More Than Half a Million in Funding Granted to Study the Impact of RAS Mutations in AML

More than $500,000 in funding has been granted to an investigator examining the role of RAS genes in acute myeloid Leukemia (AML), according to an announcement from the University of Cincinnati. The research will focus on whether renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors can be an effective blood cancer treatment.

Annabelle Anandappa, MD, a physician-researcher and clinical instructor in the University of Cincinnati’s College of Medicine, received both the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Conquer Cancer Women Leaders in Oncology Endowed Young Investigator Award and a Damon Runyon Physician-Scientist Training Award.

The 1-year ASCO award is worth $50,000 and will support research on how RAS(ON) inhibitors affect AML. The 4-year Damon Runyon grant, which is worth $460,000, will fund the study of a second RAS(ON) inhibitor, as well as the interaction between the RAS and genes associated with inflammation. CRISPR technology will be used to screen a panel of inflammation-related genes to identify a potential target. The grant is designed to bridge the gap between completion of a fellowship and funding as an independent researcher.

RAS mutations are found in 15% to 20% of all AML cases at time of diagnosis, with recent data suggesting they are associated with treatment resistance to recently approved AML therapies. Although prior research exists on the impact of RAS-targeted treatments, most of it has been done in relation to solid tumors, including pancreatic cancer.

“We think this is a particularly timely project because we’ve known for a long time that RAS mutations are present in AML, but it wasn’t always clear how significant they were in terms of driving outcomes,” said Anandappa in a press release from the University of Cincinnati.

The projects will be mentored by Linde Miles, PhD, a member of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Division of Experimental Hematology & Cancer Biology and an assistant professor in the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Pediatrics, and Daniel T. Starczynowski, PhD, the Katherine Stewart Waters Endowed Chair of Hematologic Malignancies. Dr. Starczynowski also serves as the director at the Advanced Leukemia Therapies and Research Center and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Both mentors have previous relevant laboratory experience. AML mutations, including RAS, have been the focus of Dr. Miles’s previous research. Dr. Starcynowski’s research has focused on inflammatory signaling in myeloid malignancies.