Peter Dirks

Peter Dirks identified CD133+ brain tumor stem cells in human glioblastoma, demonstrating that this rare subpopulation is exclusively responsible for tumor initiation and recurrence, and has pioneered combination strategies targeting CSCs alongside standard therapy. His work characterized the perivascular niche that maintains glioblastoma stem cells through endothelial cell-derived factors including Notch ligands and nitric oxide. He has shown that radiation therapy enriches for glioblastoma stem cells through preferential DNA damage repair. His research on CSC-targeted combination therapies is translating into clinical trials for glioblastoma and pediatric brain tumors.