How inflammation changes the growth of mutated blood stem cells and their progress to blood cancer
Project 1: Effects of inflammation on clonal competition and malignant transformation
This project looks at whether inflammation makes mutated blood stem cells expand and turn into leukemia in people with clonal hematopoiesis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11378273 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use a novel mouse model that mixes five different mutations found in clonal hematopoiesis to see which mutant blood stem cells grow under stress. They expose these mice to inflammatory triggers and track how individual clones expand over time. The team will analyze changes in gene regulation and cell metabolism that might explain why some clones become dominant and progress to malignancy. The goal is to identify targets—such as anti-inflammatory or metabolic strategies—that could help prevent progression to leukemia.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with clonal hematopoiesis or known CH-associated mutations, particularly older adults monitored for blood or bone marrow disorders, would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: Those without CH mutations or with cancers unrelated to blood-forming cells are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to ways to prevent or slow the progression from clonal hematopoiesis to leukemia, enabling better monitoring or preventive treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal work, including studies showing inflammation expands DNMT3A-mutant cells, supports this line of research, but translating those findings to prevent human leukemia is still unproven.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: King, Katherine Yudeh — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: King, Katherine Yudeh
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.