The Hemato-Oncology Research Group (HemoRes) investigates the molecular and genetic basis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with a focus on developing novel mechanism-based targeted therapies. Our primary objective is to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the initiation, evolution, and propagation of ALL through comprehensive genomic analyses of patient samples, including whole-genome sequencing (WGS), transcriptome sequencing (RNAseq), and single-cell genomics. We believe that a detailed understanding of leukemogenesis is crucial for informing treatment strategies, particularly for patients at an elevated risk of relapse. To this end, we employ a broad range of molecular and cellular biology techniques, gene editing technologies, and zebrafish models of acute leukemia. Another key goal is to identify targeted combination therapies for both B-cell and T-cell ALL, with the aim of reducing the chemotherapeutic burden currently experienced by leukemia patients.
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Open and Ongoing Projects:
- Targeted Drug Screens for T-ALL: Conducting targeted drug screenings to identify effective therapies for T-ALL, with a particular focus on combination treatments involving the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, dasatinib.
- Enhancing the Efficacy of Immune-Based Therapies for T-ALL: Developing strategies to improve the effectiveness of immune-based therapies for T-ALL, aiming to boost treatment responses and reduce resistance.
- Identification of Prognostic Protein Biomarkers: Utilizing plasma samples and Olink Explorer technology to identify prognostic biomarkers that can help predict patient outcomes and guide personalized treatment approaches.
- Modeling ALL in Zebrafish: Employing zebrafish models to simulate acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), enabling the study of disease progression and the testing of potential therapeutic interventions.
