Dr Dominique Bonnet

Dominique Bonnet

Haematopoietic Stem Cell Laboratory
Cancer Research UK London Research Institute
London

Stem cells and leukaemia

Dr Dominique Bonnet and her team at our London Research Institute are looking for ways to improve treatments for leukaemia. They are exploring the role of special cells in the blood, known as haematopoietic stem cells.These fascinating cells can transform into many different types of mature blood cell, including red blood cells that carry oxygen and white blood cells that fight infection.

Leukaemia - cancer of white blood cells - is thought to occur when these stem cells become faulty and multiply out of control. The team are studying the inner workings of blood stem cells, and investigating how they are altered in leukaemia.

Dr Bonnet and her team are also investigating the potential of stem cells to change into other types of cells. The researchers have found that stem cells found in the bone marrow, known as mesenchymal stem cells, can transform into a wide range of other cell types including fat, bone, cartilage, muscle and nerve cells. By understanding more about the role of stem cells in healthy tissue, Dr Bonnet hopes to find ways to target cancer stem cells more effectively.

The exciting discovery of cancer stem cells is relatively recent and has important implications for treatment of the disease. It's possible that current treatments don't effectively kill the cancer stem cells, allowing the cancer to start growing again. By studying these special cells, our researchers hope to discover new ways to treat leukaemia, by tackling the root of the disease.

Genomics Initiative

Dr Bonnet is also investigating the genetics of leukaemia stem cells as part of Cancer Research UK’s Genomics Initiative. She and other researchers are using the latest high-tech gene sequencing machines to track down the genetic faults driving different types of cancer. These projects will bring us a step closer to more personalised cancer treatment – making sure patients receive the treatments that will work best for them.

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