XIX FERO Grant – Dr. Laura Belver

The project aims to develop targeted therapies to reverse the activity of the SHP2 protein. This protein is encoded by the PTPN11 gene, which is where the most common genetic alteration in Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia occurs. This is a type of hematological cancer that primarily affects children under two years of age. Approximately 40% of patients present with mutations in the PTPN11 gene, which are also associated with the most aggressive forms of the disease, to the extent that only one in four children with this genetic alteration survives. Currently, there are no specific therapies available to treat these patients. Therefore, the main objective of our research is to develop new therapeutic strategies specifically designed for children affected by this type of leukemia.