Acute myeloid leukemia is an aggressive and often deadly blood cancer. Some patients have a mutation in a gene called KMT2A, which makes the disease especially difficult to treat. Leukemia cells survive by using built-in repair systems that help them handle stress and keep their proteins functioning so that they can continue to grow. Our research is focused on turning this strength into a weakness. We will test whether blocking one of these systems can cause leukemia cells to die. We will also study whether combining this approach with recently approved KMT2A inhibitors (menin inhibitors) can make treatments even more effective.

We are tirelessly working to solve the problem of developing better and safer treatment options for leukemia patients. By uncovering new ways to target this disease, our work has the potential to open the door to better therapies and improve survival for patients who currently have few options. This funding will have a direct and meaningful impact by allowing us to move this research forward and would lay the groundwork for potential clinical trials. As a physician caring for patients with leukemia, I have seen first-hand how devastating this disease can be, especially when treatments stop working. I have sat with patients and families facing limited options. Those experiences are what drive this research, and brings urgency, purpose, and hope to everything we do.