Tracking treatment-resistant changes in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Tracking Therapy-Resistant Alterations in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Looking at genetic changes linked to treatment resistance in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia to see if they can predict who will relapse.
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 ID | NIH-11167570 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child is newly diagnosed with ALL, researchers will analyze leukemia cells from blood or bone marrow taken at diagnosis using advanced genomic tests, including sequencing beyond the usual protein-coding regions. They will search for known and newly discovered genetic alterations that can make leukemia resistant to chemotherapy. The team will combine these genetic findings with clinical information to build new molecular risk models that aim to predict relapse risk earlier. The overall aim is to help guide more personalized treatment choices that could reduce relapse and long-term toxic side effects.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children (about 0–11 years old) newly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who can provide diagnostic blood or bone marrow samples and clinical follow-up information.
Not a fit: Adults, children with other types of cancer, or patients whose leukemia does not show detectable genetic resistance markers are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help identify children at higher risk of relapse early so doctors can tailor treatments to prevent relapse and reduce long-term toxic side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genomic studies have found some resistance mutations in relapsed ALL and improved biological understanding, but more than half of relapses lack known drivers and using these markers prospectively at diagnosis remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Memphis, United States
- 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
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.