Bouchier-Hayes Published in Science Advances

Researchers led by Dr. Lisa Bouchier‑Hayes at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center have identified Caspase‑2 as a promising therapeutic target in nucleophosmin‑mutated acute myeloid leukemia (NPM1‑mutated AML).

The team discovered that Caspase‑2 is required for the proliferation and self‑renewal of leukemia cells carrying an NPM1 mutation, suggesting that inhibiting this enzyme may offer a new path for treatment development.

NPM1 mutations are among the most common genetic alterations in AML—found in approximately 30% of adult cases and 6–8% of pediatric patients.

These findings were published in Science Advances (AAAS).