Sonikpreet Aulakh, MBBS, MD

Research Interests

In her laboratory, Dr. Aulakh investigates the molecular underpinnings of glioblastoma, focusing on CD38 as a therapeutic target to overcome treatment resistance. Her ongoing projects, funded by intramural and extramural funding, include developing patient-derived xenograft models to test novel therapies and exploring the tumor microenvironment’s role in disease progression. By addressing the biological diversity of brain tumors in Appalachia, her research lays the foundation for personalized treatments tailored to rural populations.

Dr. Aulakh’s translational research bridges laboratory discoveries and clinical practice, directly impacting rural neuro-oncology care. Her work on CD38-targeted therapies has led to clinical trials that translate molecular insights into tangible treatments. Projects like the PROTEUS Consortium study (2022–2024) have implemented patient-reported outcome-guided care models, improving quality of life for brain tumor patients in Appalachia. By integrating genomic data and clinical outcomes, she ensures that rural patients benefit from precision medicine advancements.

Research Interests

• Brain Tumor Therapeutics: Pioneering target specific therapies to enhance the antitumor efficacy in glioblastoma and midline gliomas.
• Precision Medicine in Neuro-Oncology: Leveraging genomic and molecular profiling to develop personalized treatment strategies for high-grade gliomas.
• Clinical Trials Leadership: Designing and leading innovative trials to improve outcomes in glioblastoma using immunotherapy and radiation.
• Rural Healthcare Disparities: Addressing biological, geographic, and socioeconomic barriers to brain tumor care in Appalachia through clinical and translational research.
• Tumor Microenvironment: Investigating the role of the tumor microenvironment in treatment resistance and disease progression in brain cancers.

Grants and Research

Clinical Trials Leadership

• NCT04922723 : Phase I/II trial of radiation, temozolomide, and daratumumab immunotherapy for glioblastoma, Lead Principal Investigator (closed to accrual).
• NCT05503797: Efficacy and safety of FORE8394 in BRAF-altered cancers, Site Principal Investigator (open to accrual).
• NCT04471844 (EF-32): Optune® with radiation and temozolomide for newly diagnosed glioblastoma, Site Principal Investigator (closed to accrual).
• NCT04142437 (ON-TRK): Larotrectinib in TRK fusion cancer, Site Principal Investigator (open to accrual).
• NCT04410133 (REVELATE): 18F Fluciclovine PET for recurrent brain metastases, Site Principal Investigator (completed).

Current Research Projects

• CD38-Targeted Therapy in Glioblastoma
• Role of BCL2 in Glioblastoma
• Role of fusion proteins in Glioblastoma
• Development of Pre-Clinical Models of Glioblastoma
• Clinical Study on High-Grade Gliomas in Appalachia
• PRO-Guided Care for Brain Tumor Patients
• Implementation of decentralized clinical trials

Publications

1. Thakur VV, Fletcher DM, Medina E, Khan MB, Aulakh S, Joseph J, Lakhani DA, Brandmeir N, Bhatia S. Role of Steroids in the Diagnosis of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphomas: A Single-Center Experience. Neurosurgery. 2026 Aug 11. doi: 10.1227/neu.0000000000004185. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42579525.
2. Pack E, Sokos G, Bianco C, Carey B, Haider A, Thomay A, Wang X, Aulakh S. Fluctuating hypertension possibly leading to severe cardiomyopathy in SDHB-associated hereditary paraganglioma: from heart transplant candidacy to long-term lanreotide management: a case report. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2026 Jul 30;13:1861073. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2026.1861073. PMID: 42597314; PMCID: PMC13467828.
3. McLay B, Coholich JE, Glines K, Bond JA, Khan MAA, Peppers BP, Aulakh S. Double Trouble: Combined Prekallikrein and IgA Deficiencies in a Patient Undergoing Orthotopic Heart Transplantation-A Case Report. Case Rep Anesthesiol. 2026 Apr 27;2026:9463500. doi: 10.1155/cria/9463500. PMID: 42051971; PMCID: PMC13112076.
4. Norouzi S, Aulakh S. CD38 overexpression drives glioblastoma progression via L1CAM/ICAM1/JAK-STAT-Driven tumor microenvironment rewiring. Transl Oncol. 2026 May;67:102758. doi: 10.1016/j.tranon.2026.102758. Epub 2026 Apr 6. PMID: 41946147; PMCID: PMC13090310.
5. Pack E, Cifarelli CP, Bhatia S, Lewis J, Brandmeir N, Gleckman A, Han PC, Wages NA, Dotson TS, Denney MW, Wen S, Armistead M, Norouzi S, Aulakh S. Glioblastoma survival in rural America: a 10-year experience from a quaternary care center. J Neurooncol. 2026 Mar 10;177(1):36. doi: 10.1007/s11060-026-05501-x. PMID: 41806077; PMCID: PMC12975803.
6. Gensler R, Ahmed AK, Alfonzo Horowitz M, Khalifeh JM, Li M, Sadeghipour N, Abdulrahim M, Glantz M, Aulakh S, Nicolaides T, Lucas CG Jr, Yegnasubramanian S, Rincon-Torroella J, Bettegowda C. Differences in regional developmental origins of glioblastomas revealed by integrated molecular profiling. J Neurooncol. 2026 Jan 19;176(3):170. doi: 10.1007/s11060-025-05409-y. PMID: 41553435.
7. Burns TF, Dacic S, Chakka A, Miller E, Velez MA, Somasundaram A, Bhattacharya S, Gaither-Davis A, Devadassan P, Jin J, Kumar V, Pennathur A, Xiu J, Oberley M, Glantz MJ, Aulakh S, Chandran UR, Bao R, Tatsuoka C, Stabile LP. MET alterations are enriched in lung adenocarcinoma brain metastases, defining a distinct biologic subtype. J Clin Invest. 2025 Dec 18;136(4):e194708. doi: 10.1172/JCI194708. PMID: 41411048; PMCID: PMC12904726.
8. Aulakh S, Xiu J, Kothari S, Sengupta S, Sadeghipour N, Glantz M, Ahluwalia MS, Nicolaides T, Gilbert MR. Fusion transcriptome landscape in glioblastoma: Incidence and therapeutic implications. Neurooncol Adv. 2025 Nov 13;8(1):vdaf238. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdaf238. PMID: 41589214; PMCID: PMC12831933.
9. Aulakh S, Xiu J, Hinton A, Darabi S, Demeure MJ, Sengupta S, Kesari S, Ashley DM, Sumrall AL, Glantz MJ, Spetzler D. Biological and prognostic relevance of epigenetic regulatory genes in high-grade gliomas. Neurooncol Adv. 2024 Oct 4;6(1):vdae169. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdae169. PMID: 39553337; PMCID: PMC11565242.
10. Sherman JH, Bobak A, Arsiwala T, Lockman P, Aulakh S. Targeting drug resistance in glioblastoma (Review). Int J Oncol. 2024 Aug;65(2):80. doi: 10.3892/ijo.2024.5668. Epub 2024 Jul 12. PMID: 38994761; PMCID: PMC11251740.
11. Muñoz Perez N, Pensabene JM, Galbo PM Jr, Sadeghipour N, Xiu J, Moziak K, Yazejian RM, Welch RL, Bell WR, Sengupta S, Aulakh S, Eberhart CG, Loeb DM, Eskandar E, Zheng D, Zang X, Martin AM. VISTA Emerges as a Promising Target against Immune Evasion Mechanisms in Medulloblastoma. Cancers (Basel). 2024 Jul 24;16(15):2629. doi: 10.3390/cancers16152629. PMID: 39123357; PMCID: PMC11312086.
12. Cioffi G, Waite KA, Dmukauskas M, Glantz M, Aulakh S, Nicolaides T, Sengupta S, Xiu J, Barnholtz-Sloan JS. Sex differences in glioblastoma response to treatment: Impact of MGMT methylation. Neurooncol Adv. 2024 Mar 1;6(1):vdae031. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdae031. PMID: 38476929; PMCID: PMC10929416.
13. Lee IY, Hanft S, Schulder M, Judy KD, Wong ET, Elder JB, Evans LT, Zuccarello M, Wu J, Aulakh S, Agarwal V, Ramakrishna R, Gill BJ, Quiñones-Hinojosa A, Brennan C, Zacharia BE, Silva Correia CE, Diwanji M, Pennock GK, Scott C, Perez-Olle R, Andrews DW, Boockvar JA. Autologous cell immunotherapy (IGV-001) with IGF-1R antisense oligonucleotide in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients. Future Oncol. 2024 Mar;20(10):579-591. doi: 10.2217/fon-2023-0702. Epub 2023 Dec 7. PMID: 38060340.
14. Stout NL, Greenfield J, Aulakh S. Feasibility of a clinically integrated rehabilitation therapist in a Neuro-Oncology clinic. Neurooncol Adv. 2023 Aug 16;5(1):vdad098. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdad098. PMID: 37706197; PMCID: PMC10496938.
15. Darabi S, Xiu J, Samec T, Kesari S, Carrillo J, Aulakh S, Walsh KM, Sengupta S, Sumrall A, Spetzler D, Glantz M, Demeure MJ. Capicua (CIC) mutations in gliomas in association with MAPK activation for exposing a potential therapeutic target. Med Oncol. 2023 Jun 8;40(7):197. doi: 10.1007/s12032-023-02071-0. PMID: 37291277; PMCID: PMC10250263.
16. Blethen KE, Arsiwala TA, Fladeland RA, Sprowls SA, Panchal DM, Adkins CE, Kielkowski BN, Earp LE, Glass MJ, Pritt TA, Cabuyao YM, Aulakh S, Lockman PR. Modulation of the blood-tumor barrier to enhance drug delivery and efficacy for brain metastases. Neurooncol Adv. 2021 Nov 27;3(Suppl 5):v133-v143. doi: 10.1093/noajnl/vdab123. PMID: 34859240; PMCID: PMC8633736.
17. Aulakh S, DeDeo MR, Free J, Rosenfeld SS, Quinones-Hinojosa A, Paulus A, Manna A, Manochakian R, Chanan-Khan AA, Ailawadhi S. Survival trends in glioblastoma and association with treating facility volume. J Clin Neurosci. 2019 Oct;68:271-274. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.04.028. Epub 2019 May 24. PMID: 31133366; PMCID: PMC8006067.
18. Aulakh S. Growth factor signaling pathways and targeted therapy. In: Handbook of Brain Tumor Chemotherapy, Molecular Therapeutics, and Immunotherapy. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2026. p. 445-465. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-443-27356-8.00061-9.