Preventing deadly infections in children with Down syndrome during leukemia treatment
Official title: Preventing Fatal Infections in Children with Down Syndrome During Treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11093995 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for blood markers that can identify children with Down syndrome and acute lymphoblastic leukemia who are at high risk for life-threatening infections so doctors can offer extra protection early.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $533,887 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA290539-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11093995 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with Down syndrome who are diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and whose care teams can collect blood samples and follow infection outcomes are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Down syndrome, those not receiving ALL chemotherapy, or those with different cancers are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers will treat mouse models of Down syndrome with pediatric leukemia chemotherapy and expose them to infections to find patterns in blood that predict severe infection. They will then check those candidate blood markers in samples from children with Down syndrome and ALL who did or did not experience severe infectious complications. The team aims to create a blood test or risk profile that flags high-risk patients at the start of therapy. If validated, this approach could guide treatment changes and intensified supportive care to prevent fatal infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, doctors could identify high-risk children early and give targeted preventive care or treatment adjustments to reduce infection-related deaths.
How similar studies have gone: Biomarker-guided risk stratification has helped other leukemia groups, but applying this approach specifically to infection risk in Down syndrome-ALL is a novel effort.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ryeom, Sandra — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Ryeom, Sandra
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Preventing fatal infections in children with Down syndrome during ALL treatment
Aimed at reducing deadly infections in children with Down syndrome undergoing chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia by finding biomarkers to tailor treatment and supportive care.
-
Investigating the link between Down syndrome and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children
This study is looking into why kids with Down syndrome are more likely to get a type of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and it hopes to find out how their genes play a role in this so that we can help keep them healthier.
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Investigating genetic factors that increase leukemia risk in children with Down syndrome
This study is looking at how certain genes might affect the chances of children with Down syndrome getting acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), so we can find ways to better predict and prevent this risk for those kids.
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Caregiver-led mobile tool to support healthy habits for kids treated for ALL
A caregiver-directed mobile program helps children who were treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia build healthier daily routines.
-
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.
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Genomics of childhood ALL across diverse populations
A large international study will look at why children everywhere get acute lymphoblastic leukemia and how genetics may influence risk.
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.