Objectives

The overall goal of CATCH ALL is to integrate comprehensive information from adult and pediatric ALL patients to better understand the molecular and immunological mechanisms driving leukemia persistence and MRD for clinical translation. We therefore propose the following specific scientific objectives, which are closely interconnected.

Figure: Integration of comprehensive information from studies in adult and pediatric ALL in seven interconnected projects, a Z project and the INF-project.

Aims

  • To determine molecular characteristics defining age-specific divergent treatment responses and clonal evolution in BCP-ALL and BCP-L and to explore oncogenic driver networks in functional models relevant to all ages (P1, P2, P4)
  • To identify mechanisms of leukemia-specific and immunological control of MRD in ALL (P3)
  • To explore novel T cell and antibody-based strategies for the immunological control of ALL (P5, P6, P7)
  • To establish a structural environment for data generation/development, data handling and bioinformatics (INF) as well as a clinical platform for translation and back-translation of therapeutic interventions and for structured education (Z)

Main projects

P2
Klapper

Lymphoma vs. Leukemia

B cell Precursor Lymphoma as a model for immune control, dissemination and low-risk subgroups of precursor cell neoplasms

P3
Chitadze / Brüggemann

MRD

Minimal residual disease characteristics and its immune system interaction in the context of treatment resistance

P6
Valerius / Schewe

CD47 blockade

Combination of CD19 antibody of IgA isotype and CD47 inhibition for the treatment of BCP-ALL

P7
Peipp

NKG2D

Targeted modulation of the NKG2D axis to trigger anti-leukemia NK cell and T cell responses

Z
Schrappe / Neumann

Clinical translation

Molecular guided experimental treatments in patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoid malignancies – Project Z-Platform

Platforms and technologies

Platforms

Technologies

Participating Institutes