A Ludwig Oxford study discovered that platelets mop up cell-free (cf) DNA from blood plasma—likely helping to prevent systemic inflammation—and release that DNA when they’re activated. The tiny cells can carry a significant amount of rare cfDNA derived from tumor cells and could be used to detect not only established cancers but also precancerous lesions in the colon.
Read MoreAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) stems from impaired differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells in the bone marrow. Although inhibiting the epigenetic enzyme LSD1 induces differentiation in AML stem cells, LSD1 inhibitors have proved too toxic at the doses required to be viable as monotherapies. A pair of studies out of Ludwig Oxford addressed this challenge in distinct and creative ways.
Trainees at three Ludwig Centers set aside a little time to tell us about their lives, current research and avocational interests. Here are some excerpts of those engaging conversations.
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