Understanding why some MDS patients relapse after a stem cell transplant
Official title: Single-Cell Dissection of Cellular and Transcriptional Dynamics Driving Post-Transplant Relapse in Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11350441 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes after stem cell transplant to learn the cellular changes and gene activity that lead to relapse, with the goal of guiding future treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $234,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R03HL185154-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11350441 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with myelodysplastic syndromes who are considering or have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not undergoing allo-HCT or those not within the study’s sampling schedule may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will follow 20 adults with MDS who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, comparing 10 who relapse within a year to 10 who stay relapse-free. Researchers will analyze blood samples collected over the first year after transplant, using single-cell RNA sequencing and T cell receptor sequencing to map immune cell changes over time. They will also look at specific gene mutations in the cancer cells to understand how these factors interact with the immune response. The aim is to identify transcriptional programs and immune dynamics that accompany relapse so that new interventions can be designed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could inform new strategies to prevent relapse and improve long-term survival after transplant.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests immune and genomic factors influence relapse; this study builds on that by pairing scRNA-seq with TCR sequencing in relapse vs relapse-free patients.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dong, Jing — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Dong, Jing
Related research
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Detecting early signs of relapse in blood cancer after stem cell transplants
This study is looking at how myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) can come back after treatment, especially after stem cell transplants, by checking for specific blood cells that might show if the disease is still there, which could help improve how we keep an eye on and treat patients with MDS.
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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.