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Biology of Adult Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and Oncolytic Virus Therapy Research Group

Group Leader: Professor Adele K. Fielding MBBS, PhD, FRCP, FRCPath

My ultimate goal of our research program is to improve the outcome for adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). As a clinician scientist, I am heavily involved in the UK's clinical trials programme for ALL as Chair of the National Cancer Research Institute Adult ALL group.  I am Chief Investigator of the UKALL14 and and UKALL60+, the UK's frontline academically-initiated trials for ALL. 

Research 

Our research lab program takes advantage of the opportunity to do translational work arising from these trials - we have a range of projects which examine basic aspects of ALL biology in various models. We collaborate closely with the group of Anthony Moorman in Newcastle and with Elli Papaemanuil and Peter Campbell from the Sanger Centre. A particular goal in the lab is the development of attenuated oncolytic measles virus as a therapy for ALL. We are specifically interested in the mechanistic aspects of how measles virus kills cancer cells leaving non-transformed cells relatively unharmed. We are also investigating on how measles virus interacts with the immune system during cancer treatment. Both of these projects touch on basic measles virology. Our projects are currently funded by Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and CR UK.

We also run the UK's Adult ALL minimal residual disease service; we carry out patient-specific immunoglobulin heavy chain and T cell receptor quantification according to the standards established by the EuroMRD group and participate fully in EuroMRD

Selected research projects

  • Personalising Therapy for Adults with ALL - a CRUK program grant. 
  • Combining CD20 targeted, oncolytic measles virus with rituximab and corticosteroids in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
  • The Role Of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells In The Onset, Progression And Treatment Resistance Of Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.
  • IKZF1 deletions in adult ALL; the chicken or the egg?
  • Characterizing the mechanisms underlying measles virus mediated oncolysis in a stromal model of cellular transformation.

Publications

For full list of publications, see Professor Adele Fielding academic profile (UCL Iris)