My time at Fred Hutch has granted me the privilege of building connections with my mentors, forming relationships with my peers, and the opportunity of new learning experiences. One particular lesson that stood out to me was our lab on Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). It was astonishing to learn that a mutation between chromosome 9 & 22, a change smaller than the eye can see, can lead to life-altering effects. As someone who is still unsure on whether to work on the bench or bedside, it was fulfilling to learn about the symptoms and stages of CML.
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia is a mutation that occurs between the ABL and BCR genes, located on chromosomes 9 & 22, causing cancer within the bone marrow. This mutated chromosome, also called the Philadelphia Chromosome, provides the opportunity for ABL, a proto-oncogene, to become stuck to the BCR protein. The attachment between these two genes is similar to that of a stuck gas pedal, leading white blood cells to divide without stopping. Patients with CML have an extremely high and rapid growth of White Blood Cells. Within this cancer, there are 3 separate phases of CML: Chronic, Accelerated, and Blast phases. While each phase has high fevers as a baseline symptom, there are unique symptoms that belong to each phase. The Chronic phase has abdominal fullness, the Accelerated phase has bleeding and bruising, and the Blast phase has bone pain. I felt extremely saddened that those fighting the good fight have to experience these torturous symptoms. So when I was introduced to Gleevec and Spot On CML diagnosis, I became excited to learn even more.
There have been many treatments besides Gleevec that were developed for CML, including Hydroxyurea, Interferon A, Dasatinib, Nilotinib, and Stem Cell Transplants. While all focus on treating or slowing down the cell growth process, Gleevec specifically targets the ABL and BCR proteins, causing the metaphorical “gas pedal” to become unstuck while simultaneously leaving all other cells unharmed.
The science behind this illness was intriguing, but I also became heavily interested in the diagnosis process. The “Spot On” diagnosis, developed by Dr. Jerald Radich, provided an opportunity to diagnose CML patients in Middle to Low Income Countries, who didn’t have access previously. I have personally done a lot of work looking at and solving global health issues, so when I was introduced to our next lab, I was reasonably ecstatic.
Image of DNA Ladder and patient samples looking for CML.
In this lab, I was provided an opportunity to test 4 patients “blood samples”, and by comparing the DNA ladder produced by patients to the control, I was able to figure out which patients had CML. Those who showed no band exhibited no trace of CML, while those who did would be diagnosed.
Image of me and my peers having fun.
The process of learning what happens at a cellular level, observing the symptoms and treatments, and performing my own Spot On experiment was eye-opening. This lab has created an opportunity for me to gain more information on leukemia, and I now feel more connected to researching blood cancers. I am thankful for the opportunity to get to know others through the Explorers program as well.
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