Why aging blood stem cells turn into MDS or AML
Identification and targeting of pathways separating healthy stem cell aging from malignant transformation
The team is studying a cell-cleaning process in blood stem cells to understand how it changes with age and might lead to myelodysplastic syndromes or acute myeloid leukemia in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124213 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
They are using new genetic mouse models and lab techniques to study a protein-clearance pathway called chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) in blood-forming stem cells. The researchers will compare CMA activity and related metabolic changes in normally aging stem cells versus those on a path to become cancerous. Laboratory tests will track how loss or alteration of CMA affects cell function and the steps toward malignant transformation. The goal is to pinpoint pathways that could be targeted to stop or reverse early cancerous changes in blood stem cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults and people with early signs of blood disorders (for example clonal hematopoiesis, early MDS, or newly diagnosed AML) are the population most directly relevant to these findings.
Not a fit: People without blood disorders or those with cancers unrelated to blood stem cells are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat early-stage MDS/AML by targeting the cell-cleaning pathways in blood stem cells.
How similar studies have performed: Research in other tissues links CMA to aging and disease, but applying CMA-focused approaches to the development and prevention of MDS/AML is largely new.
Where this research is happening
Bronx, United States
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine — Bronx, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Will, Britta — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Will, Britta
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.