Lombardy partner:
- Michela Bardini, IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori (MB)
| Pathology of interest: | Acute Leukemia |
| Area of research: | Cancer |
| Start date: | 01/07/2025 |
| End date: | 30/06/2028 |
| Funding: | € 360.000,00 |
| Project partners: | IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori “Dino Amadori” (Italy)Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori (Italy)Fundacio Institut de recerca contra la leucèmia “Josep Carreras” (Spain)Technical University Dresden (Germany)Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy (Germany)Nursing School of Coimbra (Portugal)Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Hospital “Kauno Klinikos” (Lithuania) |
The 3D-Leuko-TAD aligns closely with the aim of the call for Personalised Medicine (PM), which
seeks to revolutionize healthcare by tailoring prevention, diagnosis, and treatment strategies to individual characteristics. Our project focuses on Acute Leukemias (ALs), where recent advancements have underscored the importance of understanding dynamic chromatin interactions and 3D genome organization in gene regulation. We aim to elucidate how alterations as cohesin mutations, deletions, rearrangements disrupt Topologically Associating Domains (TADs), leading to overexpression of oncogenes, particularly FLT3. By integrating multi-omics, epigenetic data and employing innovative techniques like Micro-C, we will investigate TAD hijacking events and their impact on gene regulation in a large cohort of pediatric and adult AL patients. Our objectives include advanced patient molecular characterization, machine learning- based data integration, exploration of targeted therapies like FLT3 inhibitors, and the development of biomarkers for TAD hijacking events. Through in vitro and in vivo studies, we will assess the therapeutic efficacy of targeted interventions, with a focus on improving outcomes for AL patients with particular attention to relapsed/refractory high-risk patients. Additionally, we will engage stakeholders including pediatric/adult patient associations, and facilitate knowledge dissemination to maximize the project’s impact on clinical practice and patient care. Overall, our project embodies the spirit of PM by prioritizing patient-centric approaches and striving for precision in the management of ALs.