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Translational Genomics in Leukaemia

The Translational Genomics in Leukaemia team is focused on identifying the causes of leukaemia, with the goal of developing new targeted treatments to improve quality of care and long-term survival for all children with leukaemia.

Despite significant improvements in survival rates over the decades, leukaemia still remains the second cause of cancer-related death in children.

Many children with leukaemia continue to have poor prognosis due to treatment-related toxicity, therapy-resistance and relapse, and children with relapsed leukaemia are currently exposed to life-threatening conditions. New treatments are urgently needed to improve long term outcomes for these children. 

Using cutting-edge technologies and innovative strategies, the main research topics of the Translational Genomics in Leukaemia team are to:

  1. Dissect the genetic molecular causes of leukaemia initiation and development.
  2. Identify the key features of treatment resistance and relapse initiation.
  3. Screen thousands of drugs to eradicate leukaemia cells.
  4. Develop clinically relevant models of leukaemia to assess efficacy of new therapies and facilitate their rapid translational to the clinic.

Our team collaborates with local, national and international leaders and clinicians to make a tangible difference in improving outcomes for children with leukaemia.

Team leader

Laboratory Head, Translational Genomics in Leukaemia, Ursula Kees Fellow (CCRF), Cancer Council WA Fellow (CCWA), Senior Research Fellow (UWA), University Associate (Curtin)

Team members (8)

Jesse Armitage

Jesse Armitage

Postdoctoral Researcher

Kah Ying Wong

Kah Ying Wong

Research Assistant

Kunjal Panchal

Kunjal Panchal

PhD Student

Amelia Dyton

Amelia Dyton

PhD Student

Claris Chung

Claris Chung

Masters Student

Qi Liu

Qi Liu

Masters Student

Petar Tupanceski

Petar Tupanceski

Honours Student

Carlos Aya-Bonilla

Carlos Aya-Bonilla

Honorary Researcher

Translational Genomics in Leukaemia projects

Featured projects

Development of new preclinical models of childhood leukaemia

Exploring clonal diversity in paediatric B-cell leukaemia to identify new therapeutic weakness

Publications

Reports and Findings

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Interleukin-4 modulates type I interferon to augment antitumor immunity

Despite advances in immunotherapy, metastatic melanoma remains a considerable therapeutic challenge due to the complexity of the tumor microenvironment. Intratumoral type I interferon (IFN-I) has long been associated with improved clinical outcomes. However, several IFN-I subtypes can also paradoxically promote tumor growth in some contexts. 

Preclinical Assessment of Dactinomycin in KMT2A-Rearranged Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Infants with KMT2A-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have high rates of relapse and poor survival compared with children. Few new therapies have been identified over the past twenty years. The aim of this study was to identify existing anti-cancer agents that have the potential to be repurposed for the treatment of infant ALL.

Transcriptional rewiring in CD8+ T cells: implications for CAR-T cell therapy against solid tumours

T cells engineered to express chimeric-antigen receptors (CAR-T cells) can effectively control relapsed and refractory haematological malignancies in the clinic. However, the successes of CAR-T cell therapy have not been recapitulated in solid tumours due to a range of barriers such as immunosuppression, poor infiltration, and tumour heterogeneity.

Childhood leukaemia in Down's syndrome primed by blood-cell bias

An in-depth investigation of gene regulation and cell populations at sites of fetal blood-cell production provides clues as to why children with Down’s syndrome are predisposed to developing leukaemia.

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