How mRNA stability affects blood cell development and acute myeloid leukemia
Official title: mRNA stability and its impact on hematopoiesis and acute leukemia
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11249176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether problems in RNA stability in blood cells drive acute myeloid leukemia and could point to new treatments for adults and children with AML.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $540,134 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA266212-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with acute myeloid leukemia (adults and children) or those able to donate leukemia blood or bone marrow samples would be the most relevant candidates to connect with this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without AML or with blood cancers driven by unrelated mechanisms may not benefit from findings focused on mRNA stability pathways.
What this research studies
The team uses CRISPR/Cas9 screens guided by cell surface markers to find RNA-binding proteins that control blood cell maturation. They focus on ZFP36L2, a protein that binds AU-rich sequences in 3' untranslated regions and promotes breakdown of mRNAs that direct early blood cell differentiation. Experiments combine genetic editing, molecular studies of RNA targets, and tests in laboratory models and human leukemia samples to see whether changing mRNA stability forces cancer cells to mature and die. The overall aim is to translate these findings into approaches like differentiation therapy that could work beyond the APL subtype of AML.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets that make AML cells mature and die, leading to new targeted treatments for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Differentiation therapy has been highly successful for APL, but directly targeting RNA-binding proteins like ZFP36L2 is a newer approach with limited prior clinical success.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aifantis, Iannis — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Aifantis, Iannis
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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.