The Blood Cancer Center at WashU Medicine’s Division of Oncology and Siteman Cancer Center is an ambitious initiative that brings together our most brilliant minds, transformative research, and advanced clinical care to change the future for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS).
Blood cancers are some of the most aggressive and complex diseases we face. With new insights emerging from cancer genomics and immunotherapy, we stand at a pivotal moment in cancer research. The next wave of breakthroughs will come from a truly multidisciplinary approach, uniting scientists and physicians across genomics, molecular biology, immunology, and clinical care to translate discovery into cures. That’s why we created the Blood Cancer Center: to take the fight against these diseases to the next level by bringing together Siteman’s core strengths and visionary physician-researchers under one roof. By uniting researchers across blood cancer types, the Center makes it easier to apply breakthroughs from one disease to another.
A Center Built on Strength
WashU Medicine has shaped the field of blood cancer research for decades, sequencing the first cancer genome in 2008 and proving that DNA mutations drive nearly all cancers. This breakthrough helped make cancer genome sequencing a standard part of care nationwide. Our physician-scientists conduct one of the country’s highest volumes of clinical trials and are often among the first to develop and test new therapies, such as novel CAR T-cell treatments for blood cancers using CRISPR gene-editing technology. Many of these innovations go on to become standards of care for these diseases nationally and globally.
Our research enterprise is among the most respected by national organizations dedicated to advancing blood cancer research. We are one of only three centers with a prestigious Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in leukemia from the National Cancer Institute, and one of just 15 recipients of a Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) grant from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for lymphoma. We were also the first of only four institutions to receive a $5 million grant from the Edward P. Evans Foundation for a multi-institutional research initiative in MDS. These highly competitive awards underscore our position as a national leader and a hub for the most promising discoveries in blood cancer.
Make an Appointment
Referring physicians or patients can call 314-454-8304 to schedule a consultation with one of our Blood Cancer Center physicians.
Make a gift to the Blood Cancer Center
The Blood Cancer Center Awards: Fueling the Next Generation of Innovation
The Blood Cancer Center Awards provides critical seed funding to early-career scientists pursuing bold ideas in blood cancer research. These awards help generate the preliminary data needed to compete for major national grants, accelerating the development of new therapies and improving patient care. Each year, the blood cancer leadership group conducts a rigorous peer-review application process, with final awards approved by the division chief based on the most promising ideas with the greatest potential for impact. The number of awards is ultimately determined by the philanthropic support available– gifts to the Blood Cancer Center Fund make these awards possible.
Project Title: Intersection of DNMT1 and DNA replication in TP53 mutant MDS/AML
Primary Investigator: Jeremy Baeten, PhD
Description: In myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), patients with mutations in a gene called TP53 respond poorly to current therapies, and survival remains very limited. This project will study how a protein called DNMT1, which can affect DNA copying in cells, behaves differently in cancers with TP53 mutations. By testing how existing DNMT1-targeting drugs work in patient samples and cancer cell models, the research aims to uncover new drug combinations that more effectively target these high-risk cancers and improve patient outcomes.
Project Title: Cellular Characterization of Hodgkin and Reed Sternberg Cells and the Tumor Microenvironment
Primary Investigator: Felicia Gomez, PhD
Description: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) comprises ~10% of lymphomas in the western
world and often affects adolescents and young adults. Patients who are not cured with their initial treatment have a relatively poor prognosis. HL is unique in that the cancer cells make up less than 5% of the tumor. The rarity of the tumor cells makes the disease difficult to study. This project will use newly developed technologies to identify patterns of gene expression and alterations in tumor cell DNA. This data will facilitate new treatment options and tools for predicting the course of the disease.
Project Title: Feasibility and performance of tumor only whole genome sequencing in DLBCL to accelerate personalized therapy
Primary Investigator: David Russler-Germain, MD, PhD
Description: In diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), its aggressive nature means that treatment often needs to begin within days, leaving little time to perform the current generation of genetic tests that guide personalized care in other cancers. This project will test whether a new rapid whole genome sequencing method can be adapted to analyze DLBCL tumor samples quickly and accurately. Eventually, this will be used to test adding novel drugs to standard treatments for DLBCL to see if personalization is feasible and effective.
Project Title: Enabling Precision Medicine via Whole Genome Sequencing and Patient Specific droplet digital PCR to Improve Risk Assessment in Multiple Myeloma
Primary Investigator: Michael Slade, MD
Description: In multiple myeloma, about half of patients have a genetic change called a translocation that helps drive the cancer. This project will test whether that change can be used as a molecular fingerprint to detect myeloma cells. Using bone marrow and blood samples, researchers aim to show that a personalized genetic test can detect the cancer—even at very low levels—laying the groundwork for more precise disease monitoring and treatment.
Bold Vision for the Future
Thank you for considering a gift to the Blood Cancer Center . With your support, we will continue to fundamentally change how blood cancers are treated. Integrating our strengths in research and patient care, we will transform the healing journey and ease the burden of cancer diagnosis for countless patients and their families.
To discuss giving opportunities at the Blood Cancer Center, call the Siteman Advancement Office at 314-935-4725 or email friendsofsiteman@wustl.edu