University of Newcastle researcher Dr Nikki Verrills has been awarded a $360,000 grant to examine a potential new treatment for leukaemia patients.

Her research is focused on the behaviour of a particular protein, known as protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which becomes inactive in the cancerous cells of some people with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Dr Verrills’ laboratory research has shown that when PP2A is activated with the drug FTY720, PP2A can kill leukaemia cells without affecting the body’s healthy cells.

“The grant will enable us to understand exactly how the drug works with a view to entering clinical trials,” Dr Verrills said.

“Survival rates for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia are currently extremely poor and novel therapies are urgently required.”

Dr Verrills’ body of work to date has identified specific proteins that become altered in a cancer cell. This latest research is focused on finding new ways to stop the cell growing with the use of targeted treatments.