Southampton researchers unlock secrets of most common type of leukaemia
Dr Jonathon Strefford and team
Release Date: 6 June 2008
Researchers at the University of Southampton are testing patients along the South Coast in order to gain further understanding of the causes of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), the commonest form of leukaemia in adults.
Blood cancer charity Leukaemia Research has awarded Dr Jonathon Strefford £435,000 to carry out the research at Southampton General Hospital, which will involve testing patients for any abnormalities in their genetic code which may be causing their disease.
To date, little is known about how important a person’s genetic make-up is to his or her susceptibility to chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Dr Strefford aims to find out, as he explained: “I am using state-of-the-art technology that literally provides a million answers to scientific questions in a single experiment. This type of approach investigates the entire genetic code of a patient with CLL and allows minute changes to be identified that may be contributing to the patient’s disease.”
The new three-year study is designed to have direct benefits for patients with this form of leukaemia. Dr Strefford described his hopes for the research: “Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia develops at different rates in different people, so if we could test for ‘clues’ in the DNA of patients at diagnosis we would be able to predict how quickly their disease will progress. We can then treat patients specifically based on their genetic make up and we will have a better idea how certain people will react to certain treatments.”
Leukaemia Research Scientific Director Dr David Grant said: “This research is very exciting – by identifying genetic ‘markers’ for this type of leukaemia, we will be able to predict how a patient’s disease will develop and treat them accordingly.”
John Murrell of the Southampton Fundraising Branch of Leukaemia Research says: “It’s very rewarding to be part of the fundraising team here in Southampton, knowing that all our efforts are helping to make exciting projects like this possible. Continual research is steadily improving the prospects of leukaemia patients.”
Leukaemia Research currently has nearly six million pounds invested in blood cancer research in Southampton.
