Research and Development Department

A common basis for many projects solved in the research laboratories of UHKT is the analysis of molecular mechanisms of the origin and development of hematoncological disorders, laboratory monitoring of the effect of clinically used procedures and drugs.

A number of research projects deal with the issues of blood coagulation, congenital defects of hematopoiesis and the development of new treatment methods based on supporting the function of the immune system.

Modern techniques from genomics, cytogenetics, molecular genetics, proteomics, metabolomics, cellular and molecular biology and immunology are used.

An important part of the work of the research department is the development and introduction of new diagnostic methods for clinical practice.

The Science and Research Department consists of eight research departments and a grants department:

Areas of Science and Research:

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)

Mechanisms of resistance to treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors and transformation into blast crisis - development of mutations in the kinase domain of BCR-ABL, deregulation of epigenetic factors and tumor suppressor genes, the role of molecular chaperones, other molecular changes in CML cells resistant to drugs
New approaches in molecular diagnostics and monitoring of residual disease in CML patients

Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)

Monitoring clonal evolution in MDS
Identification and clinical implementation of new molecular markers of response to newly introduced therapeutic procedures
Whole-genome expression profiling of long non-coding RNA in MDS
Circulating plasma miRNA as molecular biomarkers of MDS

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)

Study of mutations and clonality of leukemic cells in AML patients
Effect of C-terminal mutations on the function and immunogenicity of nucleophosmin
Frequency and significance of dicentric chromosomes in the karyotype of patients with myeloid diseases

Immune System Function in Hematoncology

Development of experimental therapeutic procedures and vaccines against CML
Gene modifications of T cell receptors for oncotherapy - development of next-generation CAR
Adoptive immunotherapy - selection and cultivation of antiviral T-lymphocytes and development of antiviral CAR
Investigation of the immunological profile of CML patients and its changes during therapy.
Reconstitution of cellular immunity against human cytomegalovirus in patients after bone marrow transplantation

Thrombosis and Hemostasis

Study of the structure and function of blood platelets and blood proteins involved in hemostasis (bleeding arrest) and thrombosis
Congenital and acquired dysfibrinogenemia and hypofibrinogenemia
Biochemical, genetic and morphological analogies of neurovascular and cardiovascular ischemic diseases

Other Research and Development Topics

Biosensors with surface plasmons and protein chips for medical diagnostics
Iron absorption and processing in the human body
Adhesion structures of blood cells and signaling pathways regulating their interaction with the extracellular matrix
New methods for the diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis
Epidemiological studies based on molecular-biological and serological markers of papillomavirus and polyomavirus infection in relation to human tumor diseases
Prevalence of papillomavirus infection in relation to vaccination with preventive vaccines against human papillomaviruses
Changes in the prevalence of infection markers of small DNA viruses in relation to the course of immunosuppression after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of leukemia
Development of immunization therapeutic procedures based on the influence of non-specific immunity and the tumor microenvironment
Tumor markers associated with resistance to immune mechanisms and progression of tumorigenicity