Better treatments for myeloid leukemia in children with Down syndrome
Enhancing treatments for myeloid leukemia associated with Down syndrome
This project looks at how bone marrow blood-vessel cells influence why chemotherapy works so well for children with Down syndrome who develop myeloid leukemia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wayne State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Detroit, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145814 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient or family perspective, the team will compare how leukemia cells interact with the bone marrow blood-vessel (endothelial) cells in children with Down syndrome versus other types of AML. They will use human samples and laboratory models to measure cell adhesion, signaling, and response to the chemotherapy drug cytarabine (AraC). The researchers will also study endothelial cells from different tissues and disease states to find functional differences that affect treatment sensitivity. The goal is to explain the unusually high cure rates in ML-DS and identify factors that could reduce relapse.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children with Down syndrome diagnosed with myeloid leukemia, and families willing to provide clinical samples or participate in follow-up, would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Adults, people without Down syndrome, or patients with different cancer types are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could suggest treatment or supportive-care changes that lower relapse risk and improve outcomes for children with ML-DS.
How similar studies have performed: Cytarabine-based therapy already cures many ML-DS cases and prior studies show marrow endothelial cells can affect chemotherapy resistance in non-DS AML, but applying those findings specifically to ML-DS is a newer and only partially tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Detroit, United States
- Wayne State University — Detroit, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taub, Jeffrey Warren — Wayne State University
- Study coordinator: Taub, Jeffrey Warren
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.