Prof Tessa Holyoake

Tessa Holyoake

Paul O'Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre
Gartnavel Hospital, University of Glasgow
Glasgow

Targeting leukaemia at its roots

Professor Tessa Holyoake is Director of the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre at Glasgow’s Gartnavel Hospital. Her pioneering lab work focuses on how cancer stem cells can trigger the return of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a cancer affecting the blood. Her research could lead to new treatments that specifically target and kill stem cells, improving long-term survival and quality of life for people with CML.

'Sleeping' stem cells

Back in the 1960s, a key discovery by our scientists helped lay the foundation for the development of a drug called imatinib (Glivec) that has transformed the outlook for the vast majority of people with CML.

Although Glivec can control CML for many years, unfortunately it does not kill the rare cancerous stem cells that are at the root of the disease. Instead, it puts a brake on their growth, effectively sending them to ‘sleep’. But unfortunately, the stem cells survive, and over time, they can develop resistance to the drug and the cancer can come back.

In 1999, Professor Holyoake was the first to discover CML stem cells that are resistant to Glivec. Her team are now looking for molecules that are unique to CML stem cells and searching for potential new drugs that can target them while leaving healthy blood stem cells unharmed.

This exciting research could lead to new treatments that can kill the cancerous stem cells and stop the disease altogether.

Read more about Professor Holyoake’s work on our Science Update blog.

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