Typically, cancer patients—whether they have lung cancer or leukemia—are treated with chemotherapy. Chemo’s aim is to attack harmful cancer cells; however, it also kills normal, healthy cells, leaving patients susceptible to infection and other harmful side effects. What if there were a way to specifically target cancer cells, without putting healthy cells at risk? As an Associate Investigator at Versiti Blood Research Institute, Dr. Pulikkan studies CEBPA, a gene in the human body that is mutated in acute myeloid leukemia. Little is known about CEBPA mutations in leukemia, and very few labs are working on it. Dr. Pulikkan is working hard to understand how it mutates and causes leukemia. 

About the expert: John A. Pulikkan, PhD is an Associate Investigator at Versiti Blood Research Institute. In addition, he is an Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy at Medical College of Wisconsin and a Member of the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center.