Researchers discover how a mutated protein outwits evolution and fuels leukemia
- Posted: June 21, 2013
Scientists have discovered the survival secret to a genetic mutation that stokes leukemia cells, solving an evolutionary riddle and paving the way to a highly targeted therapy for leukemia. In a paper based on an animal study, published in Cell, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center (home to the NYU Cancer Institute) describe how a mutated protein, called Fbxw7, behaves differently when expressed in cancer cells versus healthy cells.
Among the research institutions NCI funds across the United States, it currently designates 67 as Cancer Centers. Largely based in research universities, these facilities are home to many of the NCI-supported scientists who conduct a wide range of intense, laboratory research into cancer’s origins and development. The Cancer Centers Program also focuses on trans-disciplinary research, including population science and clinical research. The centers’ research results are often at the forefront of studies in the cancer field.