The first studies on the use of timed, sequential therapy for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) took place at Johns Hopkins and set the foundation for the current clinical trials using this approach.   Our investigators have been instrumental in the discovery of genes involved in the regulation of the growth, programmed cell death, and drug resistance of leukemia cells.  This work has contributed to the development of several novel treatment approaches, including antibody-directed targeting, and new approaches to differentiation therapy and vaccination for patients with AML.

Other discoveries by our team found that subtle manipulation in the administration of anticancer drugs have improved the cure rate for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), the most common leukemia in children, from 30-40 percent to 70-90 percent.