Iannis Aifantis, PhD

Funded by the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund

B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common type of leukemia in children. New immune-based treatments have greatly improved care for many patients. These treatments work by finding markers on the surface of leukemia cells. The markers act like name tags that help the treatment find and kill the cancer cells.But leukemia cells can sometimes escape. They may lower or change these markers, making them harder for treatment to see. When this happens, the cancer may stop responding and can return.Our project will study how leukemia cells control these markers and how they hide from treatment. We will also test whether medicines can help restore the markers and make leukemia cells easier to find and kill. In addition, we will study why resistance develops when different immune-based treatments are used one after another.Our goal is to help these treatments work better and for longer. If we can keep leukemia cells visible to treatment, we may be able to reduce relapse and improve the chance of lasting remission. This work may also help doctors choose the best order or combination of treatments for each patient. In the future, these findings could lead to better and more durable treatments for children living with leukemia.