Tannishtha Reya, PhD

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and is the most common type in adults. Unfortunately, current treatments often don’t work well, and many patients get sick again or die. That’s why new and better treatments are needed. In our research, we looked at a protein that is found in large amounts on the outside of leukemia cells. Our earlier studies showed that this protein is needed for the cancer to grow. Because it’s on the outside of the cell, we can try to block it using special tools called antibodies. These antibodies attach to the protein and stop it from working. Here, we propose to develop an antibody that is able to target the protein and stop the cancer cells from growing. If we are successful, we plan to test the antibody in patients who are newly diagnosed or who haven’t gotten better with current treatments. This new antibody treatment could be a powerful new way to help people with AML live longer and healthier lives.