Recipient: Professor Richard Lock
Institute: Children’s Cancer Institute
Funding: $103,571 July 2017 to June 2020
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer and one of the most common causes of death from disease in children.
Glucocorticoids, a class of steroid hormones that can stop inflammation, are among the most effective drugs used in the treatment of childhood ALL. However, the emergence of resistance remains a significant barrier to cure. Understanding the underlying causes of resistance will contribute to improving clinical outcomes in high-risk and relapsed patients.
Professor Lock and his team have recently demonstrated that glucocorticoid resistance is associated with changes in the basic structure of DNA that regulate expression of specific genes. This project will further improve understanding of glucocorticoid resistance mechanisms and facilitate the development of more effective treatments for children with ALL.
This project recieved further support through Cancer Australia's Priority-driven Collaborative Cancer Research Scheme.