PIK3CA

Research collaboration

The developmental brain disorders research program (at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute):

Aims

  • To understand the natural history of PIK3CA related overgrowth disorders, with a special focus on the neurological and neuroimaging features.
  • To understand the molecular spectrum of PIK3CA related overgrowth disorders, including tissue distribution, levels of mosaicism and types of mutations of PIK3CA.
  • To understand the functional consequences of PIK3CA mutations in vivo and in vitro (including in human iPSCs and cerebral organoids).
  • To identify the most optimal therapeutic approaches for children with PIK3CA related epilepsy and other neurological consequences.

Inclusion criteria

  • Any child suspected or identified to have PIK3CA related neurological disorders (including MEG, PMG, HMEG, FCD or epilepsy), and informative family members.

Timeline

  • Longitudinal (long-term) / prospective enrolment.

Expected results

  • Delineation of canonical phenotypes associated with PIK3CA mutations, with a special focus on neurologic and neuroimaging features.
  • Characterization of types of disease-causing PIK3CA mutations, tissue distribution and levels of mosaicism.
  • Identification of optimal therapeutic targets for PIK3CA related neurological disorders.