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

Leukaemia UK calls upon government to increase blood testing capacity

27 September 2024

Leukaemia UK calls upon government to increase blood testing capacity

Together with Leukaemia Care, we’re calling on the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to focus on ‘business as usual’ primary care testing alongside innovation, amid concerns…

Nurse who made throwaway comment before blood cancer diagnosis welcomes new research boost into ‘Natural Killer’ cells

29 February 2024

Nurse who made throwaway comment before blood cancer diagnosis welcomes new research boost into ‘Natural Killer’ cells

A former nurse, midwife, health visitor and NHS manager is welcoming new research into her particular blood cancer, after not recognising her mystery symptoms were leukaemia.  Kay Cutting, from Seaham…

Friends and family of Leicestershire woman who died from rare cancer campaign for more research and awareness

2 August 2023

Friends and family of Leicestershire woman who died from rare cancer campaign for more research and awareness

The family of a Leicestershire woman who died in July 2022, on the day of her leukaemia diagnosis, has raised over £17,000 in her memory to support Leukaemia UK. On…

Leukaemia UK reveals new strategy to go further than ever to stop leukaemia devastating lives

25 May 2022

Leukaemia UK reveals new strategy to go further than ever to stop leukaemia devastating lives

Leukaemia UK has revealed a new strategy to go further than ever to save and improve more lives, through research, awareness and advocacy.