11 Jan 2019 Research

Leukaemia: Investigating stem cells to prevent cancer

What is this research looking at?

The development of effective treatments to prevent and eradicate leukaemia requires a better understanding of the mechanisms behind malignant (harmful) transformation and disease persistence during therapy.

Importantly, leukaemia development is associated with the acquisition of abnormal metabolic features, making cancer metabolism an attractive target for new therapeutic strategies.

Metabolism is closely associated to cell functions in normal and abnormal (malignant) tissues. By measuring metabolic heterogeneity in normal tissue (haemopoietic stem cells) and in cancer (leukaemia), I will determine whether distinct cell metabolic states are functionally connected to their potential for malignant transformation and therapy resistance.

I will test if malignant transformation and therapy resistance can be prevented or attenuated by targeting their metabolic dependencies. Results from the proposed research may lead to the development of new strategies for leukaemia eradication and prevention.

What could this mean for people with leukaemia?

This project investigates the metabolic features of stem cells in a bid to find out how to prevent them turning cancerous and to reduce resistance to treatment – this may lead to the development of new strategies for leukaemia eradication and prevention.

Related posts

Parents join Leukaemia UK in calling for more donations to fund research to stop blood cancer ‘destroying childhoods’

15 February 2024

Parents join Leukaemia UK in calling for more donations to fund research to stop blood cancer ‘destroying childhoods’

Parents of children whose lives have been devastated by leukaemia have joined Leukaemia UK on International Childhood Cancer Day (February 15th) in calling for more research into the blood cancer. …

International Childhood Cancer Day: Dr Samanta Mariani reflects on her research into infant leukaemia

11 February 2022

International Childhood Cancer Day: Dr Samanta Mariani reflects on her research into infant leukaemia

On International Childhood Cancer Day, Dr Samanta Mariani reflects on her research into infant leukaemia, what drives her in her work and her hopes for the future.

Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund launches

16 November 2022

Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund launches

Leukaemia Care and Leukaemia UK have launched a new financial support service, the Cost of Living with Leukaemia Fund, in response to the cost of living crisis in the UK….

Open letter from cancer charities to the public

18 July 2021

Open letter from cancer charities to the public

40 charities and organisations have written an open letter, urging the public to help keep vulnerable people safe as restrictions ease.