Over 10,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in the US each year and it remains a leading cause of death. 

The primary focus of Dr. Rao’s research at Versiti Blood Research Institute is to understand how changes in gene expression influence differentiation of stem cells.  Alterations in this process are a key step in the development of leukemia.  Non-coding DNA elements act as “molecular switches” to cause changes in gene expression.  One model Dr. Rao and his lab focus on is Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).  AML has a poor long-term survival even with high doses of chemotherapy, illustrating the need for more effective, less toxic therapies.