Targeting cancer’s weak spot – a new vulnerability for leukaemia

Meet the scientist

Outside of the lab, Bruno enjoys traveling with his wife and son. They try to plan a big family trip every year during the summer. He also has a passion for various sports events, particularly European soccer, and he greatly enjoys following the NBA in the USA. In his downtime, he indulges in reading non-fiction books, with a particular love for the work of Murakami.  

The science

Every second, your body generates millions of new blood cells in your bone marrow. These cells, under normal conditions, keep you healthy by transporting oxygen and combating infections. However, in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia, this process malfunctions, leading to the creation of dysfunctional cells. These defective cells accumulate rapidly, hindering the body’s ability to ward off infections and potentially leading to death if untreated. 

Dr. Di Stefano and his team are working to discover new treatments by studying the genetic processes that allow leukaemia cells to survive and multiply. Our cells’ DNA acts as a recipe book, containing instructions to make all the different proteins our bodies need. For proper growth, cells must copy and condense the recipe accurately to build proteins correctly. 

The researchers have identified an enzyme, DDX6, that plays a pivotal role in this process of copying and condensing the recipe. Their findings suggest that DDX6 could be a significant factor in the growth of acute myeloid leukaemia. The team aims to further analyse the exact mechanisms by which DDX6 contributes to leukaemia growth. This investigation seeks to determine whether DDX6 could be a potential target for new cancer treatments. Ultimately, such precision therapies could revolutionize leukaemia treatment by specifically targeting the biological mechanisms that trigger cancer, without harming healthy cells.