New Investigator Research Grant Program

This project aims to develop an innovative class of medicines that shut down a protein called eIF4E, which some aggressive leukemias rely on to grow and survive. In certain forms of acute myeloid leukemia and infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia, eIF4E helps cancer cells produce powerful proteins that drive the disease and make it difficult to treat. Earlier attempts to block eIF4E showed promise but were not targeted enough to be safe or effective for long-term use. Our approach is different: we are creating highly selective medicines that chemically react with eIF4E inside leukemia cells to turn it off, including a new “trigger-activated” design that releases an additional anti-cancer agent only where the cancer is present. By focusing treatment precisely at the source, these therapies could be more effective and less toxic than current options. The tools developed through this work will also help researchers discover better drug combinations and expand treatment choices for people affected by blood cancers.