genomic data to facilitate and advance childhood brain tumor research. Investigators do not have to be part of the CBTTC to submit a scientific proposal to the CBTTC Scientific Committee. If the Scientific Committee approves the proposal, materials are provided without charge to that investigator on the condition that all data generated will be shared with the CBTTC. The CBTTC is accepting scientific proposals that require specimen use through August 15, 2018. The next submission period will begin on November 1, 2018. Data access proposals are accepted at any time.
This process includes a review of the project proposal first by primary reviewers with expertise related to the proposal and then by the entire scientific committee. In this way, the committee can maximize the use of very limited amounts of each sample for evaluation.
Additionally, a rigorous quality-control check is performed on the specimens and clinical data before the scientific committee reviews or releases any material.
DNA and RNA extractions are conducted by the Biorepository Core at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to ensure standardization, with the exception of special requests. Genomic sequencing may be performed at CHOP by the Sequencing Core Facility (BGI@CHOP) or a facility identified by the investigator.
To date, approximately 850 whole genomes, 350 RNA profiles, and 20 miRNA profiles have been sequenced.
To query specimens annotated with clinical data visit the CBTTC Clinical Data and Specimen Inventory Portal
To access the online proposal system and submit a scientific project for data or specimens, please click the button below
Submit a Scientific Project
CBTTC Approved Biospecimen Scientific Projects
To contact an investigator or to submit questions related to a CBTTC scientific project, please email research@cbttc.org
Project 1: Whole Genome Sequencing of Low-Grade Glioma and Ganglioglioma
Principal Investigator(s): Adam Resnick Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Low-grade glioma and ganglioglioma
Project Summary: This project generated 26 Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analyses from matched Primary Tumor and Blood-Derived Normal specimens from 13 Low-Grade Glioma (LGG) patients. These data were generated as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0001a and made available in April and November of 2014.
Project Sponsor: Voices Against Brain Cancers Foundation
Specimen Data: 26 Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analyses from matched Primary Tumor and Blood-Derived Normal specimens from 13 Low-Grade Glioma (LGG) patients.
Project 2: Genomic Investigation of Craniopharyngioma
Principal Investigator(s): Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Craniopharyngioma
Project Summary: This project is a joint effort between investigators at CHOP, The University of Pennsylvania, and the Dana Farber Foundation and generated These data were generated as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0002a and made available in September of 2013. Seeks to identify the genomic characteristics of craniopharyngiomas by means of whole-genome sequencing.
Project Sponsor: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Specimen Data: Whole-genome sequencing of 5 matched pairs of tumor/blood, whole-exome sequencing of 7 tumor/blood, and targeted sequencing of 30 additional formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded craniopharyngioma samples.
Project 3: Genomic Evaluation of Malignant Pediatric Cortical Tumors
Principal Investigator(s): Dr. Sarah Leary, Seattle Children's Hospital; Angela Waanders, MD, MPH, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Annie A. Huang, MD, Ph.D., FRCP(C), Toronto Hospital for Sick Children
Diagnosis/Classification: Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor, high-grade glioma, ependymoma
Project Summary: This project aims to describe genomic alterations and tumor subtypes within a large cohort of well-characterized supratentorial malignant pediatric brain tumors. The goal of this project is to evaluate the association between genetically determined subtypes and standard clinical factors such as histology, location, metastatic status, and survival. These data were generated as part of CBTTC study cohorts CBTTC_0003a, CBTTC_0003b and CBTTC_0003c and made available in July of 2015, March 29, 2016, and April 22, 2016.
Project Sponsor: Children's Brain Tumor Foundation
Specimen Data: This dataset is composed of 70 Whole Transcriptome Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analyses from Primary Tumor specimens from 23 ependymoma patients, 13 supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) patients, and 34 high-grade glioma (HGG) patients.
Project 0003e: Advancing Collaborative Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Through Temporally-based Predictive Modeling of a Large-scale National Clinical Data Research Network.
Principal Investigator(s): Alex Felmeister, MS, Drexel University; Angela Waanders, MD, MPH, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CBTTC), Sarah Leary, MD, Seattle Children's Hospital; L. Charles Bailey, MD, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (PEDSNet), Xiaohua Tony Hu, Ph.D., Drexel University
Diagnosis/Classification: Informatics Research: Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor, high-grade glioma, ependymoma
Project Summary: This research intends to look predictive models based on temporally based observational health data that is sequential in nature from clinical data sets to annotate the complex biology collected from cancer patients – specifically children suffering from highly lethal rare high-grade gliomas. This research focuses on the intersection two national longitudinal health data collection projects: The Children's Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (CBTTC) and the PEDSNet Clinical Data Research Network (CDRN) with the intention of harmonizing the two national projects as they grow to aid in the human annotation of biologically based resources with large scale automated health data networks. The research proposed contributes to the coherence broadly defined technical area of cross-platform workflow architectures to facilitate resource sharing and reuse in biomedical research.
Project Sponsor: Coherence at Scale Program led by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) (http://coherence.clir.org/) funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Specimen Data: N/A (Data-only project)
Project Status: In progress January 1, 2017. Expected completion December 31, 2018
Project 4: Molecular Studies Designed to Examine the Relationship Between the HH Pathway and Nestin, Whole Genome Sequencing of Medulloblastoma, and Genomics of Human Medulloblastoma and AT/RT
Principal Investigator(s): Tom Curran, PhD., FRS, Children's Mercy Children's Research Institute (CRI)
Diagnosis/Classification: Medulloblastoma and Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor
Project Summary: Project data was generated as part of CBTTC study cohorts CBTTC_0004b, CBTTC_0004c, CBTTC_0004d and CBTTC_0004e and made available in June, May and October of 2015 and May and April of 2016. These data were generated as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0004d and made available in April 2016. These data were generated as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0004e and made available in April 2016.
Project Sponsor: Make Some Noise, Women Committee, Kourtney Rose Foundation
Specimen Data: This project generated 19 Whole Transcriptome Sequencing (RNA-Seq) and microRNA sequencing analyses, from Primary Tumor specimens and 87 Whole Genome Sequencing analyses from matched Primary Tumor and Blood-Derived Normal specimens from Medulloblastoma patients. Additionally, 12 Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analyses from Primary Tumor and Blood-Derived Normal specimens from Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) patients were generated.
Project 5: Exploration of IDO1 as a Therapeutic Target in pCNS Tumors
Principal Investigator(s): Rishi Lulla, MD, MS, Ann and Robert Lurie Children's' Hospital of Chicago; Derek Wainwright, Ph.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; Craig M. Horbinski, MD, Ph.D., Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Diagnosis/Classification: Low-grade glioma, High-grade glioma, Medulloblastoma, and Ependymoma
Project Summary: This project, led by Dr. Rishi Lulla and a team of scientists with specific expertise in IDO1, aims to measure the level of IDO1 expression in pediatric CNS tumors, specifically focusing on low-grade glioma, high-grade glioma, medulloblastoma, and ependymoma. Published studies suggest that IDO1 is a promising target for immunotherapy in adult gliomas. However, similar data for pediatric brain tumors is not available and may have significant translational implications in children. The project will continue to expand the potential therapeutic targets for immune-mediated therapies by obtaining expression levels of IDO1 mRNA and DNA which will be used as confirmation for whole-exome and methylation profiling.
Project Sponsor: NIH R00NS082381-04 (Wainwright); Neuro-Oncology Research Fund at Lurie Children's Hospital.
Specimen Data: DNA and RNA from 10 High-Grade Glioma patients, 10 Low-Grade Glioma patients, 10 Medulloblastoma patients, 9 ependymoma patients, and 6 diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma patients were used for this data generation.
Project Status: In-progress
Project 6: Epigenetic Basis of Gender Differences in Pediatric GBM
Principal Investigator(s): Sheng Li Ph.D., Weill Cornell Brain, and Spine Center; Jeff Greenfield, MD, Ph.D., Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center
Diagnosis/Classification: High-Grade Glioma
Project Summary: This project aims to profile the transcriptome and epigenome in order to compare these profiles between boys and girls with pediatric GBM to identify lesions that cause the difference in clinical outcomes of these patients.
Project Sponsor: Children's Brain Tumor Project
Specimen Data: DNA from 10 high-grade glioma patients will be sent for this project and the data will be generated as part of CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0006a
Project 7: Validation Cohort – WGS, RNAseq, and Proteomics
Principal Investigator(s): Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor and high-grade glioma
Project Summary: This project was a cohort for the expansion of CBTTC_0003 using Nanthealth. GPS platform for Whole Genome Sequencing, RNA sequencing and proteomics (FFPE) to validate using Nanthealth as a facility for Whole Genome Sequencing, RNA sequencing, and proteomics for future CBTTC projects.
Specimen Data: DNA, RNA, and slides from primary tumor specimens and blood-derived normal specimens for 2 supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor patients and 4 high-grade glioma patients as part of CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0007a.
Project 8: Developing a Novel Tumor Model to Screen for New Therapies for Spinal Ependymoma
Principal Investigator(s): Linda Resar, MD, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Li Luo, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Lingling Xian, MD, Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Diagnosis/Classification: Ependymoma
Project Summary: This project aims to establish a unique tumor model and begin to identify new therapies for patients with ependymoma.
Project Sponsor: Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF)
Specimen Data: Cell lines from 6 ependymoma patients will be generated and used as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0008a.
Project 9: Neurocytoma WGS and RNAseq
Principal Investigator(s): Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Angela Waanders, MD, MPH, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Neurocytoma
Project Summary: For this project, tumors of the specific histologic diagnoses of Neurocytoma with or without matching blood specimens in the repository were identified for the whole-genome and RNA sequencing.
Project Sponsor:
Specimen Data: DNA and RNA from primary tumor specimens of 3 Neurocytoma patients and matched blood-derived normal specimens from two of those patients were used for data generation as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0009a.
Project 10: Target Identification and Modeling of NF1-associated Low-grade Glioma
Principal Investigator(s): Michael Fisher, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Low-grade gliomas
Project Summary: Synodos for NF1: This project aims at a comprehensive molecular and functional characterization of NF1-associated low-grade gliomas in children, to identify cooperating pathomechanisms with loss of NF1 and thereby potential new therapeutic vulnerabilities.
Project Sponsor: Children's Tumor Foundation
Specimen Data: Primary tumor specimens from 13 NF-1 low-grade glioma patients and matched blood-derived normal specimens from 5 of those subjects were used for DNA and RNA extractions and will be sent for data generation as part of CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0010a.
Project 11: Targeting Replicative Stress in Pediatric Brain Tumors with ALT
Principal Investigator(s): Kristina Cole, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Project Summary: To screen tumor DNA for alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) to prioritize the development of ALT positive and ALT negative cell lines. The cell lines will be used to test inhibitors of replicative stress, to study downstream targeting, and to validate loss of function candidates of ALT inhibition.
Specimen Data: DNA from primary tumor specimens of 8 supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor patients and 29 high-grade glioma patients will be used for data generation in this project. Cell lines from all these patients will also be generated. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0011a.
Project 12: Pediatric Brain Tumor Atlas Initiative
Principal Investigator(s): Children's Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium
Diagnosis/Classification: All tumor types in bank
Project Summary: CBTTC as a consortium has started an initiative to sequence the entire bank to generate genomic data. The specimens will be sequenced at NantHealth. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and RNA Sequencing (RNS Seq) will be conducted for all available specimens in the CBTTC biorepository. The data extracted from these specimens will serve as a comparison for all future analyses performed within the CBTTC.
Project Sponsor: N/A
Specimen Data: Whole-genome sequencing and RNA sequencing for all available specimens in the bank
Project 13: Gene Expression Analysis Platform Evaluation for FFPE Specimen Material-Based Studies
Principal Investigator(s): Mateusz Koptyra, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Medulloblastoma, high-grade glioma, and supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors
Project Summary: This project aims to validate a novel RNA analysis platform. FFPE tissue material will be processed by the HTG EdgeSeq technology pipeline for mRNA and/or miRNA profiling.
Project Sponsor: Internal funds – CHOP Center for Data-Driven Discovery in Biomedicine
Specimen Data: FFPE slides were created from primary tumor specimens from 6 Medulloblastoma patients, 4 high-grade glioma patients and 2 supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor patients. This data will be generated as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0013a.
Project 14: Evaluation of Immunosignature Profile in Medulloblastoma
Principal Investigator(s): Mateusz Koptyra, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Dustin Hatefi, MD, MPH, UC San Diego Health System; Phillip Stafford, Ph.D., ASU Biodesign Institute; Stephen Johnston, Ph.D., ASU Biodesign Institute; Robert Wechsler-Reya, Ph.D., Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
Diagnosis/Classification: Medulloblastoma
Project Summary: This project proposes to evaluate the immunosignature analysis pattern as a potential diagnostic tool in medulloblastoma patient's stratification. We propose to analyze immunosignature profiles for medulloblastoma samples and compare them with the current subtype stratification consensus according to RNA profiling. Both analyses will be further compared to explore if and how immunosignature and RNA profiles overlap. We expect that our work will bring essential insights into the applicability of immunosignature assay in medulloblastoma tumor profiling and could potentially facilitate patients' diagnostic and prognostic.
Project Sponsor: Arizona State University laboratory funding, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute laboratory funding
Specimen Data: 32 immunosignature assays from blood-derived normal specimens, 10 immunosignature assays from plasma-derived normal specimens, 35 microarray/RNA seq data analysis from primary tumor specimens
Project 15: Proteogenomic Identification of Structural Variations
Principal Investigator(s): Brian Rood, MD, Children's National Health System; Javad Nazarian, Ph.D., MSC, Children's National Health System
Project Summary: This project aims to discover novel genomic SVs encoding translated cancer-specific proteins with the potential for functional effects. Also to assay easily accessible ctDNA biomarkers. Tissue from 40 medulloblastoma patients will be used for data generation. From those 40 patients, DNA from flash-frozen tissue, plasma, and cerebral spinal fluid samples will be chosen for continued data generation. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0015a.
Project Sponsor: Philanthropic Foundation Support
Specimen Data: Proteomic peptide sequencing, ddPCR
Project 16: Comprehensive Molecular Analysis of Pediatric Thalamic Tumors
Principal Investigator(s): Javad Nazarian, Ph.D., MSC, Children's National Health System; Heloisa Moser, MD, Children's National Health System
Diagnosis/Classification: Pediatric Thalamic Tumors
Project Summary: This project aims to generate the comprehensive molecular profile specific to primary thalamic tumors and to validate identified genomic aberrations in aim 1 using liquid biopsy (CSF) and WES (DNA from blood). Tissue and DNA from flash-frozen tissue from 52 patients, DNA from flash-frozen from an additional patient, plasma from 10 of the patients and CSF from 6 of the patients will be used for data generation. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0016a.
Project Sponsor: Smashing Walnuts Foundation
Specimen Data: WES, RNAseq, proteomics, Genomic Liquid Biopsy
Project 17: Integrated Genomic Analysis to Elucidate the Role of the PIK3CA and 10q LOH as Unique Drivers and Cooperating Events in Pediatric High-grade Gliomas
Principal Investigator(s): Ian Pollack, MD, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC; Sameer Agnihotri, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Diagnosis/Classification: High-grade glioma, Brain Stem Glioma (DIPG)
Project Summary: This project aims to evaluate the frequency of PTEN loss/10q LOH and gain/activation of PIK3CA in pHGG, the clinical and molecular correlation associated with the PTEN/PIK3CA subgroup, and the integrated molecular analysis of the 10q LOH/PIK3CA subgroup. . DNA and RNA extracted from tissue from 126 high-grade glioma/DIPG patients will be used for data generation. From those patients, 56 DNA from blood and 6 cell lines will also be used for data generation. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0017a.
Project Sponsor: R01 grant and start-up funds
Specimen Data: Targeted Gene Sequencing; Exome Sequencing; qPCR; RNAseq
Project 18: Development of the Ganglioside GD2 as a Biomarker and Clinical Trial Endpoint for Childhood Cancers
Principal Investigator(s): Frank Balis, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Christine Busch, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: High-grade glioma, Medulloblastoma
Project Summary: This project aims to quantify serum GD2 concentrations in patients with a variety of common childhood cancers, including brain tumors, and in children without cancer to assess the specificity of GD2 as a tumor biomarker for neuroblastoma and other neuronal tumors. Plasma from 8 high-grade glioma patients and 8 medulloblastoma patients will be used for data generation. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0018a.
Project Sponsor: COGSM-ITSC Grant
Specimen Data: Biomarker Assay
Project 19: Integrative Functional Genomics of Recurrent Childhood Medulloblastoma
Principal Investigator(s): Javad Nazarian, Ph.D., MSC, Children's National Health System; Brian Rood, MD, Children's National Health System; Paul Northcott, Ph.D., St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Project Summary: This project aims to assess the conservation and divergence of already generated (CBTTC) genomic and transcriptional landscapes in patient-matched primary/relapse medulloblastoma pairs, assess methylation profiles in patient-matched primary/relapse medulloblastoma pairs and functionally validate and therapeutically target molecular events enriched at medulloblastoma relapse. DNA extracted from tissue from 22 medulloblastoma patients will be used for data generation. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0019a.
Specimen Data: Methylation Array Data
Project 20: Choroid Plexus Tumor (CPT) Therapies Based on Patient-Derived Cell Culture Resources
Principal Investigator(s): Mark Souweidane, MD, Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center, Uday Bhanu Maachani, Ph.D., Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center
Diagnosis/Classification: Choroid Plexus Carcinoma
Project Summary: This project aims to establish cell lines from a choroid plexus carcinoma sample to understand the molecular etiology of these cell lines in vitro and in vivo animal xenograft models to design effective therapies. The tissue in freezing media from one choroid plexus carcinoma patient will be used for cell line generation.
Project Sponsor: Souweidane Lab
Specimen Data: Cell Line Generation
Project 22: Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) Validation Cohort
Principal Investigator(s): Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Marilyn Li, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Low-grade glioma/astrocytoma, craniopharyngioma, Supratentorial or Spinal Cord PNET, medulloblastoma, high-grade glioma/astrocytoma
Project Summary: This project aims to validate an additional sequencing platform for future CBTTC data generation DNA extracted from tissue from one medulloblastoma patient and one supratentorial or spinal cord PNET patient; DNA extracted from blood from two low-grade glioma patients and one craniopharyngioma patient; and RNA extracted from tissue from one medulloblastoma patient, one supratentorial or spinal cord PNET patient and four high-grade glioma patients will be used for data generation. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0022a.
Project Sponsor: Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI)
Specimen Data: Whole Genome Sequencing, RNA sequencing
Project 23: Kids First – CBTTC Proteogenomic Pilot Project
Principal Investigator(s): Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Brian Rood, MD, Children's National Medical Center
Diagnosis/Classification: All pediatric brain tumor histologies
Project Summary: This project aims to perform comprehensive quantitative and associated post-translational analyses on a pilot cohort of pediatric brain tumors. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0023a.
Project Sponsor: NIH RAS Program
Specimen Data: Proteomics
Project 25: Development of Preclinical Models of Pediatric Ependymoma
Principal Investigator Names: Dr. Ching C. Lau
Project Summary: This project aims to develop patient-derived orthotopic xenograft models, 2D and 3D cultures, in order to study the biology of these tumors and also preclinical drug screening.
Project Sponsor: Internal funding at Jackson Lab
Specimen Data: N/A
Project 27: Cracking the Histone Code: Characterizing Pediatric Brain Tumor Epigenetics Using Cerebrospinal Fluid
Principal Investigator(s): Amanda Saratsis, MD, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; Rishi Lulla, MD, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Diagnosis/Classification: High-grade gliomas and DIPG
Project Summary: This project aims to characterize protein expression and Histone H3 post-translational modifications in pediatric brain tumors and characterize tumor transcriptomes with respect to histone H3 post-translational modifications. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0027a.
Project Sponsor: Institutional Funding and foundation support; CBTTC Advisory Council Research Award
Project 28: GPC2 As an Immunotherapeutic Target in Medulloblastoma and Other Pediatric Brain Tumors
Principal Investigator(s): Jessica Foster, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Kristopher Bosse, MD, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: ATRT, High-Grade gliomas, and medulloblastoma
Project Summary: This project aims to perform a pan-pediatric brain tumor assessment for high GPC2 expression and define the efficacy of the GPC2 ADC D3-GPC2-PBD in medulloblastoma preclinical models. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0028a.
Project Sponsor: ALSF, HHOW, Damon Runyon Foundation; CBTTC Advisory Council Research Award
Specimen Data: Cell lines will be generated
Project 29: Molecular Analysis of the Cellular Ecosystem of Childhood Ependymoma
Principal Investigator(s): Pablo Gonzalez Camara, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania
Project Summary: This project aims to use single-nuclei RNA-sequencing of flash-frozen specimens and immunohistochemistry staining of cryosections from the same specimens to infer the composition and evolution of the tumor microenvironment in relation to the tumor progression. The results of this study will be used to pinpoint the molecular mechanisms of ependymoma progression and to identify consequent potential targets for immunotherapeutic intervention. This data will be included as part of the CBTTC study cohort CBTTC_0029a.
Project Sponsor: Departmental Funds; CBTTC Advisory Council Research Award
Specimen Data: Single Nuclei RNA-sequencing
Project 30: Interactions between astrocytes and tumor cells are critical for medulloblastoma growth
Principal Investigator Names: Zeng-jie Yang, MD, Ph.D., Fox Chase Cancer Center
Project Summary: This project aims to examine the mutual support of astrocytes and tumor cells purified from human MB, by a co-culture method or intracranial transplantation and investigate the alterations of gene/protein expression in tumor cells and astrocytes after being co-cultured or cultured alone by RNA sequencing or MS-Spec. The results of this study will be used to shed light on the important functions of tumor microenvironment in MB tumorigenesis, also demonstrate tumor microenvironment as a promising therapeutic target for MB treatment.
Project Sponsor: NCI and ACS; CBTTC Advisory Council Research Award
Project 33: Center for Pediatric Tumor Cell Atlas
Principal Investigator Names: Kristina Cole, MD, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Project Summary: The goal of the Center for Pediatric Tumor Cell Atlas (CPTCA) is to molecularly characterize the genome, transcriptome, methylome and chromatin accessibility at critical transition points for pediatric high-grade gliomas (and other pediatric cancers).
Importance of CBTTC for this research: Our existing biorepository infrastructure is modern, streamlined and highly supported. Our leadership role in several similar, large scale multi-institutional projects have changed the therapeutic approach and standard of care of specific pediatric cancers and provide further evidence that the structure is already in place to ensure the success of this proposed Atlas.
Impact of Project: Relapsed pediatric high-grade glioma, high-risk neuroblastoma and VHR-ALL account for more than half of all pediatric cancer deaths. In order to advance novel therapies for children with these tumors, there is a need to fully genomically characterize and query the tumor's responses to therapy and the development of therapy resistance with both spatial and temporal single-cell resolution. Our established biorepository and historical commitment to both resource and data sharing guarantee that the entire research and patient community will benefit.
Project Sponsor: NIH-U2CCA233285; CBTTC Advisory Council Research Award
Specimen Data: Single Cell Sequencing
Project 34: Pediatric brain tumor miRNA profiling for the cohort of Children's Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium specimens
Principal Investigator Names: Mateusz Koptyra, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: All brain tumor types
Project Summary: This project aims to perform miRNA panel analysis using the HTG EdgeSeq miRNA panel analysis. The data will be immediately returned to the Operations Center to be deposited into Cavatica for "no embargo" access and utilization in approved research explorations.
Importance of CBTTC for this research: Recent efforts from Children's Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (CBTTC), Cavatica, Kids First effort, and D3b center led to the creation of one of the world's most comprehensive collections of childhood brain tumor data. The data is now available to researchers as the Pediatric Brain Tumor Atlas (PBTA), an initiative seeking to transform the discovery process and accelerate the translation of large-scale molecular and clinical datasets to novel therapeutic approaches for children affected by brain tumors. The first cohort of PBTA sample subset (utilized in CBTTC Project 23) which consists of tumor and germline whole-genome sequencing, RNAseq and proteomic (targeted and phosphor –proteomic) profiling provides the unique opportunity expand the data set with the introduction of miRNA analysis.
Impact of Project: The project will support the CBTTC vision of open access and collaboration by generating a significant amount of free data for further analysis by researchers worldwide, both within and outside of the consortium.
Project Sponsor: D3b center internal funding / HTG Molecular Diagnostics; CBTTC Advisory Council Research Award
Specimen Data: miRNA sequencing
Project 35: Elucidating the somatic epigenetic landscape of pediatric meningioma and schwannoma
Principal Investigator Names: Sameer Agnihotri, Ph.D., UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Diagnosis/Classification: Meningioma and Schwannoma
Project Summary: This project aims to determine the epigenetic landscape of pediatric meningiomas and schwannomas, determine the global copy number alterations in pediatric meningioma and schwannomas and Compare the epigenetic and copy number landscape of these tumors to their adult counterparts.
Importance of CBTTC for this research: Accessing the CBTTC samples will allow an unprecedented epigenetic analysis of pediatric meningiomas. and schwannomas. Using integrative methylation profiling we will conclusively address how pediatric meningiomas and schwannomas are both similar or unique from their adult counterparts. This project can only be completed with the use of CBTTC samples.
Impact of Project: The methylation profiles of pediatric meningioma and schwannomas with clinical annotation will allow for a comprehensive analysis of pediatric meningiomas and may identify novel targeted therapies or predict which patients may be susceptible to local recurrence.
Project Sponsor: Agnihotri lab start-up funds, Aldape Lab; Advisory Council Research Award
Specimen Data: Methylation analysis
Project 37: Project HOPE: "High-Grade Glioma-Omics in Pediatric and AYA"
Principal Investigator Names: Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Project Summary: The goals of Project Hope are to perform single-cell sequencing of cancer cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells; Single nucleus sequencing of the non-immune microenvironment in pediatric and AYA high-grade gliomas and data sharing.
Importance of CBTTC for this research: The goals of Project Hope are to perform single-cell sequencing of cancer cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells; Single nucleus sequencing of the non-immune microenvironment in pediatric and AYA high-grade gliomas and data sharing.
Impact of Project: Archival tissue and those obtained from prospective trials provide an exciting opportunity for more complex and deeper molecular and immunologic investigations.
Project Sponsor: A focus on single-cell techniques, the microenvironment, and the immunologic status of tumors and matched preclinical models will lead to a better understanding of these diseases and the development of more effective therapeutics to improve outcomes for patients.
Project 38: Germline and Somatic Determinants of Paediatric Brain Tumor Evolution
Principal Investigator Names: Sorana Morrisy, Ph.D., University of Calgary; Marco Gallo, Ph.D., University of Calgary
Project Summary: CBTTC samples will be used to increase a cohort of pediatric brain tumors for genomic analysis and functional studies
Importance of CBTTC for this research: Without access to CBTTC samples, this study would have been severely underpowered and limited in its ability to understand
Impact of Project: To understand and analyze the tumor mutation caused by the extreme evolution of high-grade gliomas, including GBM's and other tumors
Project Sponsor: Morrisy & Gallo grants; startup funding
Specimen Data:
Project 39: Clinical, Radiologic, and Molecular Characteristics of Anaplastic Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytomas
Principal Investigator Names: Alberto Broniscer, MD, MS, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Diagnosis/Classification: Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytomas (PXAs)
Project Summary: We hope to increase the number of cases and tumor/germline samples available for analyses by including cases obtained from Children's Brain Tumor Tissue Consortium (CBTTC). We hope to obtain clinical and radiologic information from CBTTC about potential cases of anaplastic PXAs, if available. We hope to get either data already analyzed, if available (e.g., whole-exome and RNA sequencing) or DNA to perform methylation array studies in available samples.
Project 40: CRISPR Targeting of Metabolic Pathways in Gliomas
Principal Investigator Names: Nicholas Ahye, MD, Temple University
Diagnosis/Classification: Gliomas
Project Summary: Glioma cell lines will be cultured and transfected with CRISPR constructs targeting the glutamine synthetase enzymes. Cell viability and metabolic activity assays will then be performed.
Project 41: Central Nervous System Cancers in Patients with Non-Neurofibromatosis
Diagnosis/Classification: (NF-1) RASopathies
Project Summary: We are collecting cases of the association of non-NF-1 RASopathies and CNS cancers at our institution and from other institutions in the US. By using data from cases collected through CBTTC, we are hoping to increase the size of our cohort of research participants.
Project 42: Maternal Microchimerism in Human Brain
Principal Investigator Names: J. Lee Nelson, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Diagnosis/Classification: Not specified
Project Summary: We will use the data generated from CBTTC specimens as a comparison to similar studies that we have completed for patients who underwent excision for medication refractory epilepsy.
Project 43: Oncolytic Virus to Potentiate Immune-Checkpoint Blockade in Immunologically Cold Pediatric Brain Tumors
Principal Investigator Names: Aaron Diaz, Ph.D., University of California San Francisco
Diagnosis/Classification: Medulloblastoma, ATRT
Project Summary: Frozen tissue is requested for single-cell RNA sequencing. FFPE tissue is requested for bulk RNA sequencing.
Project 45: Molecular and Functional Characterization of Childhood Supratentorial Ependymoma
Principal Investigator Names: Vijay Ramaswamy, MD, Ph.D., The Hospital for Sick Children
Project Summary: CBTTC clinical and specimen data will be used to extend findings I have generated in a discovery cohort pertaining to the genomic landscape of pediatric supratentorial ependymoma, and the nature of fusions found in the RELA methylation group.
Project 46: Genomic Analysis of Oligodendrogliomas Across Pediatrics, Adolescents, and Adults
Principal Investigator Names: Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Oligodendrogliomas
Project Summary: This project will generate WGS and RNAseq data to research use statement (3 sentences MAX) perform genomic analysis oligodendrogliomas across pediatrics, adolescents, and adults.
Project 47: Elucidating the Role of Driver Mutations in Pediatric High-Grade Glioma
Principal Investigator Names: Thomas De Raedt, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Project Summary: Cell lines: We will knock down or overexpress specific genes and assess proliferation, changes in gene expression and changes in the epigenome. Tumor and cell line TMA: we will stain samples using CYCIF (cyclic IF) and overlay imaging data with mutation data from the samples.
Project 48: Disclosing Chromatin Accessibility in Brain Tumor Cells after Treatment by Cracking a 'Nucleosomal Code'
Principal Investigator Names: Jakub Mieczkowski, Ph.D., Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences and Katarzyna Leszczynska, Ph.D., Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences
Project Summary: Once we will observe the effect in the epigenetic drug treatments on the chromatin accessibility in HGG cell lines, we would like to use the CBTTC data available for these cell lines to compare the information with our own data and to see if this can help us to guide us in the later stages of the project/mechanistic experiments or validation.
Project 49: CBTTC Cell Lines High Throughput Drug Screening Study
Principal Investigator Names: Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Mateusz Koptyra, Ph.D., Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: All
Project Summary: The cell lines will be utilized in the high throughput approach in-vitro drug testing. This project will provide extensive in-vitro drug response information across multiple pediatric tumor diagnoses providing the pediatric brain tumor cell line drug response atlas.
Project 50: Elucidate Potential Therapeutic Targets in H3.3G34 Mutant pHGG Cells
Principal Investigator Names: Zhiguo Zhang, Ph.D., Columbia University
Project Summary: The cell lines will be used for cell viability assays, CRISPR/Cas9 screen as well as other assays for basic research.
Project 53: Circular RNAs in Medulloblastoma
Principal Investigator Names: Peter George Zaphiropoulos, Ph.D., Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
Project Summary: We would like eight medulloblastoma RNA samples, preferably of the SHH subgroup. We will perform RNAseq tailored to detect circular RNAs as well as standard RNAseq. We anticipate that this works will help in dissecting the functions of circular RNA expression in medulloblastoma development.
Project 54: Genetic Susceptibility to Medulloblastoma
Principal Investigator Names: Maral Adel Fahmideh, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Project Summary: In this study, we aim to identify genetic markers that play an important role in the increased risk of childhood brain tumors.
Project 55: Using Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing to Identify Novel Therapeutic Targets in DIPG and ATRT
Principal Investigator Names: Eric Raabe, MD, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins Division of Pediatric Oncology and Michael Koldobskiy, MD, MS, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins Medicine
Diagnosis/Classification: DIPG and ATRT
Project Summary: We will perform whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (wgbs) on DIPG and ATRT and analyze using novel computational techniques pioneered in the Fineberg/Koldobsky lab to identify regions of the genome with high degrees of variation. These regions are correlated with dependence on key genes. We will validate targets in our 8 human DIPG cell lines and using RNA seq data already extant in CBTTC. Findings will be incorporated into the PNOC DMG ACT pre-clinical testing consortium.
Project 56: Defining the Role of the Histone 3 (H3.3G34R) Mutation in the Pathogenesis of Pediatric High Astrocytoma
Principal Investigator Names: Cynthia Hawkins, MD, Ph.D., The Hospital for Sick Children
Project Summary: The patient-derived cell lines will be used to validate the findings from our preliminary experiments. They will be essential in that they endogenously express the H3.3G34R mutant line. Further, they will be critical for determining the clinical significance of our findings and for testing potential novel therapeutic approaches.
Project 57: The Role of Genetic Factors in Ependymoma Susceptibility
Project 58: Genomic Analysis of Chordomas Across the Pediatrics, Adolescents, and Adults
Principal Investigator Names: Adam Resnick, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Stephanie Stefankiewcz, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Diagnosis/Classification: Chordoma
Project Summary: All data generated from this cohort will be uploaded to Cavatica and made available through the Kids First Data Resource Portal.
Project 59: Identification of Circulating Noncoding RNAs and Metabolites in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) in Medulloblastoma Patients
Principal Investigator Names: Ranjan J. Perera, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine—All Children's Hospital
Project Summary: Identification IncRNA and metabolites and medulloblastoma group-specific biomarkers.
Project 60: Therapeutic Targetting of the Blood-Brain Barrier in Pediatric Malignant Brain Tumors
Principal Investigator Names: Sadhana Jackson, MD, National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Diagnosis/Classification: Malignant Gliomas
Project Summary: Our studies are focused on understanding why drugs have a hard time getting to brain tumor cells. The wall known as the blood-brain barrier allows drugs to pass in certain areas but not in other areas. We want to understand more about the restricted areas.
Project 61: Targeting Medulloblastoma by Regulating RNA Binding Proteins
Principal Investigator Names: Robert Schnepp, MD, Ph.D., Emory University and Shubin Shahab, MD, Ph.D., Emory University
Project Summary: Profiling protein and RNA expression; functional assays to knock down or overexpress gene expression.
Project 62: Investigating the Metabolic Hallmarks of Oligodendroglioma
Principal Investigator Names: Samuel McBrayer, Ph.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Diagnosis/Classification: Oligodendroglioma
Project Summary: We propose to create a metabolic atlas of oligodendroglioma featuring samples incorporated from the CBTTC. This study will provide additional 'omics'-level data for this disease that will complement existing genomics and transcriptomics datasets. We will collaborate with Dr. Adam Resnick to integrate our metabolomics data produced by analyzing CBTTC samples into pediatric glioma databases.
Project 66: Impeding LIN28 Function in ATRT
Principal Investigator Names: Giselle Saulnier Sholler, MD, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Project Summary: We hypothesize that pharmacological targeting of the LIN28 pathway with DFMO will suppress growth, proliferation, and decrease tumor initiation in ATRT. We aim to determine if pharmacological treatment of ATRT cell lines with DFMO results in reductions in viability, tumor initiation, and LIN28 protein levels. We will test a series of doses of DFMO to assess the effects on ATRT cell viability, proliferation rates, tumor initiation, and proteins of interest including LIN28. We also aim to ascertain if DFMO induced effects in ATRT are pan disease or subtype-specific. We will use a collection of ATRT cell lines with disparate molecular phenotypes and subgrouping to determine if treatment with DFMO produces similar results within a heterogeneous group of samples.
Project 68: DNA Methylation Signatures of Cell-Free DNA in CSF as a New Response Biomarker for Pediatric Medulloblastoma
Principal Investigator Names: Deqiang Sun, Ph.D., Texas A&M University
Project Summary: We will perform WGBS on applied de-identified MB tumor tissue samples. Methylome generated by our uniform analysis pipeline will extend our own sample database. The collected data will be used as a reference to identify MB specific markers in CSF methylome. The more data we collect, the more confidence we will have on MB specific markers from CSF, which will yield better prediction results for clinical usage.
Project 69: Delineating Pediatric Glioma Progression Under Single-Nuclei Sequencing
Principal Investigator Names: Trevor Pugh, Ph.D., University Health Network and Arash Nabbi, Ph.D., University Health Network
Project Summary: Brain cancer are devestating diseases in children with few treatment options currently available. We will study how brain tumors shape over time in children by looking at changes in genes in tumor biopsies. We will then nominate potential drug targets that can delay the tumor comeback.


They say change is goodbut it sure doesn't feel that way when your world seems to be spinning out of control.
In the immortal words of the Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want. And you know what? That's really okay.
14 surprising, useful and just plain weird things every couple needs to make love last.
Sick of bickering? Keep the peace (and get even closer) with these tips.


text:
College Environment 1
Interpersonal Relationship 1
Pacific Americans 1
Racial Bias 1
Student School Relationship 1
Surveys 1
National Commission on Asian… 1
Chan, Jason 1
Nguyen, Bach Mai Dolly 1
Nguyen, Mike Hoa 1
Teranishi, Robert T. 1
California (Los Angeles) 1
Racial Differences X
Chan, Jason X
California (Los Angeles) X
The Racialized Experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander Students: An Examination of Campus Racial Climate at the University of California, Los Angeles. iCount: A Data Quality Movement for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
Nguyen, Bach Mai Dolly; Nguyen, Mike Hoa; Chan, Jason; Teranishi, Robert T. – National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education, 2016
In 2013, the National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education (CARE) launched iCount: A Data Quality Movement for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Higher Education, a collaborative effort with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (WHIAAPI) and with generous support from the…
Descriptors: Asian American Students, Pacific Islanders, Educational Quality, College Students

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Located in the PECCOLE WEST LOT 12-C-PHASE 1 subdivision of Queensridge. Single Family Home Features 3 beds, 2.00 baths, and has approximately 2530 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $207 with a list price of $525,000.
Located in the PAINTED DESERT subdivision of Painted Desert. Single Family Home Features 4 beds, 3.00 baths, and has approximately 2986 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $190 with a list price of $570,000.
Located in the SUN COLONY AT SUMMERLIN-UNIT 1 subdivision of Siena. Single Family Home Features 3 beds, 4.00 baths, and has approximately 2345 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $234 with a list price of $550,000.
Located in the PECCOLE WEST subdivision of Queensridge. Single Family Home Features 5 beds, 3.00 baths, and has approximately 2859 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $209 with a list price of $599,999.
Located in the RHODES RANCH subdivision of Rhodes Ranch. Single Family Home Features 3 beds, 2.00 baths, and has approximately 2055 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $257 with a list price of $529,900.
Located in the SUN COLONY AT SUMMERLIN-UNIT 2 subdivision of Siena. Single Family Home Features 3 beds, 3.00 baths, and has approximately 2777 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $208 with a list price of $578,000.
Located in the SUN COLONY AT SUMMERLIN-UNIT 2 subdivision of Siena. Single Family Home Features 2 beds, 3.00 baths, and has approximately 2596 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $221 with a list price of $575,000.
Located in the SUN CITY SUMMERLIN subdivision of Sun City Summerlin. Single Family Home Features 2 beds, 2.00 baths, and has approximately 2486 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $211 with a list price of $524,900.
Located in the PAINTED DESERT subdivision of Painted Desert. Single Family Home Features 4 beds, 4.00 baths, and has approximately 3700 square feet of living space. Price per square foot is $147 with a list price of $545,000.


Zimbabwe and Bangladesh know each other intimately. The teams have played each other far more than they have anyone else, and have a rich shared history.
Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mashrafe Mortaza all debuted in ODIs against Zimbabwe, Mashrafe a whopping 17 years ago. On the Zimbabwe side, this is Hamilton Masakadza's ninth tour to Bangladesh. Elton Chigumbura will also be making his ninth trip, while Brendan Taylor has made seven. Many of Zimbabwe's squad members also have experience in domestic 20- and 50-over competitions here.
In other words, they have come to know each other's strengths and weaknesses extraordinarily well. In recent years, it is Bangladesh who have displayed more of those strengths, and Zimbabwe's last away ODI victory against them came as long ago as 2010. Zimbabwe also arrive in the midst of a seven-month losing streak, having been whitewashed by both Pakistan and South Africa in their last two series. A change of fortunes wasn't suggested by their performance in their warm-up game against a BCB XI on Friday. Masakadza scored a century and Chigumbura a battling 47, but no other batsman reached double figures and the visitors sank to an eight-wicket defeat.
Yet, Zimbabwe may sense an opportunity in a Bangladesh squad who are walking wounded and missing two of their most senior players. Shakib's recurring finger injury has ruled him out for another three months, while Tamim is yet to recover from the knuckle fracture he sustained after being struck by Suranga Lakmal in the opening Asia Cup match. Mashrafe and Mushfiqur have only recently recovered from injuries sustained in the same tournament, and neither is 100% fit. Even Mahmudullah was struggling with a little rib pain earlier this month.
The visitors will look to target Bangladesh's stand-ins. The opening partnership was an issue for Bangladesh in the Asia Cup - Liton Das and Mehidy Hasan's 120-run stand in the final being the exception after Nazmul Hossain Shanto and Soumya Sarkar failed earlier in the tournament.
That being said, Bangladesh still start Sunday's game as firm favourites, and positive results in the next three games will obviously help their preparations for next year's World Cup.
After stringing together a series of 20s against South Africa, Hamilton Masakadza finally converted a start into a century in Zimbabwe's warm-up. With his extensive experience of conditions in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe will look to their captain to set a platform for them at the top of the order. Masakadza has yet to win a game in his current stint in charge, and he has also registered just one fifty since he took over from Graeme Cremer after the World Cup Qualifiers meltdown.
Liton Das seems to be in good nick. He scored a century in his last international innings, though his maiden ODI century was not enough to overcome India in the Asia Cup final. But he followed that up by racing to the fastest double-hundred in Bangladesh's first-class history, smashing a record he in fact already held after his 190-ball double in April, by 50 deliveries. With Bangladesh eyeing potential opening partnerships for next year's World Cup, quick runs at the top of the order on Sunday would definitely help to cement his place.
Sikandar Raza will slot straight back into a middle order that looks much more solid with him in it, but Zimbabwe have an opening conundrum to answer. Solomon Mire struggled through single-figure scores in South Africa, while Craig Ervine's trial as a makeshift opener in the warm-up lasted just three balls before he was caught behind off Ebadat Hossain. Zimbabwe have also drafted Cephas Zhuwao into their squad, but the left-hander remains a hit-and-miss option.
"We are not expecting the wicket to be slow or with turn right from the start. We are hoping for a good wicket. But since this is Mirpur, it is tough to predict how it will play."
"Having everyone around is a big plus for the team. Apart from Graeme [Cremer] who is still injured, we have everyone around which is a positive for the team."


Jimmy Screamerclauz is one such individual who decided to spread his wings, and unlike Icarus, never flew too close to the sun. In fact he has just finished his second animated film – When Black Birds Fly, and the kicker? Jimmy started exactly where you are now, the absolute bottom of the ladder, with nothing but an idea. His solution – he taught himself everything he knows about animation and film-making – fancy college degree and Pixar be damned!
It should be stated that Screamerclauz's movies are not for everybody – these are not mainstream films by any stretch of the imagination, no, they are quite possibly the apex of depravity –in violence, sexual content, and general fucked-up-ness – pretty much every scene sets a new status quo for how crazy things can get. Trying to nail a genre onto either Where the Dead go to Die or When Black Birds Fly is as futile as arguing which Lucio Fulci film is best, though, psychedelic is probably the best adjective to start with…and nightmarish – Screamerclauz's visuals and sounds combine to create a world none of us have ever seen before, and some may never want to return to.
When Black Birds Fly takes place in a seemingly perfect suburbia appropriately named Heaven. Life is naturally good in Heaven, so lest you follow the rules… First and foremost, stay away from the wall that encircles the town, second, and almost as equally important, worship Caine – the over-zealous Orwellian Big Brother-type figure who runs the town. Rule two is hard to forget because the town is plastered with more signs than CGBG (RIP) telling the citizens of Heaven to "Worship Caine;" and how "Safety is important, but not as important as Caine" and the aforementioned Orwellian "Caine is watching you." One day, our protagonists, a young boy named Marius and his classmate, Eden, find a hole in the wall encompassing Heaven. They are drawn closer by both the curiosity of the colors and the pleas of a seemingly injured talking animal. What follows is a journey into the deepest recesses of the human (?) mind and psyche – a Cenobitian (it's a word now) world that mixes pain, fear, and pleasure at such intense doses you swear somebody slipped you a strong psychedelic and threw you into enemy territory.
For aspiring filmmakers, Screamerclauz says to "Either write or find a script that you would like to make into a movie. Then just figure out how to do it, one page at a time, with the resources you have available, until it's done." Sounds simple enough, right? Screamerclauz is the epitome of this advice – he uses his friends for voices, his peers for animating advice, and even his Xbox 360's Kinnect for motion-capture.
So what's your excuse? Go create something so we can discuss it in a future Fangoria!
This entry was posted on June 29, 2017 by Jay Oh in Cinema Holocaust, Fangoria and tagged Fangoria, Jimmy ScreamerClauz, When Black Birds Fly.


A new book about former Tyrone captain Cormac McAnallen by his brother Dónal provides a unique insight into his life as a GAA star and the circumstances of his sudden death from a rare heart condition.
In 'The Pursuit of Perfection - The Life, Death and Legacy of Cormac McAnallen' Dónal recalls the day after his tragic death in March 2004 as his family, community and the sporting world struggled to come to terms with their loss.
Donal also describes how the family struggled with their grief for a number of years.
"The heavy impact played out for two years," he says. "By the time that was done, we had to try to restore some normality into our lives, you can't go straight into writing a book.
On that 10th anniversary, a gala dinner in memory of Cormac, to aid the work of the Cormac Trust, which has popularised, spread and educated people on the use of defibrillators, left Donal in no doubt that there was still a serious interest in his brother and an energy around his memory that former classmates, pupils, teammates and friends enjoyed drawing upon.
One of Donal's reasons for writing the book was to set the record straight.
"Another thing was that there was a certain amount of mythology that had built up around Cormac. I touched on some of that in the book. From the very word go a lot of it was 'He didn't drink' and other stuff like that. I've heard people on stages embellishing his story, greatly at times. And that was never meant to discredit him.


Discussion in 'Buying Tips and Advice' started by comda, Nov 5, 2014.
Im writing in this section here due to the sad reason that my Macbook 3,1 is giving me some issues. I used to run it in snow leopard perfectly but after upgrading to lion its being a little stubborn. I used MLPOST FACTOR to install ML but it doesnt seem to want to work with a WPA2 Enterprise connection.
Anyways. My macbook 3,1 has served me 7 years (this boxing week) and i love it. I has a 240GB SSD and 4gb of ram and flies with a new battery. But i want to know just in case this machine finally bites the dust as after my current issues with Lion im debating on returning to SL.
I do NOT want a machine that i am stuck with what it is. Although a laptop is pretty close i still want a laptop from apple that i can up the ram and hard drive. But is there any other machine other than the 2012 macbook pro 13 inch?
Unfortunately, the only MacBook that allows you to do this is the 13" non-retina display model. It has some outdated specs compared to the retina though - 2.4ghz Core i5 CPU, 4GB RAM, 500GB 5400rpm hard drive, and Intel HD 4000 graphics. It is very upgradeable since you can access the RAM and hard drive bays, but that is about it.
I can relate to you because I am in a similar situation. I want to get a MacBook Pro very badly, but not being able to swap out the SSD in the retina model is disappointing. However, once you have seen and used a retina display on a laptop, it is impossible to go back to the other MBP.
I know the Retinas are nice. My Girl Friend has one. But apple is making the same mistakes they where making in the early 90's without jobs by making everything onboard. The only reason im still using my Macbook 3,1 is because of the option to have upgrades. This machine was upgraded from 1gb ram to woping 4gb and from a 120Gb 5400RPM drive to a 750GB 7200RPM to a 240GB SSD. I spent $1400 on this mac and its lasted me 7 years. im not going to spend 2k on something that will outdate perhaps faster then this machine did. Thats sad that that apple is making this mistake. If This is the path apple sticks with like their new disposable mac mini, sadly this macbook will be the first and last apple computer that i will purchase.
This machine was upgraded from 1gb ram to woping 4gb and from a 120Gb 5400RPM drive to a 750GB 7200RPM to a 240GB SSD.
By upgrading to 4GB, you've hit the maximum amount of RAM that machine is capable of supporting. From here on in, there is no reason to have user accessible RAM.
The Retina machines are capable of running 16GB, so if you get the machine, CTO it with 16GB and be done with it. The Flash storage is installed in a slot, making it upgradable in the future.
im not going to spend 2k on something that will outdate perhaps faster then this machine did.
Why would it get outdated faster than your old machine? 16GB is 16GB regardless of how it's attached to the mobo.
because its possible for RAM to fail. And if onboard ram fails you are screwed in the terms of that machine. Versus with your tipical machine just swap the bad ram out. And as to upgrades on the spot apple charges way to much for their SSDs and RAM. I can get the same ram and install it my self with a machine for half the cost.
A faulty RAM will probably fail while your MBP is still under warranty, and if it doesn't fail the first year, it will probably be just as good for another seven. The only trouble with Apple-soldered RAM is that it is more expensive than the market.
because its possible for RAM to fail.
I have over 2000 servers in a number of server-rooms. Many are maxed out as to memory, which means they have 16 or 24 DIMMS in them. Some of the big quad socket machines have 36 DIMMS. These large DIMMS often have 40 chips on them. In the three years these machines have been my responsibility I had RAM fail once. 3 power supplies failed. About three harddisks fail every week.
RAM and CPU are about the most reliable components in your computer, in my experience.
so the Apple RAM is ~50% more expensive.
US$0.01 cheaper (and you get the original flash card as well).
I'm still using my 2008 Macbook... as a "spare" machine. I'm also using a 2010 Mac mini... as a "spare" machine. I guess this makes me a hoarder. My main machine is a late 2011 MBP with upgradeable RAM/HDD that now has 8GB of RAM and a 750 GB SSD.
I'm reluctant to embrace the whole rMBP or MBA way of doing things... but... aren't usb3 and thunderbolt fast enough to make the difference between internal and external components almost moot? Even the new Mac pro has mostly soldered components in that funny cylinder but it has SIX thunderbolt ports. Clearly Apple seems to think upgrades via TB are as good as, or nearly as good as popping new stuff into a socket on the motherboard or swapping internal drives out for bigger/faster ones.
When my next upgrade cycle comes along... in several years... I doubt Apple will be selling anything that is easily user-upgradable. I assume I'll be buying my first rMBP or iMac when that time comes along.
Well, unless you go with the non-retina 13" you are going to be badly disappointed. I understand that you want options, that is fairly natural I think, particularly if you are looking for a machine that you can tweak along the way to keep it relevant. I think most of us here will shake our heads in understanding of this desire.
The market however isn't going in that direction. I believe that this trend toward thinness is the culprit. Soldering items directly saves just a tiny bit of space over having sockets.I also feel that Apple really doesn't want us inside these machines.
So what do you do? Compromise. You don't want to—nobody wants to compromise, we do it because the option we really want is unachievable so we try to find an alternative that makes sense. This is where you are at. I'm sure you can find a PC that is upgradeable. But then you gotta run Windows and that's often a deal breaker for those of us who have grown to love OSX. So if you want OS X then you need to make a decision that is going to be different than the one you made seven years ago.
A lot of people want to hedge the future. You hear that on these forums constantly. You're no different, except you want to make the investment more gradually. Or perhaps you want better repair options. Just because things are soldered in doesn't mean they cannot be repaired, they can. The downside is the expense, in which case Applecare may be a good investment.
If I were in your shoes (I'm not, I can't hold onto a computer for 7 years). I'd get a retina MBP and max out the ram (16gb) and go with a 512gb hard drive. Yeah, it's expensive. Whattayagonnado? Apple' going to get paid one way or the other, you just have to decide how. You want the Apple experience, well that comes at a certain price and apparently all of us sheep are willing to pay it. Don't fret so much though my friend, it's only a computer and it's only money.
Apple has locked up the laptops, now the Mac Pro is powerful but limited in scope and priced for the pro or rich and of course the Mac Mini has been castrated with only carrying dual core lines of cpu. Since an iMac isn't a good option for me either I'll have to in 2015 move over to the "other" OS and back to PC land for me. Apple has done a great job of creating a market model and forcing everyone into it whether they like it or not.
So until 2015 rolls along, I'll continue in the Apple family and feel like one of the dolts living in a twisted South Park episode.
There are endless threads on here moaning that apple don't make what the poster wants. If you don't like apples offerings buy something else, you will soon realise your mistake, they still make the best hardware and software combination I know. There are however other manufacturers making what you want so buy that, I don't see people moaning that samsung or lenovo doesn't make what they want they just buy an ASUS that does.
Take a look around you'll see it's not just apple all the major manufacturers are going the same way. To make things thin and light and sturdy and less likely to break all mobile devices benefit from soldered Ram and PCie connections.This may not be true in the Imac but that is how it goes when you swap to certain methods of manufacture.
I was slightly worried about the change myself after upgrading my last MBP, but I chose to stay with apple and boy am I glad I did. My 2013 rMBP is a beast I configured it with what I need and expect to get 5 years from it no worries. I live in europe though and we get 5 years standard warranty on everything electronic we buy with a reasonable expectation that the machine works for that long with no manufacturer defects.


For example, why is Minty so popular? I know she's one of the original six G1, but it seems like every variant of her is more expensive. Why?
I'd like to see the answer to this as well.
I love Minty's colors and even though I'm a G1 girl I did seek out the G3 Mintys cause I just thought they were cute, especially the "TAF" winter version. Maybe she draws more people in cause she does share generations and the increase in popularity ups the price vs G3 or G4 ponies that are more "confined" to their generation??
I just like minty shes green and doesnt look like the other ponies. I also got tired of the mane six I dont know if she was included with that. I still have her as a G1,G4. I never had her as a kid I sort of wish I did.
I like Minty because she's green and few ponies are green. I think it's the same reason Gusty is so popular.
Part of the reason I like Minty is because of her G3 personality. She's a weird, quirky pony who collects socks and isn't ashamed to be herself. As someone who's felt like more of a misfit with weird interests, I really relate to her.
A lot of people were drawn to Minty because of her character in A Very Minty Christmas, similar to how people were drawn to Mimic, myself included, because of The Golden Horseshoes. Funny that they're both green!
Aw. I wondered if Minty was popular because of a series appearance.
And I guess you've answered my next question, but I'll ask it anyway: Why is Mimic so popular?
Mimic, I figure, is due to how rare she supposedly is. Though, I've heard that she's really not as rare as some people make her out to be.
I think the golden horseshoes made her more popular. Also I liked the part where the little elf girl hugged mimic when she was getting bettter from being so sick. I thinks shes more sought after than hard to find.
The Golden Horseshoes is one of my favorite MLP episodes, and Mimic was one of my favorite ponies because of it. I never had her as a kid, though. I still don't because of her price, especially as of late. The majority of my childhood herd is pink and purple, either because that's what I liked or because my parents thought that's what I'd like. I assume a lot of adults buying for girls had the same thoughts.
Now that we're all grown, we're searching for the colors we really wanted or didn't appreciate as kids. I've noticed that green and yellow ponies have been more popular and more expensive. The "short-packing" myth of how those colors were shipped with their pink and purple counterparts is also an explanation, but I recall reading that it's been debunked.
How about our friends, Megan, Molly and Danny?
Growing up I always found Megan to be obnoxious (but I wanted to be her so badly).
I always identified with Molly more and I liked her because she actually seemed to genuinely care about the ponies.
And Danny was always just a terrible choice to add into the mix... but I guess we needed the brother to annoy everyone and play tricks/pranks with Surprise.
I admit, my love for Minty stems from her being the Pony my oldest brother Ken bought for me. He was in the Marines, and in uniform, out buying Ponies, which I find hilarious to this day. He kept her in his locker and got a lot of good natured teasing about her. I lost the original Minty when my Ponies were stolen during a move as many know, but I have the wonderful new one that sweet ology sent me. To me, Minty is the embodiment of love.
I'm guessing the kids have more to do with being rare than popular. I don't really remember them.
Mimic was only to complete a set for me. I adore twinkle eyes. She's probably my least favorite one.
Megan, Molly, and Danny never held any appeal for me. (Other than wishing that I was them) I preferred ponies only.
I had (still have) the first Megan and Sundance set. I can remember the hours upon hours spent playing with my ponies, but Megan isn't present in those memories. I, too, wanted to be her, but I didn't really play with her. Which is odd because I was also a Barbie girl, but I played with both lines separately.
I know Im not sure why only some of the ponies from the tv show were popular but the rest of them were not as much. I dont mind it that made for some neat favorites of mine but I still find it weird. Im the odd one out here. I used to play with my megan. I even made or found a cute little red heart that looked like the rainbow of light locket that she wore. I maybe might try to find another one someday.
I don't think I even knew toys for them existed. If I did, I just preferred my Barbies.
Here's one that confounds me. Why are moc/mib so desirable even if the packaging is damaged? Like a yellowed plastic bubble in particular, or when the pony (never opened) has cancer, mold, regrind, or other damage?
Personally, I like oob (obviously), with nice hair and clean symbols/eyes. I love brushing, styling, rearranging, and talking to them. I don't have any playsets, but i can understand keeping it's original box. Don't you take them out to display them, though?
I figure it's because there's probably not that many older ponies that haven't been open. I doubt that there were many kids back in the day that kept their ponies sealed.
I personally don't care about mint condition. I like to free my toys from their plastic and cardboard prisons.


Summary : This family friendly suburban pizzeria features more than 20 Neapolitan style pies. The prices are reasonable and the vibe is laid back.
Over the past couple of years some of my friends in Washington, DC have been raving about Pupatella (5104 Wilson Boulevard). It's located in the suburb of Arlington, Virgina about 15 minutes outside of Washington. Pupatella actually started as food cart in nearby Ballston close to the intersection of N. Stuart Street and N. 9th Street. But in 2010 they made the move to a brick and mortar location. Step inside and you'll see a bright red pizza oven and a staff of 3-4 prepping pies at a pizza making station.
All orders are placed at a counter and brought to your table when they're done. This counter-style service seems to be more of an inconvenience than it is sensible. First off, when the restaurant is crowded, you could spend a good 5-10 minutes in line, rather than sitting down with your party. Second, if you're planning on splitting the bill, it involves some organization (should the person waiting in line hand the cashier four credit cards?). Third, if you order drinks like tap beer or sangria, you're provided with a receipt and then must go to a bar in another room to have your drink poured. Do you tip the cashier? The bartender? It's a unique set up, but at the end of the day, I think I'd rather be seated like I would at any other restaurant.
None of the pies on the regular menu — which features 13 red pies and 4 white pies — exceed $12. But on the night I was there, there was a separate menu featuring three special pizzas: Fig & Pig ($15), and Burrata ($14), and Pesto ($13). We ordered the latter two amongst our five pies. In addition, we had a Margherita DOC, Eggplant & Red Pepper, and Prosciutto Arugula. All of the names, as you can probably tell, are descriptive. The Margherita was very good — what you'd expect at a high quality pizza place. The Eggplant & Red Pepper pie was surprisingly tasty. What I really liked was the fact that the pie contained small clumps of eggplant. Too often pizzerias will put slices of eggplant on pies and it makes it difficult to eat and frankly too eggplant-y for me. Our group had mixed reactions to the Pesto pie. It was a little dry and could have used a little olive oil drizzled on top. And the use of actual walnuts was polarizing as well.
The pizzeria was very busy on the Tuesday night we ate there. There are multiple seating areas — the front and back of the primary room with the cashier and oven — which seats about 25. And a secondary room with a bar which seats about 35. The secondary room was a recent expansion and previously occupied by Union Halal Butcher. There is also an outdoor patio. With Pupatella's counter-style arrangement, it's a "free for all" when it comes to tables. Although I didn't witness any issues on the evening I was there, I can imagine situations where people are hovering over one another waiting for a party to finish their meal.
Overall, I enjoyed Pupatella much more than Virginia's other notable Neapolitan pizza place — Pizzeria Orso — and would recommend it to Washingtonians looking to get out of the city for a laid back meal one evening.