Tracking therapy-resistant changes in childhood leukemia
Official title: Tracking Therapy-Resistant Alterations in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11384571 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how to identify molecular clues at diagnosis that predict which children with ALL might relapse, so doctors can tailor therapies to reduce late effects and improve outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $416,011 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA273326-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384571 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, particularly those at risk of relapse.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose leukemia does not carry the studied resistance markers may not see a direct benefit.
What this research studies
Relapsed childhood ALL has poor outcomes and current treatments can cause lasting side effects. The project aims to build new molecular risk models by tracking resistance drivers present at diagnosis, to better guide risk-adapted therapy. Researchers plan to use genomic data from initial samples to identify markers linked to future relapse and test how they could predict response to treatment. The work builds on prior findings about resistance, addressing gaps where many relapsed cases lack known drivers. If successful, it could lead to more personalized, less toxic treatment plans for children with ALL.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to more accurate risk prediction at diagnosis and fewer relapses with reduced long-term treatment toxicity.
How similar studies have gone: Previous genomics studies identified resistance drivers, but many relapsed cases lack known drivers, indicating this approach is still evolving.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Xiaotu — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Ma, Xiaotu
Related research
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Genomics of childhood ALL across global populations
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-
Genomics of childhood ALL across diverse populations
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-
Combinatorial targeting for high-risk B-cell ALL treatment
A research effort at West Virginia University is exploring a combination therapy for adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using targeted gene silencing and a small-molecule compound to improve treatment in patients.
-
Understanding why Latino children have a higher risk of childhood ALL
This project looks at why Latino children are more likely to develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia and whether genetic ancestry plays a role, with the goal of improving prevention and outcomes.
-
Targeting obesity to improve survival for children with ALL
A new approach explores whether reducing obesity-related factors can make chemotherapy work better for kids with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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.