Francesca Ferraro, MD, PhD

This project aims to better understand a type of blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia (AML), one of the deadliest adult cancers, with an overall survival rate of approximately 25% at 5 years. Despite initial treatment success, AML frequently relapses, leading to acquisition of progressive drug resistance and to decrease chances of survival. This project aims to investigate a phenomenon known as extramedullary AML (e-AML), which occurs when leukemia cells spread beyond the bone marrow. Through extensive supporting data, the hypothesis is that e-AML is a major cause of chemotherapy resistance and relapse for patients suffering from AML. The proposed experiments will explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the establishment of e-AML, how it differs from bone marrow AML, and how it escapes chemotherapy ultimately causing relapse. Given that current diagnostic and treatment modalities do not account for e-AML, by identifying e-AML as a critical biomarker and therapeutic target, this study has the potential to improve diagnostic and treatment algorithms, disease-monitoring strategies, and survival rates of patients with this blood cancer.