Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

No results yet

Search

Research

Down syndrome-associated leukaemias: current evidence and challenges

Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased risk of developing haematological malignancies, in particular acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. The microenvironment established by abnormal haematopoiesis driven by trisomy 21 is compounded by additional genetic and epigenetic changes that can drive leukaemogenesis in patients with DS.

Research

Invasive fungal disease in children with solid tumors: An Australian multicenter 10-year review

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) occurs less frequently during treatment for solid compared to hematological malignancies in children, and risk groups are poorly defined. Retrospective national multicenter cohort data (2004-2013) were analyzed to document prevalence, clinical characteristics, and microbiology of IFD.

Research

The bone marrow microenvironment of pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia at single-cell resolution

The bone marrow microenvironment plays a key role in leukemia progression, but its molecular complexity in pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common cancer in children, remains poorly understood. To gain further insight, we used single-cell RNA sequencing to characterize the kinetics of the murine BMM during B-ALL progression.

Research

COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents aged 5 years and older undergoing treatment for cancer and non-malignant haematological conditions: Australian and New Zealand Children’s Haematology/Oncology Group consensus statement

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and New Zealand Ministry of Health recommend all children aged ≥ 5 years receive either of the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines: Comirnaty (Pfizer), available in both Australia and New Zealand, or Spikevax (Moderna), available in Australia only. Both vaccines are efficacious and safe in the general population, including children. Children and adolescents undergoing treatment for cancer and immunosuppressive therapy for non-malignant haematological conditions are particularly vulnerable, with an increased risk of severe or fatal COVID-19.

Research

Aging of preleukemic thymocytes drives CpG island hypermethylation in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Cancer cells display DNA hypermethylation at specific CpG islands in comparison to their normal healthy counterparts, but the mechanism that drives this so-called CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) remains poorly understood. Here, we show that CpG island methylation in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) mainly occurs at promoters of Polycomb Repressor Complex 2 (PRC2) target genes that are not expressed in normal or malignant T-cells and which display a reciprocal association with H3K27me3 binding.

Research

Novel therapeutics approaches for infants with high-risk infant acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Rishi S. Laurence Sébastien Kotecha Cheung Malinge MB ChB (Hons) MRCPCH FRACP PhD BPharm (Hons) MBA PhD PhD Co-Head, Leukaemia Translational Research

Research

Interactions between acute lymphoblastic leukemia and bone marrow stromal cells influence response to therapy

To identify links between drug resistance and gene deregulation we used oligonucleotide microarray technology.

Research

Influence of wild-type MLL on glucocorticoid sensitivity and response to DNA-damage in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Rearrangement of the mixed-lineage leukemia gene (MLL) is found in 80% of infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and is associated with poor prognosis and re

Research

Gene-based outcome prediction in multiple cohorts of pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a Children's Oncology Group study

Continuous complete clinical remission in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is now approaching 80% due to the implementation of aggressive...

Research

Glucocorticoid resistance in T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is associated with a proliferative metabolism

We examined the baseline profile of a panel of T-ALL cell lines to determine factors that contribute to GC resistance without prior drug selection.