Genetic/functional characterisation of adult ALL

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Genetic and functional characterisation of adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia using patient specimens

• IRAS ID

  179685

• Contact name

  Adele Fielding

• Sponsor organisation

  University College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  10 years, 0 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Our overall objective is to improve the outcome for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) by looking closely at the genome and how the leukaemia cells behave using laboratory-only approaches. We will ultimately aim to use the information we gather to help to design more personalised treatments for ALL, which can be tested in future trials, potentially improving outcomes for adults with ALL in future.
  We are fortunate that numerous patients have already provided us (with consent) with cells from their bone marrow at various time points during ALL trials. These samples are stored in a biobank for studies such as this. Our scientific goals include validating 'biomarkers' for outcome and examining features of how patients’ leukaemia cells grow, survive & respond to various manipulations (including making models in mice). We will use data and samples that we have already collected (with consent) from two ongoing UK clinical trials, (UKALL14 and UKALL60+) and one closed trial (UKALL12).

  Our key objectives are to (1) discover and validate prognostic and predictive biomarkers to improve outcome; (2)Identify cancer genes that could be targeted by drugs in future; and (3) understand why some patients’ disease responds less well to treatment or is more likely to relapse than others.

• REC name

  London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/LO/2055

• Date of REC Opinion

  16 Nov 2016

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion