Home Department: Design
Mentor: Kara Davis (Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology)

"Metabolic Targeting of Chemotherapy-Resistant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia"

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) often becomes resistant to standard chemotherapy, leading to relapse and poor outcomes. Recent studies suggest that resistant leukemia cells rely on altered metabolism, including increased pyrimidine synthesis. In this project, Talia will study JBZ-001, a clinical-grade inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), an enzyme essential for pyrimidine production. Over a 10-week summer program, Talia will test JBZ-001 in laboratory models of both B-cell and T-cell ALL. Using cell viability and metabolic assays, this work aims to evaluate the potential of DHODH inhibition as a new therapeutic strategy for high-risk ALL. By identifying a metabolic vulnerability in drug resistant leukemia, this treatment could help inform the development of more effective treatments for patients who relapse and currently have limited therapeutic options.