Professor Andrew Hall, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Professor Andy Hall is the scientific director of the Northern Institute for Cancer Research, housed in the Paul O'Gorman Building at University of Newcastle. His team is undertaking important research into the causes of drug resistance in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

Evidence suggests that most leukaemia patients who relapse after treatment do so because they have developed a resistance to the drugs used to kill the cancerous cells. This drug resistance is caused by the emergence of genetically altered leukaemic cell clones. Studies have shown that these new clones emerge soon after treatment has begun; so early detection of drug resistance is essential.

Professor Hall aims to identify the most common genetic changes that occur in children with ALL who develop drug resistance. The researchers will test bone marrow samples taken from children at diagnosis, following the commencement of treatment and after a relapse.

They will then compare different samples from the same patient in order to identify any changes in the cancerous cells that may have caused drug resistance.

The team are also examining why some patients develop a resistance to Glucocorticoid, a drug that is commonly given to patients with ALL. Doctors often look at how well a patient responds to this particular drug when they make a prognosis, as this gives them an idea of the likelihood of relapse.

Although the drug has been used for 50 years, the reasons why patients develop resistance to Glucocorticoid are still unknown. The team have found a possible cause for this drug resistance. Based on their findings, they will examine the possibility of reversing drug resistance to Glucocorticoid.

Identifying the genetic causes of drug resistance is essential for the development of new forms of treatment for leukaemia patients who develop a resistance to commonly used cancer drugs. If successful, this research could help even more children win their battle against leukaemia.

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