Montefiore Einstein's Marina Konopleva Joins Break Through Cancer TeamLab in Fight Against Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

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Albert Einstein College of Medicine Becomes the First Limited Collaborator in Break Through Cancer's AML Research Initiative

BRONX, N.Y., Nov. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marina Konopleva, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Leukemia Program and co-director of the Blood Cancer Institute at the National Cancer Institute-designated Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC), has joined forces with Break Through Cancer, a collaborative medical research foundation that supports teams of scientists as they advance treatments for some of the world's deadliest cancers. Dr. Konopleva will play a pivotal role in the Eradicating Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) TeamLab.

Dr. Konopleva's participation in the TeamLab also marks Albert Einstein College of Medicine becoming one of the first limited collaborators with Break Through Cancer, a strategic extension of Break Through Cancer's effort to harness specialized expertise from top cancer centers nationwide.

"Dr. Konopleva's exceptional track record in pioneering targeted therapies for AML makes her an invaluable addition to our team," said Tyler Jacks, PhD, president, Break Through Cancer; founding director, MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research; David H. Koch Professor of Biology. "Her work is crucial as we aim to eradicate MRD in AML, which is often responsible for relapse in patients."

A Collaborative Model for a Complicated Disease
AML presents a pressing issue in blood cancer care. While patients often respond well to initial treatment, most quickly relapse, resulting in a five-year survival rate of 30%. Relapse is believed to be triggered by MRD, when surviving cancer cells seed new disease that is resistant to existing therapies.

Dr. Konopleva, a physician-scientist at MECCC and professor of oncology and of molecular pharmacology and the Miriam Mandel Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has brought multiple targeted agents from pre-clinical investigations into clinical trials for blood cancers like AML, most notably BCL-2 inhibitor Venetoclax, which in combination with low-intensity therapies, has become a standard of care for older AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy.

"MECCC has long embraced a collaborative model for cancer research, which has become even more necessary as the complexity of the science increases," said Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S., director of MECCC and interim chair of oncology at Einstein and Montefiore Health System. "Break Through Cancer's approach—which significantly mitigates the administrative issues that can hobble teamwork among researchers at different institutions—is extraordinary. We are proud to join this effort focused on rapidly translating science for the benefit of patients." Dr. Chu is also the Carol and Roger Einiger Professor of Cancer Medicine and professor of oncology, of medicine, and of molecular pharmacology at Einstein, and vice-president of cancer medicine at Montefiore Medicine.

Break Through Cancer's Eradicating MRD in AML team is currently comprised of two dozen researchers from six top cancer centers around the country, investigating how these cells effectively evade chemotherapy and the immune system, and developing new ways to detect and target MRD.

"MECCC has been a leader in developing new protocols for patients with AML, advancing treatments and ensuring they are more tolerable and less toxic to patients," said Dr. Konopleva. "By partnering with Break Through Cancer and building on our collective successes, we will deepen our understanding of the drivers of MRD and expand the potential for creative approaches that can evolve the treatment landscape."

SOURCE Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center