Epigenetic Control of Gene Expression in Leukaemia and Haematopoiesis

Most children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia are now cured, but for a few rare subtypes the disease remains untreatable and often relapses. This project investigates the epigenetic changes—chemical modifications to the proteins that package DNA—that drive these incurable leukaemias. The problem is that standard treatments fail for these rare subsets, and doctors lack therapies tailored to their underlying biology. The researchers aim to map how inappropriate gene activation, caused by reversible epigenetic marks, fuels cancerous growth in these stubborn leukaemias. If successful, this work could lead to new drugs that target those reversible epigenetic changes, offering a treatment path for children who currently have none. Because epigenetic modifications are not permanent changes to the DNA sequence itself, they are in principle correctable—making them attractive targets for therapy. This is fundamental science focused on the molecular machinery of gene regulation. While the immediate goal is understanding the basic biology of these leukaemias, similar fundamental research into epigenetic mechanisms has already produced drugs for other cancers. A deeper grasp of how epigenetic errors drive these rare ALL subtypes could eventually translate into clinical options where none exist today.