Newsroom

Ottawa discovery provides new insight into blood development and leukemia


December 21, 2010


A new study by Dr. Marjorie Brand and colleagues reveals how a protein involved in the development of red blood cells can also promote the development of leukemia. The study shows that the protein TAL1 binds to different DNA sequences and activates different sets of genes in T-ALL leukemia cells compared to normal red blood precursor cells. The finding could help in the development of new therapies for leukemia and other blood disorders. See EMBO Journal for details.

Dr. Brand is a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (Regenerative Medicine Program, Sprott Centre for Stem Cell Research) and an Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa (Faculty of Medicine). She also holds a Canada Research Chair in the Regulation of Gene Expression