How AML cancer cells become resistant to treatment
Trajectory and Architecture of Tumor Intrinsic Drug Resistance in AML
This project tracks how acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells change under targeted drugs to find ways to keep treatments working longer for people with AML.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oregon Health & Science University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Portland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11180346 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are using blood and bone marrow samples from people with AML to map how cancer cells evolve when exposed to drugs. They apply genome-wide CRISPR screens, functional genomics, and computational integration to pinpoint genetic and cellular mechanisms of resistance. The team also studies how signals from immune and stromal cells help early resistance emerge and tests rational drug combinations, some of which are already moving into clinical trials. The goal is to create a detailed map of resistance stages and nominate combination therapies that could prevent or overcome relapse.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people diagnosed with AML—especially those receiving or who have received targeted therapies such as FLT3, IDH1/2, or BCL2 (venetoclax) inhibitors—or patients whose leukemia has relapsed after these treatments.
Not a fit: People without AML (for example, those with unrelated blood disorders or solid tumors) and patients not treated with targeted AML agents may not directly benefit from this work in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to drug combinations or strategies that prevent or overcome resistance and produce longer remissions for people with AML.
How similar studies have performed: Related genomic and functional-screening approaches have nominated promising drug combinations and some of these combinations are already in clinical trials, but truly durable cures for relapsed/refractory AML remain limited.
Where this research is happening
Portland, United States
- Oregon Health & Science University — Portland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tyner, Jeffrey Wallace — Oregon Health & Science University
- Study coordinator: Tyner, Jeffrey Wallace
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.