NIH-funded research R01 grant

How inflammation changes blood stem cells and drives progression in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

Official title: The impact of inflammation on HSPC composition and disease progression in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

Funded at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst · NIH-11285307 · Data updated 2026-11-12

Looking at whether inflammation changes blood stem cells and speeds disease in adults with CMML.

More Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionH. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Tampa, United States)
Project startMarch 7, 2023
Project endFebruary 29, 2028
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$495,033
NIH project number5R01CA278300-04
Project IDNIH-11285307 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults diagnosed with CMML who can provide blood and/or bone marrow samples and agree to clinical follow-up are the ideal candidates.

Less likely to help

People without CMML, those already in frank AML, or individuals unwilling to give samples or attend follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit directly.

What this research studies

As someone with CMML, this project will examine how inflammation alters the mix of blood stem and progenitor cells in your bone marrow and blood. Researchers will analyze patient blood and bone marrow samples over time and compare molecular patterns in people who progress to AML versus those who remain stable. They will also use laboratory models that mimic inflammation to see if inflammatory programs make certain leukemia stem cells more competitive. Findings will be linked to clinical outcomes to help identify markers or targets to slow progression.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify inflammatory markers or pathways that predict or slow CMML progression and reduce the chance of transformation to AML.

How similar studies have gone: Preliminary lab work and a retrospective patient cohort suggest inflammatory shifts in progenitor cells are linked to worse outcomes, but translating this into clinical markers and therapies is still new.

Where this research is happening

  • H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
    Tampa, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Padron, Eric — H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst
  • Study coordinator: Padron, Eric

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

  • Targeted therapies for a blood cancer called CMML (CBL-mutant CMML)

    A physician-scientist is testing targeted drugs to treat a hard-to-kill blood cancer called CMML in patients whose cancer has CBL mutations.

    NIH research Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · Boston, United States · NIH-11386695

  • Understanding how CMML develops and becomes aggressive

    Looks at blocking overactive MEK/ERK signals and BET protein-driven gene activity to slow or reverse aggressive CMML and lower its chance of turning into AML for people whose leukemia has NRAS and ASXL1 mutations.

    NIH research University of Wisconsin-Madison · Madison, United States · NIH-11306692

  • Blocking PLK1 in RAS‑mutated chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

    People with relapsed or refractory proliferative CMML that has RAS pathway mutations will receive an oral drug called onvansertib that blocks the cell‑division protein PLK1 to look for safety and early signs of benefit.

    NIH research Mayo Clinic Rochester · Rochester, United States · NIH-11304074

  • Patient-based mouse models to find better treatments for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

    Researchers are using mice implanted with patients' CMML cells to try out new treatment approaches for people with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

    NIH research H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Ctr & Res Inst · Tampa, United States · NIH-11179159

  • Understanding how chronic myelomonocytic leukemia resists targeted therapy

    This study is looking at how some people with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) might not respond to a treatment called cobimetinib, and it aims to help those patients by figuring out why that happens and finding better ways to treat them.

    NIH research University of Utah · Salt Lake City, United States · NIH-11083674

  • Targeting a specific protein to treat a type of blood cancer

    This study is looking at a new pill called Onvansertib to see if it can help people with a tough type of blood cancer called chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) that hasn't responded to other treatments, especially for those with specific gene changes.

    NIH research Mayo Clinic Rochester · Rochester, United States · NIH-11067766

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.