PR - Development of a novel screen for leukaemogenic reintegration
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of a novel screening method for leukaemogenic reintegration reactions
IRAS ID
147878
Contact name
Adam Kupinski
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Leeds
Research summary
Our immune system generates huge numbers of antibodies to combat almost any potential infection. Whilst this is highly advantageous, the way so many different antibody genes are generated involves breaking and rejoining DNA and the downside of having such an effective immune system is that occasionally the wrong pieces of DNA become joined, causing cancer. One way in which this can happen is by the small pieces of DNA that are excised during the production of antibody genes being re-integrated back into our DNA, triggering the activation of cancer-causing genes. This can occur up to 5000 times per human per day and is proposed to cause both lymphomas and leukaemias.?
I will develop a novel screening method to detect the sites of re-integration in the genome. The data on location re-integration will allow me to identify if any of the cancer-causing genes has been affected by such event and could ultimately enable more targeted patient treatments.REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
14/SS/1039
Date of REC Opinion
18 Aug 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion