Pathology Grand Round, March 2026 Lecture: Title 'Beyond histology; revising the classification of infant and TYA high-grade gliomas through molecular profiling'.

TOPICS COVERED

High-grade gliomas are a very aggressive type of brain tumour that can occur in any location within the central nervous system (CNS), at any age and have a very poor prognosis. During this talk, I will expand on work undertaken during my PhD and NIHR Clinical Lectureship focused on understudied groups of high-grade glioma (HGG) and how using different molecular techniques (including DNA methylation profiling, DNA panel and fusion panel sequencing, alongside neuropathological review) has helped to improve our understanding of the different subgroups and their characteristic molecular alterations. I will showcase important outputs that have helped to redefine the classification of infant gliomas and led directly to the initiation of clinical trials for the use of Trk inhibitors in infant HGG, the inclusion of a new chapter in the WHO Classification of CNS tumours (5th edition, 2021) titled ‘Infant-type hemispheric glioma’, and real-time examples of clinical benefit for patients. I will also describe my focussed research on teenage/young adult (TYA) HGG showing that they comprise methylation subgroups which occur in paediatric and adult age groups, but also novel, poorly defined methylation classes including a novel TYA-specific subgroup called HGG_B. Finally, I will discuss current and future challenges related to the clinical translation of such work.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Clinicians
• Researchers
• Healthcare professionals
• Medical trainees
• Students interested in cancer or brain tumour research.

SPEAKER

Dr Matthew Clarke
Matt is a Clinician Scientist and Consultant Paediatric Neuropathologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Institute of Cancer Research. He trained at Keele Medical School and completed a PhD in the molecular pathology of infant gliomas. Matt is a former Chair of the RCPath Trainees’ Advisory Committee and of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Trainee Doctors’ Group. He is the BDIAP Meetings Secretary and former Editor of ‘ACP news’. He has received awards for public engagement, research, and science communication and featured in the Pathology Power List 2021. He is RCPath lead for foundation and undergraduate pathology.

For more information, pleae contact: [email protected].