Damon Runyon Researchers

Leukemia is, for some patients, an inherited disease that may affect multiple individuals within a single family. Similar to other diseases such as inherited breast cancer, we now understand that specific genes may increase an individual's risk for developing leukemia over the course of his or her lifetime. While an increasing number of genes involved in inherited leukemia have been identified, the underlying molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of leukemia and other blood cancers are less well understood. Some individuals with inherited blood cancers develop abnormal blood conditions years before actually developing overt leukemia. Dr. Drazer aims to better understand the molecular mechanisms that cause these abnormal blood conditions to transition into leukemia. The goal of this work is to apply these findings to inform future therapies for patients with blood cancers.