The MDS Foundation, Inc.’s Young Investigator Grant provides an investigator, aged 40 years or less, the opportunity to initiate, continue or complete a project that focuses on either basic or clinical management into the causation, epidemiology, molecular biology, cytogenetics, morphology, prognosis and treatment of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes.
MDS Foundation Young Investigator Award Winner
Funded by: MDS Foundation, Inc.
Grant Year: 2019-2020
Research Center: Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation at Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
Research Title: Understanding and Targeting ZRSR2-mutated MDS/AML
Summary: Genes encoding RNA splicing factors are common mutational targets across myeloid neoplasms. This proposal will focus on a specific form of spliceosomal gene mutations which has received relatively little study and for which we have developed substantial novel reagents and preliminary data. Specifically, we aim to systematically determine the mechanistic, functional, and therapeutic consequences of ZRSR2 mutations in myeloid leukemias. As such, we expect our studies to provide novel insights into the biology of myeloid malignancies driven by spliceosomal gene mutations and uncover novel, mechanism-based therapeutic approaches for MDS and AML patients bearing ZRSR2 mutations.
Funded by: Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research
Grant Year: 2019-2020
Research Center: University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
Research Title: Use of Metformin for Prevention of Clonal Progression to Therapy-Related MDS/AML
Summary: Clonal hematopoiesis is a common and potentially targetable condition defined by the expansion of blood cells carrying mutations in leukemia-associated genes. This condition occurs more frequently with increasing age and after chemotherapy exposure where it is a strong risk factor for therapy-related myeloid neoplasms. Chemotherapy contributes to an inflammatory bone marrow microenvironment that selects for leukemogenic clones. Therapeutic targeting of the inflammatory microenvironment could reduce the risk of further clonal evolution to frank malignancy. We will investigate the effects of metformin on therapy-related clonal hematopoiesis and its impact on clinical outcomes in a high-risk group of breast cancer survivors.
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