Biography
Dr. Gary Gilliland received his PhD in Microbiology from UCLA and his MD at UCSF. He completed Medical Residency and Hematology/Oncology Fellowship training at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and was Chief Medical Resident at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is currently Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and is on the faculty of the Biomedical and Biological Sciences Program in the Department of Genetics at HMS. He is also an Associate Investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and is the Director of the Leukemia Program at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. His research efforts have focused on genetics and treatment of hematologic malignancies.
Abstract
Clinical Translational Approaches to Therapy of Myeloid Blood Diseases
This is a highly integrated and synergistic proposal that covers the entire spectrum of clinical translational research in myeloid blood diseases. These include the myeloproliferative disorders (MPD), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Most adults and children who develop MPD, MDS or AML eventually succumb to complications related to their disease or therapy. Unfortunately, our therapeutic approaches to these diseases have changed little over the past two decades. There is thus a compelling need to develop more effective and less toxic therapies for these potentially fatal blood disorders.
We have devoted a substantial effort to understanding the genetic basis of these MPD, MDS and AML, with the hope that these insights will allow us to develop therapies that target the specific genetic defect that causes the disease. Molecular targeting may allow for more specific and less toxic therapies, and may improve outcome either alone, or in conjunction with more conventional therapies. To this end, this proposal utilizes a comprehensive clinical translational approach to these blood disorders, including (i) cloning of disease alleles, (ii) characterization of the transforming properties in cell culture systems, (iii) development and testing of specific inhibitors in the model systems for transformation, (iv) translation of inhibitors into clinical trials. We have already demonstrated proof-of-principle for this approach in the application of FLT3 inhibitors in therapy of advanced MDS and AML.
An attribute of this application is the seamless dovetailing of laboratory and clinical investigation - this is not a unidirectional approach from bench to bedside, but rather a highly interactive and interdependent team of young investigators that derive synergy from the crosstalk between the laboratory and the clinic. However, perhaps the most important strength of the proposal is the dedicated and devoted focus on the career development of the physician-scientists. I have a strong track record of nurturing and supporting the career development of female and male physician-scientists. With the resources of the DCSA, which are entirely devoted to the salary and laboratory support of an exceptionally talent group of medical students, medical residents, hematology/oncology fellows, and junior faculty, I hope to help build the next generation of physician-scientists who will realize our collective dream and fervent hope of developing cures for these devastating blood disorders.