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UCL strives to improve the lives of children with leukaemia
28 June 2004
UCL's Institute of Child Health (ICH) has been awarded the first instalment of a £1.
76 million donation by the charity, Children with Leukaemia. The donation will help fund research, led by Dr Hugh Brady, Dr Owen Williams and Professor Ian Hann, into two forms of childhood leukaemia in the Molecular, Haematology and Cancer Biology unit at ICH.
Acute leukaemia is the most common form of childhood cancer, and between 400 and 500 new cases are diagnosed in the UK every year. The ongoing research focuses on two severe types of childhood leukaemia, known as acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). Although it has been established that the swapping of two chromosomes, known as gene translocation, is the primary cause of leukaemia in children, the research examines what happens when the new fusion created by the translocation first appears in normal blood cells.
"We seek to precisely map the events whereby normal blood cells are converted to leukaemic ones by the presence of the novel fusion gene. This information will allow us to develop therapies, which can block the action of the fusion gene in blood cells without endangering the health of the sufferer. We aim to improve the health and quality of lives of those affected in a positive way through this research," said Dr Brady.
Children with Leukaemia was founded by Mr Edward O'Gorman in 1988 and is devoted to conquering childhood leukaemia through research into the causes of the disease. As well as funding research projects, the charity raised funds for the establishment of the Paul O'Gorman Centre at ICH. Mr O'Gorman was recently awarded an Honorary Fellowship by UCL for his outstanding contribution to society and the lives of those affected by leukaemia.
To find out more about this research and the charity, use the links below.
UCL's Institute of Child Health (ICH) has been awarded the first instalment of a £1.76 million donation by the charity, Children with Leukaemia. The donation will help fund research, led by Dr Hugh Brady, Dr Owen Williams and Professor Ian Hann, into two forms of childhood leukaemia in the Molecular, Haematology and Cancer Biology unit at ICH.Acute leukaemia is the most common form of childhood cancer, and between 400 and 500 new cases are diagnosed in the UK every year. The ongoing research focuses on two severe types of childhood leukaemia, known as acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).
Although it has been established that the swapping of two chromosomes, known as gene translocation, is the primary cause of leukaemia in children, the research examines what happens when the new fusion created by the translocation first appears in normal blood cells."We seek to precisely map the events whereby normal blood cells are converted to leukaemic ones by the presence of the novel fusion gene. This information will allow us to develop therapies, which can block the action of the fusion gene in blood cells without endangering the health of the sufferer. We aim to improve the health and quality of lives of those affected in a positive way through this research," said Dr Brady.
Children with Leukaemia was founded by Mr Edward O'Gorman in 1988 and is devoted to conquering childhood leukaemia through research into the causes of the disease. As well as funding research projects, the charity raised funds for the establishment of the Paul O'Gorman Centre at ICH. Mr O'Gorman was recently awarded an Honorary Fellowship by UCL for his outstanding contribution to society and the lives of those affected by leukaemia.
To find out more about this research and the charity, use the links below.
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