Cytomegalovirus and childhood leukemia: could a common virus influence ALL in babies and kids
Official title: Cytomegalovirus as an etiologic and clinico-pathogenic factor in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11336849 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand whether neonatal CMV infection is linked to a higher risk of getting childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and how it might shape the tumor’s genome.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | June 21, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $727,261 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA268494-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336849 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and children without ALL, from large, diverse populations, including neonatal CMV status data.
✕Less likely to help
Children without CMV exposure or without leukemia may not experience direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This project looks at young children and newborns to explore a possible link between early CMV infection and the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Researchers plan to analyze large groups of cases and controls to clarify epidemiological associations and to examine leukemia tumor samples for CMV-related mutations. The study combines population data with tumor-genome analysis to identify viral signatures that might be involved in the disease. Findings could point to new angles for prevention and better understanding of how CMV may influence leukemia biology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better risk identification and new avenues for prevention or targeted therapies in pediatric ALL.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary studies have suggested a possible link between early CMV infection and hematologic cancers, but definitive evidence in large populations is not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wiemels, Joseph Leo — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Wiemels, Joseph Leo
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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.