Why timing matters in childhood leukaemia and personalised treatment decisions

João Barata

Fundação GIMM – Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine, Portugal

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is one of the most common childhood cancers. Current treatments often work well in children, but they can cause serious side effects and are less successful in adults. Similar leukaemias may also behave differently or respond differently to treatment. This project focuses on understanding when the disease begins and how timing shapes its progression.

Previous research shows that the same alteration can lead to different forms of leukaemia depending on whether it appears in very early stem cells or in cells closer to maturing into immune cells. The team will combine patient-derived samples, advanced disease models, developmental blood-cell research and clinical data to study how timing affects the characteristics of leukaemia cells and their sensitivity to treatment.

By introducing developmental timing as a factor in leukaemia biology, the project could help identify new treatment vulnerabilities and cases that are resistant to standard therapy. The findings could help guide personalised treatment in patients with different forms of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

IL7R mutational activation at distinct hematopoietic stages: impact on ALL biology and treatment

€499,990.92