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University of Massachusetts Medical School

364 Plantation Street
Worcester, MA 1605
United States

Background

Leukemia is one of the most deadly and most common childhood cancers. Current leukemia treatment using non-selective cytotoxic chemotherapy results in a good initial response, but limited long-term survival, likely due to inadequate targeting of deregulated genes.

Acute myeloid leukemia results from the accumulation of mutations that deregulate survival and differentiation of hematopoietic cells, and drive leukemia. We have studied the mechanism of leukemia development with oncogenic Ras and CBF mutations for over 20 years. In this application we are proposing studies in mice and leukemic cells to test the role of BIM inhibition as a target for leukemia, and to test RAS inhibitors as candidate therapies for these leukemias. These studies aim at establishing improved targeted therapies in childhood leukemia

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