Finding New Treatments for Childhood Leukemia
Official title: NCI Pediatric In Vivo Testing Program - Leukemia
Funded at University of New South Wales · NIH-11127479 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research aims to discover more effective medicines for children with aggressive or hard-to-treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New South Wales NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Sydney, Australia) |
| Project start | August 1, 2015 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $454,977 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA199000-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11127479 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This preclinical research is designed to benefit future pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, particularly those whose disease is aggressive or has not responded to current treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients currently undergoing treatment or those whose leukemia is well-controlled may not directly benefit from this early-stage drug discovery work.
What this research studies
Our goal is to improve treatment options for children facing aggressive or drug-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We do this by carefully testing new medicines in advanced laboratory models that closely mimic the disease in patients. These models, called patient-derived xenografts, are created from actual patient samples and grown in special mice, allowing us to see how new drugs might work before they are given to children. This helps us identify the most promising drugs to move forward into clinical trials, maximizing the chances of finding better cures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the discovery and prioritization of new, more effective drugs for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, especially those with aggressive or resistant forms of the disease.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical testing programs using patient-derived models have shown promise in identifying effective treatments for various cancers, though each new drug candidate is unique.
Where this research is happening
-
University of New South Wales
Sydney, Australia Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lock, Richard B — University of New South Wales
- Study coordinator: Lock, Richard B
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Investigating a specific type of leukemia in children caused by genetic changes.
This study is looking at how certain proteins linked to leukemia affect kids and teens with high-risk blood cancers, and the researchers hope to find new ways to treat these conditions by learning more about how the disease works.
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Caregiver-led mobile tool to support healthy habits for kids treated for ALL
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Targeting the SCP4 pathway in acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
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Understanding TCRs in Leukemia to Improve Immunotherapies
A short, patient-friendly look at a project trying to map how immune cells recognize leukemia so future therapies can be better and safer for people with AML.
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Targeted therapy for AML using DHODH inhibitors to boost differentiation and immune response
Aims to help adults with acute myeloid leukemia by using a special drug approach that makes cancer cells act more like normal blood cells and supports the immune system.
-
Genomics of childhood ALL across global populations
A wide-ranging study looks at how inherited genetics influence the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia around the world.
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.