“Before you can apply for big federal grants, you need to do the pilot studies. That is one of the most important things that VeloSano helps us do.” - Dr. Visconte
Despite recent advances in cancer therapy, patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) still face limited treatment options. MDS is a group of cancers that disrupt the normal development of blood cells, and in some cases, it can progress into AML, an aggressive and life-threatening form of leukemia.
Now, genomic medicine experts Valeria Visconte, PhD, and Arda Durmaz, PhD, are leading groundbreaking research to change that. By analyzing genetic data from patients, they aim to uncover patterns that could explain how these diseases behave, and more importantly, how they might be treated more effectively.
Their work focuses on identifying genetic signatures that reveal hidden vulnerabilities in the cancer’s biology. These weak points could be targeted with existing or experimental drugs, offering new hope for patients who currently have few options.
“We will predict, according to these genetic features, which medicine is best and more appropriate for the patient,” says Dr. Visconte. “In the future, we want to reduce the time that passes between the patients being diagnosed and the clinical decision.”
They are using the latest computer science tools to match the data with genetic profiles, clinical data and drug response patterns. “We are taking this heterogeneous data and combining it in a way that is useful so that we are able to predict drug responses on an individual patient basis,” says Dr. Durmaz.
Their findings could mark a turning point in how high-risk blood cancers are treated, addressing the urgent need for more personalized therapeutic options beyond the standard of care. The VeloSano grant came at a pivotal time, allowing the team to expand their reach and accelerate progress.
“VeloSano has been fantastic for us because the grant was able to make this project more mature by screening a larger number of patients,” says Dr. Visconte, who has seen the impact of cancer outside her lab. “My mother was a cancer patient, and the time to make a clinical decision took very long. So reducing this time has been something that has always motivated me.”
That motivation extends beyond the lab. Dr. Visconte has been a dedicated volunteer for Bike to Cure since the beginning. “I love the excitement, and there are plenty of things you can do to volunteer,” says Dr. Visconte. “It brings a lot of people together, and it’s also fun.”
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