11 Jan 2019 Research

Myelofibrosis: Finding new ways to treat patients

Myelofibrosis is a fatal bone marrow cancer. The disease is caused by excessive secretion of factors by cancerous platelet-producing cells called megakaryocytes. These secretions cause the replacement of normal bone marrow tissue with fibrous scar tissue.

Dr Chen’s team can successfully recreate this pathological bone marrow environment in the laboratory, and their preliminary research data shows that reduced levels of a protein complex called FANCcore leads to more myelofibrosis.

Dr Chen’s team hypothesise that loss of the protein complex FANCcore increases the growth of myelfibrosis by altering megakaryocytes. Dr Chen uses both human tissue cultures and mouse models to examine the cellular and molecular changes to megakaryocytes following the absence of the FANCcore complex and to understand how these changes cause myelofibrosis.

The team hopes that by focusing on the role of FANCcore in megakaryocyte biology, they can reveal new ways to treat myelofibrosis.

Related posts

“Leukaemia changes everyone’s life.”: Chris Corbin OBE announced as a Leukaemia UK patron

30 January 2025

“Leukaemia changes everyone’s life.”: Chris Corbin OBE announced as a Leukaemia UK patron

The renowned restauranteur Chris Corbin OBE has been announced as a patron for blood cancer charity Leukaemia UK. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the stem cell transplant which saved…

An open letter to people with a weakened immune system

6 June 2022

An open letter to people with a weakened immune system

Leukaemia UK joins the NHS and other charity leaders by signing an open letter, to encourage people with a weakened immune system to continue to book in or visit a walk-in centre for their Covid-19 vaccines.

World Blood Cancer Day interview with Dr Pramila Krishnamurthy

18 May 2022

World Blood Cancer Day interview with Dr Pramila Krishnamurthy

On 28th May the global blood cancer community comes together to mark World Blood Cancer Day, this campaign calls for support of those with blood cancer and encourages people to become stem cell donors.

This year’s Olive Boles Innovation Award winner announced

13 November 2023

This year’s Olive Boles Innovation Award winner announced

Dr Kevin Rattigan, University of Glasgow, has been selected as this year’s Olive Boles Innovation Award winner – an accolade given to one Leukaemia UK John Goldman Fellow each year….