# Infectious pressures on cell competition and cooperation during leukemia initiation

> **NIH NIH R21** · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · 2021 · $408,829

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Myelodysplastic-syndrome (MDS) is a cancer of stem cells that form the blood. In MDS, abnormal stem cells
accumulate but are unable to make enough functional blood cells, and can eventually transform to acute
myeloid leukemia (AML). While we know that this slow transformation process starts with mutations in specific
genes, we do not know why such MDS-mutation-bearing cells have a competitive advantage over normal cells.
Understanding this process is fundamental to figuring out new ways to treat patients. We have assembled a
team of researchers, unique models and cutting-edge technology to determine whether infectious challenge
provides a selective environment for hematopoietic clones with mutation of MDS/AML-associated genes. We
expect to determine at a single-cell level how MDS-genic mutations affect stem cell biology, and whether
changes in the environment of the bone marrow help mutant stem cells generate disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10174193
- **Project number:** 1R21CA257984-01
- **Recipient organization:** CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** H. LEIGHTON GRIMES
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $408,829
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-05-01 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10174193

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10174193, Infectious pressures on cell competition and cooperation during leukemia initiation (1R21CA257984-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10174193. Licensed CC0.

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