20 Oct 2023 Research

Emerging leaders accolade for former Leukaemia UK John Goldman Fellows

Former Leukaemia UK John Goldman Fellows, Dr Matthew Blunt, University of Southampton and Dr Konstantinos Tzelepis, University of Cambridge have been recognised as ‘Emerging Leaders in Leukaemia’ by the major scientific journal, Leukemia. The Nature Publishing Group journal’s Emerging Leaders collection recognises new, ground-breaking researchers in the haematology field.

This prominent recognition for two of Leukaemia UK’s former John Goldman Fellows, comes in the same week that we announce £600,000 funding for four new Fellows, each seeking to find kinder, more effective treatments for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

Our prestigious John Goldman Fellowships are aimed at early career researchers with a passion for science and a desire to develop new ideas and translate scientific advances into clinical practice. The fellowships aim to support and empower the scientific leaders of the future.

Dr Matthew Blunt was awarded a Leukaemia UK John Goldman Fellowship in 2019. Through his work he has found new ways to direct immune cells called natural killer cells against leukaemia – discoveries which could lead to effective treatments with fewer side effects, to save more lives. Dr Blunt and his team are now focusing on the best way to overcome resistance to the immune system in leukaemia and aim to evaluate this in a future clinical trial.

In 2020, Dr Konstantinos Tzelepis was awarded a Leukaemia UK John Goldman Fellowship to investigate the METTL3 protein, and its role in how AML cells develop. Dr Tzelepis identified a new targeted drug with the potential to treat the disease. Now, Dr Tzelepis and his colleagues at STORM therapeutics are continuing to develop the potential drug, which is being tested in a Phase 1 US-based clinical trial for patients with aggressive malignancies. Safety results from this study will inform future trials, which could include AML patients.

This year, Dr Tzelepis, was awarded £250,000 as part of Leukaemia UK’s inaugural John Goldman Fellowship Follow-up Fund award. The fund is a further commitment to the UK’s future blood cancer research leaders, seeking to advance our understanding and ability to treat leukaemia and other blood cancers.