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Staff Profile

Dr Ruth Cranston

Research Associate

Background

Current position

Dec 2018-current: Research Associate in the Leukaemia Research Cytogenetics Group, Newcastle University

PI: Professor Christine Harrison

 

Themes

Primary: Applied Cancer Therapeutics and Outcomes

Secondary: Precision Medicine, Genomics and Informatics

Tertiary: Chromosome Biology and the Cell Cycle

 

Qualifications

PhD, Molecular Paediatric Oncology, 2018, Newcastle University

MRes, Medical Genetics (Distinction), 2014, Newcastle University

BSc (Hons) Human Genetics (First class), 2013, Newcastle University

 

Honours and awards

  • November 2022: Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia group and the Little Princess Trust Project Grant. Two year duration (£188,962.00). In collaboration with Professor Christine Harrison. Project title: “Novel drug treatments through repurposing of FDA-approved drugs for improved treatment of high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia”.
  • December 2018: British Association for Cancer Research Travel Grant (£1000). To fund attendance of the American Society for Hematology Annual Meeting 2018.
  • December 2018: Newcastle University Faculty of Medical Sciences Travel Grant (£724.33). To fund attendance of the American Society for Hematology Annual Meeting 2018.
  • September 2018: Newcastle Hospitals Charity Research Grant. One year duration (£49,260). In collaboration with Professor Christine Harrison. Project title: “Functional assessment of chromosome 21 candidate genes in precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL)”.
  • March 2017: Newcastle University Post Graduate Cancer Conference. Best 3-minute thesis (£50 award).

 

Memberships

British Association for Cancer Research

European Association for Cancer Research

 

Manuscript Peer Review

Leukemia
Research

My research focuses on two types of paediatric cancer: B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

 

B-ALL

B-ALL is one of the most common paediatric cancers. Despite excellent cure rates of around 90%, fatality after B-ALL relapse is one of the leading causes of death in children, and long-term health issues are common due to toxic chemotherapy treatment.

The presence of somatic cytogenetic abnormalities is a hallmark of B-ALL, and the detection of such abnormalities permits the classification and risk stratification of patients. Whole or partial gain of chromosome 21 is the most common cytogenetic abnormality, observed in approximately 30% of all B-ALL patients, affecting multiple cytogenetic subgroups. The prevalence of whole or partial gains of chromosome 21 suggests that genes located on chromosome 21 may have an important role in leukaemogenesis and disease maintenance.

My work focuses on the identification and characterisation of candidate oncogenes located on chromosome 21, with a view to identifying novel targets for targeted therapy. In addition, I am also interested in the repurposing of FDA-approved compounds for the treatment of B-ALL patients with whole or partial gains of chromosome 21. To achieve this, I utilise a wide variety of techniques not limited to: CRISPR-mediated gene editing, CRISPR screening, RNA-sequencing, protein analysis and copy number analysis using SNP arrays.

 

AML

AML is relatively rare in children in comparison to B-ALL, and as such, has not been researched as extensively, resulting in much lower survival rates (~50%) and a high risk of relapse amongst many cytogenetic subgroups. Children with AML have historically been treated using adult treatment protocols within the UK. Utilising genomic and transcriptomic data from patients enrolled in the UK’s first international paediatric AML trial, MyeChild01, I aim to identify gene fusions, mutations and analyse transcriptional profiles to better characterise and understand paediatric AML, with a view to improving patient treatment through enhanced risk stratification and the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Teaching

Student supervision

2 BSc students (2019-current)

1 MSci student (2020-current)

 

Teaching

BGM1004: Genetics. Seminar host (2020-current)

Publications