|  | | | With inspired local fundraising events, as well as the loyal support of Emmerdale and Coronation Street soap stars from our TVTimes and Asics-sponsored celebrity team, the north remains a key fundraising area in our fight against blood cancers.
Liverpool is one of a number of Leukaemia Research’s key northern research centres, with over £4.2 million invested there. The research being funded is having an immediate impact on the lives of blood cancer sufferers in the region and throughout the UK.
A team of researchers, headed by Professor Richard Clark at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, have been studying why the body’s immune system does not simply reject and destroy chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) cells outright, long before they can cause any problems.
The cells have part of a unique protein (known as BCR-ABL junctional peptides) on their surface responsible for the disease. The immune system is able to recognise these peptides, but is unable to eradicate CML.
However it is hoped a new vaccine under trial in Liverpool will target this problem. Patients who have responded well to the drug Glivec are being immunised with proteins, which stimulates the immune system into attacking the cancerous cells.
|
|
|
|
